Lesson Overview
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
  • Use the FEMA Flood Map Service Center to find flood information and generate a FIRMETTE.
  • Use the FEMA Map Service Center Preliminary Flood Map Search Tool to find Preliminary FIRMs
  • Use the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wetlands Mapper to find wetlands information and generate a wetlands map.
Lesson list: Topics covered are Course welcome, Floodplain Management Basics, and Wetland Protection Basics, and Federal, State, and Local Roles in Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands. Next topic will be Floodplain and Wetlands Mapping.
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This lesson should take approximately 1 hour to complete.
Online FEMA Tutorials

If you are unfamiliar with NFIP maps and studies, you are highly encouraged to complete the following online tutorials before continuing the lesson:

  1. Flood Insurance Rate Map tutorial (text equivalent).
    • This tutorial educates users on the use and application of the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) produced by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Each component of the FIRM is explored. The tutorial includes a section that contains examples of how to get specific information from FIRMs.
  2. Flood Insurance Study tutorial (text equivalent).
    • This tutorial educates users on the use and application of the Flood Insurance Study (FIS ) reports produced by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Each component of the FIS report--including Flood Profiles, cross sections, and notes-- is explored and explained.

Reminder: The tutorials will open in a different window. When you finish the tutorials, close the windows to return to the course and select the forward arrow to continue.

FEMA Flood Map Service Center

The FEMA Flood Map Service Center provides online mapping products free of charge. On the site you can find preliminary flood hazard data, current flood maps, historical maps, as well as other products.

A graphic of a FEMA webpage. The FEMA logo (U.S. Department of Homeland Security FEMA) is in the top left corner with several lines beneath it indicating text. In the middle of the page are the words Flood Map Service Center with several lines beneath it indicating text. The bottom half of the page shows part of a flood map with the words Welcome to the FEMA Flood Map Service Center written on top of it.
Using the FEMA Flood Map Service Center

Step 1: Search by Address

On FEMA's Flood Map Service Center site you will find a job aid which provides step-by-step instructions on locating a FIRM and creating a smaller map printout (FIRMette) through the website.

Follow the steps below to locate a FIRM by using an address familiar to you.

  1. Select this link to view the How to Print a FIRMette and Download a FIRM Panel job aid
  2. Review Your Flood Map, Search by Address
  3. Select this link to view FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center
  4. Enter an address or place of interest, such as your home, office, or a landmark
  5. Select the Search button
  6. Locate the current and historical map products for this address
Reminder: The job aid and website will open in a different window. When you finish reviewing the job aid and website, close the windows to return to the course and select the forward arrow to continue.
Screen Shot of the FEMA MAPPING SERVICE CENTER web page
Using the FEMA Flood Map Service Center (cont.)

Step 2: Make a FIRMette

FEMA's Flood Map Service Center provides the option to make a FIRMette online, which allows you to focus on a small portion of an overall FIRM panel.

There are two ways to make a FIRMette, depending on whether the address contains digital or non-digital map data. Follow the steps below to make a FIRMette using the same information you used to search by an address.

  1. Select this link to view the How to Print a FIRMette and Download a FIRM Panel
  2. Review Step 2: Option A – Print a FIRMette and Option B – Download a FIRM Panel
  3. Select this link to view FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center
  4. Make the FIRMette for the address you used in the previous exercise, using either the digital National Flood Hazard Layer (Option A), or the non-digital FIRMette approach (Option B), as applicable
  5. Save and print the FIRMette you made*

    *To preserve the scale of the map, save as PDF and remember to change print settings to "actual size."
Reminder: The job aid and website will open in a different window. When you finish reviewing the job aid and website, close the windows to return to the course and select the forward arrow to continue.
Screen Shot of Make a FIRMette Web Page
Preliminary Flood Map Comparison Tool

Preliminary Flood Hazard Maps and Data

Preliminary flood hazard maps and data are available on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center website.

Let's look at how to use the Preliminary Map Comparison Tool within the Flood Map Changes Viewer on that site. The Preliminary Map Comparison Tool allows customers to compare current effective flood hazard data with preliminary flood hazard data.

Follow the steps below to locate the Preliminary Map Comparison Tool.

  1. Select this link to view the Preliminary Map Comparison Tool Tutorial
  2. Review "How to use the Preliminary Map Comparison Tool"
  3. Select this link to view the Flood Map Changes Viewer
  4. Make a Comparison of Flood Hazard for the address you used in the previous exercise
  5. Save and print the Comparison of Flood Hazard you made*

    *To preserve the scale of the map, save as PDF and remember to change print settings to "actual size."

Reminder: The website will open in a different window. When you finish reviewing the website, close the window to return to the course and select the forward arrow to continue.

Note: Preliminary flood maps can also be accessed at http://msc.fema.gov when searching for a specific address. Simply click on the "Show all products for this area" link on the Search Results page. 

Additional mapping resources related to the status of map change requests and mapping product subscriptions are located at: www.fema.gov/status-map-change-requests and msc.fema.gov/portal/subscription, respectively. 

A graphic of a FEMA webpage. The FEMA logo U.S. Department of Homeland Security FEMA is in the top left corner of the page. In the top right corner are the words Map Service Center. The middle of the page has several lines indicating text. The bottom half of the page has the following text, Search, Use the following selection boxes to find your area of interest. Below the text are three lines with selection boxes. The first line reads, Select a State, District, or Territory. The second line reads, Select a County, Parish, etc, and the third line is blank.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wetlands Mapper

The Wetlands Mapper is designed to deliver easy-to-use, map like views of America’s Wetland resources. It integrates digital map data along with other resource information to produce current information on the status, extent, characteristics and functions of wetlands, riparian, and deepwater habitats.

Lets look at how to use the Wetlands Mapper.

Follow the steps below to print a wetlands map:

  1. Select this link to view the Wetlands Mapper
  2. Click the Map Icon to open the Wetlands Mapper
  3. Click on the Find Location icon
  4. Enter an address or place of interest such as your home, office, or a landmark and click Go
  5. Click the Print icon
  6. Optionally enter a title for your map and click Print
  7. Save and print the wetlands map you made

Reminder: The website will open in a different window. When you finish reviewing the job aid and website, close the windows to return to the course and select the forward arrow to continue.

Screen grab of the homepage of the USFWS Wetlands Mapper
You have now completed Lesson 5 of this course.  You should now be able to:
  • Use the FEMA Flood Map Service Center to find flood information and generate a FIRMETTE.
  • Use the FEMA Map Service Center Preliminary Flood Map Search Tool to find Preliminary FIRMs
  • Use the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wetlands Mapper to find wetlands information and generate a wetlands map.
Lesson list: Topics covered were Course welcome, Floodplain Management Basics, and Wetland Protection Basics, and Federal, State, and Local Roles in Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands, and Floodplain and Wetlands Mapping.