Webinar Recap: Planning for Substantial Damage: Lessons from Louisville, KY

Declaring properties as substantially damaged is one of the most challenging tasks for a floodplain manager. However, understanding the potential for substantial damage within a community and proactively planning for it can significantly alleviate the burden in the aftermath of a disaster. In our recent webinar, Lori Rafferty, P.E., CFM, Floodplain and CRS Administrator in Louisville & Jefferson County, KY, shared how the Louisville Metro district approaches substantial damage planning to enhance community preparedness and address risk before flooding occurs. 

Lori shared the importance of identifying at-risk properties ahead of major flood events. By identifying these properties in advance, communities can implement mitigation measures and educate their residents. Substantial damage planning is also rewarded through the Community Rating System, which can reduce flood insurance premiums. This makes the work impactful on multiple levels – and she explained how their larger mitigation efforts have helped Louisville reach a CRS class 3. Lori’s insights underscored how proactive substantial damage planning not only strengthens resilience but also provides tangible benefits, making it a critical strategy for floodplain managers.

The webinar presentation can be downloaded here and the recording is below.

Our webinars are hosted periodically to foster knowledge-sharing within the floodplain management community. Sign up for our monthly newsletter to be notified about the next one! Please reach out support@withforerunner.com or request a demo to learn more about Forerunner.