The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) rates cities for risk of flooding and these ratings are used by insurance companies to establish premiums. NFIP is a division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In order for South Daytona to qualify for the best possible rating from NFIP, we must annually publish the following information. Please review it carefully, retain for reference. Website Information: The City of South Daytona’s website, found at www.southdaytona.org, and at www.volusia.org/services/public-protection/emergency-management/where you will find useful links to government agencies, brochures and other valuable information regarding FEMA flood data. If you have any questions or comments, please contact the Community Development Department at City Hall, 1672 S. Ridgewood Avenue, South Daytona, FL 32119 at (386) 322-3020.

Flooding: is an act of nature which respects no boundary lines, either community or personal. Flooding can come with little warning. Flooding in South Daytona is caused by two sources: (1) the Halifax River, which may overflow its banks during severe storms and/or high tides; and (2) downpours of rain such as experienced during Tropical Storm Gordon in 1994 and the hurricanes in 2004. Flood water can cover many blocks up to four or five feet deep. County and City-owned canals have also been prone to flooding, but stormwater runoff control measures implemented by the City should minimize or eliminate this problem. The City has spent millions of dollars on stormwater drainage improvements. However, flood-ing will always be a possibility throughout the area due to our coastal location near sea level.

Flood maps and flood protection: references are available at the Daytona Beach and Port Orange public libraries, and at FEMA’s website, www.fema.gov. You can also visit the Community Development Department at City Hall, 1672 S. Ridgewood Avenue, South Daytona, Florida to see where your property is located on the FEMA Flood Maps and obtain informational brochures on flood protection methods. Call the Community Development Department at (386) 322-3020 to obtain a flood zone determination or to have an inspector visit your property to review its flood problems and analyze methods to prevent flooding or flood damage. The City may also be able to provide a FEMA elevation certificate for structures built after 1991 and located inside special flood hazard areas. If your property is affected by problem flooding/historical flooding/repetitive loss flooding or if you suspect illegal floodplain development is occurring, please call the Community Development Dept. at (386) 322-3020.

Flood Warning System:
The City has an interlocal agreement with Volusia County and other municipalities that provide for coordination of the emergency management plans of all communities and for the prompt dissemination of information concerning storms and flooding. Information is also provided by local television and radio stations, since their representatives are on the emergency response teams and are located at the County Command Center dur-ing emergencies. The following stations service the South Daytona/Volusia County area: AM/FM radio - WNDB 1150 AM, WKRO 93.1 FM, WHOG 95.7 FM, WVYB 103.3 FM, WLOV 99.5 FM; Television - WESH – Ch.2, WKMG – Ch.6, WFTV – Ch.9, WCFN – Ch.13, WOFL – Ch.35, WDSC – Ch.15, Univision – Ch.26 ; National Weather Service, www.srh.noaa.gov/mlb and Volusia County Emergency Management, www.volusia.org/emergency.

Flood Insurance:
For many people, their home and its contents represent their greatest investment. Property losses due to flooding are not covered under most standard homeowners’ insurance policies; however, flood insurance can be obtained through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). NFIP was established by Congress in 1968, enabling property owners to buy flood insurance at reasonable rates in participating communities. In return, those communities carry out flood management measures designed to protect life and property during future flooding. South Daytona participates in the National Flood Insurance Program, so you can purchase a separate flood insurance policy at a reduced rate. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through its Federal Insurance Administration, administers the NFIP. Find out more about flood insurance. Contact an insurance agent. Since there is usually a 30-day waiting period before a flood insurance policy takes effect, do not wait until a storm threatens be-fore securing flood insurance. This type of insurance is backed by the Federal Government and is available to everyone, even if your property has previously been flooded. You might want to include your home contents, as most regular policies do not cover contents such as furniture. Get a flood insurance policy – it will help pay for repairs after a flood and in some cases it will help pay the costs of elevating a substantially damaged building.

Flood Safety:
Before the storm: If your home is well constructed, and local authorities have not called for evacuation, stay home and make emergency preparation. If told to evacuate, follow all instructions from local authorities and follow safe evacuation routes to shelter. Your personal evacuation plan should provide for your pets, your personal hurricane supplies (food, medicine, first-aid kit, battery-powered radio, flashlights, extra batteries, etc.) and insurance papers. When evacuating, take property identification and important personal papers and documents with you.

During and after the storm: If you are in a public shelter, remain there until informed by those in charge that it is safe to leave and return home. Often times, people are injured immediately after a storm due to unsafe buildings, downed power lines, contaminated water, and other dangerous conditions. Carefully check for structural damage prior to entering a building after a storm, and use caution when entering. Turn electricity on one breaker at a time and watch for smoke or sparks. Report broken sewer and water lines to the Public Works Department at 322-3080.

Flood Protection:

When a flood threatens to take the following emergency actions: sandbag to reduce erosion and scouring; elevate furniture above flood protection levels; create floodway openings in non-habitable areas such as garage doors; and seal off sewer lines to the dwelling to prevent the backflow of sewer waters. To prevent basement flooding, check your downspout and drain away from your house/building. There are several ways to protect your building from flood damage. While recent construction practices and regulations have made new homes less prone to flooding, many existing structures remain susceptible. Throughout the country there is a growing interest in developing practical and cost effective methods for reducing or eliminating exposures to flooding hazards. Effective ways include relocation of a building to a site not subject to flooding, construction of floodwalls or berms to keep water away from the property, or retrofitting structures to make them flood proof. Retrofitting is a different approach in that the property itself remains subject to flooding while the building is modified to prevent or minimize flooding of habitable space, and can be accomplished by elevation of the structure above flood protection levels, construction of barriers (floodwalls, berms), and/or dry flood proofing (permits entry and passage of flood waters). The Community Development Department has additional information regarding flood protection.

TIPS FOR AFTER THE FLOODING:

  • Do not walk through flowing water. Drowning is the number one cause of flood deaths, mostly during flash floods. Currents can be deceptive; six (6) inches of water can knock a person off their feet. If walking in standing water, use a pole or stick to check how deep the water is.
  • Turn Around, Don’t Drown! Do not drive into a flooded area. Many people drown in their cars. Don't drive around road barriers; the road may be washed out.
  • Stay away from power lines and electrical wires. The number two cause of death after drowning is electrocution. Electrical current can travel through water. Report downed power lines to Florida Power and Light or emergency personnel.
  • Have your electricity turned off by the power company. Some appliances, such as television sets, keep electrical charges even after they have been unplugged. Don't use appliances or motors that have gotten wet unless they have been taken apart, cleaned and dried.
  • Look out for small animals, especially snakes. Small animals that have been flooded out of their homes may seek shelter in yours. Use a pole or stick to poke and turn things over and to scare away small animals and snakes.
  • Look before you step! After a flood, the ground and floors are covered with debris including broken bottles and nails. Floors and stairs covered with mud can be slippery. ● Be alert for gas leaks. Use a flashlight to inspect for damage. Never smoke or use candles, lanterns, matches or open flames unless you know the gas has been properly turned off and the entire area has been ventilated.
  • Carbon monoxide exhaust kills. Only use a generator or other gasoline powered equipment outdoors. The same goes for cooking stoves. Charcoal fumes are especially deadly - use charcoal outdoors only.
  • Clean everything that got wet. Flood waters pick up sewage and chemicals from roads, commercial properties and storage buildings. Spoiled food, flooded cosmetics, and medicines can be health hazards. When in doubt, throw it out!

Requirements for Permits and Substantial Improvements:
Always contact the Community Development Department before you build on, alter, regrade, or put “fill” on your property. A building permit is required to ensure that projects do not cause flooding problems. New buildings in the flood plain must be protected from flood damage. Our building codes require that new buildings must be elevated at least one foot above the base flood elevation. Only hire licensed contractors. The City requires that if the cost of reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition or other improvements to a building equals or exceeds 50% of the building’s as-sessed tax value, the building must meet the same construction requirements as a new building. Substantially damaged buildings must also be brought up to the same standards. Also, substantial improvements and/or damage to a building in the flood plain area which is accumulative over a ten-year period and exceeds 50% of the building value must meet the new Codes and protection. The assessed value of the structure, as listed by the Volusia County Property Appraiser’s office shall be determined before the improvement is started.

Funding Sources for Repetitive Loss Properties:
Each year, thousands of properties flood repeatedly nationwide. Often built before floodplain management regulations took effect, these properties continue to place a severe strain on the National Flood Insurance fund. FEMA has several financial assistance programs available to communities and interested property owners to acquire, retrofit, or fund other flood mitigation projects. All these programs are managed through the State Division of Emergency Management’s Mitigation Program at http://www.floridadisaster.org/Mitigation/index.htm. The Flood Mitigation Assistance Program funds are specifically designed to help reduce losses to National Flood Insurance Program insured buildings. Each year a certain amount is set aside for planning grants, project grants for acquisition or retrofitting, and technical assistance grants. These funds are allocated to states like Florida each year. https://www.fema.gov/flood-mitigation-assistance-program. The Hazard Mitigation Program funds become available after a Presidential disaster declaration and can be used to fund projects to protect either public or private property such as flood proofing or installation of hurricane shutters or property acquisition, relocation, or elevation to protect structures from future disasters. http://www.fema.gov/hazard-mitigation-grant-program. The Repetitive Flood Claims Program provides predisaster funding for mitigation projects at 100% Federal Funding. https://www.fema.gov/repetitive-flood-claims-grant-program-fact-sheet. The Predisaster Mitigation Program provides funds through a competitive grant program developed to assist communities implement hazard mitigation related activities to advert future disasters. http://www.fema.gov/pre-disaster-mitigation-grant-program. The Severe Repetitive Loss Program funds residential buildings that have at least: (a) Two separate claims payments with the cumulative amount of the claims exceeding the market value of the building; or (b) Four claims payments over $5,000 each and the cumulative amount of such claims payments exceeds $20,000. The SRL Program is different from the other mitigation grant programs because property owners who decline offers of mitigation assistance may experience an increase in their flood insurance premium to more closely reflect the flood risk to the structure. https://www.fema.gov/repetitive-flood-claims-grant-program-fact-sheet. Most of the FEMA grants provide 75% of the cost of a project. The owner is expected to fund the other 25%. The reimbursement funding programs noted above require the local government to "sponsor" the applicant from the application stage through to the completion of the project. Check the websites and read up on the details of the funding programs that are appropriate for your situation. Keep your flood insurance policy in force. All grants only fund properties that currently have a flood insurance Policy.

Drainage System Maintenance:
South Daytona’s Public Works Department makes inspections and maintains all City-owned ditches and canals and has maintenance contracts for aquatic weed control. You can help by taking the following measures: Do not dump or throw anything into the ditches or canals. Dumping in our ditches or canals is a violation of City of South Daytona Ordinance Section 10-9. Even grass clippings and branches can accumulate and block stormwater flow. A plugged ditch or canal cannot carry water, and when it rains the water needs to go somewhere. Every piece of trash contributes to flooding. If your property is next to a ditch or canal, please do your part and keep the banks clear of brush and debris. The City has a ditch and canal maintenance program which can help remove major blockages such as downed trees. If you see dumping or debris in the ditches or canals, contact Public Works at 322-3080, Community Development at 322-3020, or Police Dispatch at 323-3568.

Natural and Beneficial Functions: Under natural conditions, a flood causes little or no damage. Nature ensures that floodplain flora and fauna can survive the more frequent inundations. This is the case along Reed Canal and the banks of the Halifax River. Reed Canal helps reduce our flood damage by allowing flood waters to flow from the inner city to the Halifax River. Stormwater retention areas have been installed through-out the City which draw stormwater from the adjacent subdivisions and store it until absorbed back into the ground, thus improving water quality. During major storms, the City also has the capability of pumping water from canals and retention areas to relieve neighborhood flooding.