Page 22 - NYS_ESS_05-2023

period of instruction, the surveyor is exposed the many flood issues
including the National Flood Insurance Program, Code of Federal
Regulations Title 44, Flood Insurance Rate Maps, Letters of Map
Young Professionals Corner Change (LOMA, LOMR-F, LOMR), no rise certifications and the

Elevation Certificate. Following this training, there is a four-hour
exam administered to assess the surveyor’s floodplain knowledge.
Taking advantage of the offer from the Massachusetts Association
of Land Surveyors and Civil Engineers (MALSCE) who invited
NYSAPLS members to attend, I participated in and successfully
passed the three-day course in November. NSPS provided me
NSPS Certified Floodplain Surveyor with a certificate complete with a certification number in their
Program own unique system. Every two years I need to take a renewal
By Michael Lewis, LS, CFS course that lasts about a day. The course was not easy, but nothing
worthwhile ever is. It was demanding, with a lot of material to
Young Professionals Committee Member familiarize myself with and memorize over a two-day period.
Many of you, hopefully, are aware of the NSPS Certified The third day was spent reviewing, asking questions, and taking
Survey Technician program. CST is a comprehensive the exam. Going into the course, I knew that my knowledge of
national certification program for field and office technicians. the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and elevation
The program gauges the technical capabilities and general certificates was limited to my experiences of surveying on Long
knowledge of the surveyor; and for those who successfully move Island. I quickly learned there is a lot more that I did not know
up through the levels, rewards them with nationally recognized of or have any experience with. I learned about the various
credentials. These credentials also benefit their employers. aspects of NFIP. I learned about the changes brought about
Clients can rest assured that the technical staff performing the by Risk Rating 2.0 and the way flood insurance premiums
work they are paying for are certified. Another certification that are now estimated. Code of Federal Regulations Title 44 – the
is available to land surveyors across the nation is the Certified sections specific to NFIP, flood mapping, map corrections and
Floodplain Surveyor program. Or it is becoming available at identifying and mapping Special Hazard Areas, seemed to take
least. Here in NY, and the northeast in general, the program is the better part of an entire day to go over and discuss. How to
just gaining ground and becoming known to respective state read a floodway map. How to properly determine a Base Flood
associations. I would venture to guess that most states have not Elevation (BFE) using a Flood Insurance Study (FIS). Anything
yet begun to offer or implement this program. I’m hoping that and everything associated with flood mapping and management
changes relatively quickly. The Certified Floodplain Surveyor is covered, discussed, or at least brought up.
(CFS) program provides another set of credentials that a The program has been around for over 20 years in one way or
surveyor can earn if they successfully complete a three-day another. The State of North Carolina working in conjunction
course of study. I first became aware of the CFS program in with FEMA helped develop the program initially for surveyors
the summer of 2022 when I received an email from NYSAPLS within that state. In about 2019, North Carolina offered to
about a course being offered in Massachusetts and followed bring the program to the state of Tennessee. At that time, those
up with some online research. The NSPS website offers this were the only two states that offered such a certification which
description of the program: was only recognized at the state level. Over the last three years,
This certification program provides a comprehensive body of a group of dedicated surveyors and State NFIP coordinators
knowledge to the surveyor about his or her relationship with the have worked with NSPS to develop a program that is nationally
National Flood Insurance Program. Surveyors are a major link in recognized by The Society. The hope is that more states will
the entire NFIP system. To adequately perform the duties to fulfill begin to recognize the program and offer it to their licensed land
NFIP requirements, a surveyor must expand his or her knowledge surveyors. Currently New Jersey offers the program along with
on this specialized aspect of the profession. Over an intense three-day North Carolina and Tennessee. The benefits of this program are

20 EMPIRE STATE SURVEYOR / VOL. 59 • NO 3 / 2023 • MAY/JUNE