April 11, 2001 (Originally issued on August 29, 2000) 

 

MEMORANDUM FOR: Doug Bellomo, P.E., Project Officer 

 Eastern Studies Team 

 

 Bill Blanton, Project Officer 

 Central Studies Team 

 

 Mike Grimm, Project Officer 

 Western Studies Team 

 

 [Original Signed] 

FROM: Matthew B. Miller, P.E., Chief 

 Hazards Study Branch 

 

SUBJECT: Procedure Memorandum No. 15  Revised Countywide FIRM 
Index Specifications and Distribution Protocol 

 

Background: The Countywide FIRM format requires that communities share a common FIRM 
Index. The present distribution procedure calls for each community within the county to receive 
a copy of the FIRM Index each time the Index is revised, regardless of whether any FIRM panels 
on which they are located were revised at the time of the FIRM revision. 

 

Issue: Communities are often required to adopt floodplain management ordinances specifying 
the current FIRM Index date. As a result, each countywide FIRM revision creates a potential 
requirement for all communities within the county to adopt new floodplain management 
ordinances to include and reference the revised Index. This results in considerable time and 
effort in distributing the revised Index to unaffected communities, and considerable coordination 
at the Federal, State, and local level to adopt new ordinances and ensure compliance. 

 

Final Procedure: The MCCs will use a new FIRM Index format for all new and revised 
countywide FIRMs that are sent to the Government Printing Office after May 1, 2001. The new 
format includes a revised Listing of Communities table and an explanatory note as follows: 

Notice 

Future revisions to this FIRM Index will only be issued to communities that 
are located on FIRM panels being revised. This FIRM Index therefore 
remains valid for FIRM panels dated [date] or earlier. Please refer to the 
"MOST RECENT FIRM PANEL DATE" column in the LISTING OF COMMUNITIES table 
to determine the most recent FIRM Index date for each community. 

 

This note should be added above the title block on all FIRM Index panels. The purpose of this 
note is to inform communities that the FIRM Index may be revised by FEMA in the future, but 
that it would not normally be distributed to unaffected communities. The proper location for the 
note is shown on Attachment A of this memo. 


The FIRM Index Listing of Communities table has been modified as follows: 

 

 The Initial Identification column is replaced with "Initial NFIP Map Date." When the Initial 
Identification date does not correspond to the Initial NFIP Map date, the MCC will place a 
superscript footnote next to the date directing the map user to a footnote under the Listing of 
Communities table indicating the Initial Identification date (see Attachment A). 

 The Post FIRM Date column is replaced with "Initial FIRM Date." 

 A column entitled "Most Recent FIRM Panel Date" is added to the table to indicate the latest 
revision that was processed for each community listed on the FIRM Index. 

To assist the map users in determining the effective date for each printed FIRM panel, the panel 
dates shall be added to the FIRM Index. The preferred method is to have the panel dates shown 
immediately under each panel number within the FIRM Index grid as shown below. 

 

 

17097C0201 C 

 

12/06/91 

 

17097C0202 C 

 

12/06/91 

 

17097C0203 C 

 

12/06/91 

 

17097C0204 D 

 

05/03/00 

 

When adding the map dates under the panel numbers becomes problematic due to high levels of 
base map detail on the body of the FIRM Index, the MCC may opt to list the dates of all printed 
panels in a separate table on the Index. When multiple FIRM Index panels exist, this table will 
list FIRM panels on an Index panel specific basis. A sample of this table is shown below. 

 

FIRM Panel Dates For Printed Panels of Johnson County, FL (All Jurisdictions) 

Panel 

Effective Date 

Panel 

Effective Date 

Panel 

Effective Date 

0035 D 

May 03, 2000 

0145 D 

May 03, 2000 

0237 C 

December 06, 1991

0039 E 

July 07, 2001 

0152 E 

July 07, 2001 

0242 B 

January 08, 1988 

0045 E 

July 07, 2001 

0155 E 

July 07, 2001 

0244 B 

January 08, 1988 

0053 D 

May 03, 2000 

0160 E 

July 07, 2001 

0252 D 

May 03, 2000 

0061 D 

May 03, 2000 

0164 B 

January 08, 1988 

0255 D 

May 03, 2000 

0062 D 

May 03, 2000 

0165 D 

May 03, 2000 

0256 D 

May 03, 2000 

0063 D 

May 03, 2000 

0166 B 

January 08, 1988 

0257 D 

May 03, 2000 

0064 D 

May 03, 2000 

0167 B 

January 08, 1988 

0258 D 

May 03, 2000 

0068 D 

May 03, 2000 

0168 B 

January 08, 1988 

0259 B 

January 08, 1988 

0086 C 

December 06, 1991 

0169 B 

January 08, 1988 

0261 B 

January 08, 1988 

0088 C 

December 06, 1991 

0176 D 

May 03, 2000 

0262 B 

January 08, 1988 

0090 C 

December 06, 1991 

0177 D 

May 03, 2000 

0263 B 

January 08, 1988 

0095 C 

December 06, 1991 

0178 D 

May 03, 2000 

0264 B 

January 08, 1988 

0110 D 

May 03, 2000 

0179 D 

May 03, 2000 

0267 B 

January 08, 1988 

0113 D 

May 03, 2000 

0181 D 

May 03, 2000 

0268 B 

January 08, 1988 

0114 D 

May 03, 2000 

0186 B 

January 08, 1988 

0269 B 

January 08, 1988 

0115 D 

May 03, 2000 

0201 C 

December 06, 1991

0276 B 

January 08, 1988 

0119 D 

May 03, 2000 

0202 C 

December 06, 1991

0277 B 

January 08, 1988 

0130 D 

May 03, 2000 

0204 D 

May 03, 2000 

0281 B 

January 08, 1988 



Now that an inventory of NFIP panels has become available through the Map Service Center 
website, the note below shall be added to the countywide format FIRM Index. The note shall be 
placed directly above the FIRM Panel Dates table (if that option is chosen), or in a clear area on 
the FIRM Index if the dates are shown within the individual map grids. If more than one FIRM 
Index is required to show the jurisdiction, this note should be placed on both FIRM Index panels. 
Appearing directly beneath this note is an additional note that also informs communities 
annexing land on adjacent FIRM panels of the need to order a current adjacent panel and current 
Index to ensure compliance with the most recent flood hazard information in the annexed area. 

 

Map Dates 

This FIRM Index displays the map date for each FIRM panel at the time that 
this Index was printed. Because this Index may not be distributed to 
unaffected communities in subsequent revisions, users may determine the 
current map date for each FIRM panel by visiting the FEMA Map Service 
Center website at http://web1.msc.fema.gov , or by calling the Map Service 
Center at 1-800-358-9616. 

 

Communities annexing land on adjacent FIRM panels must obtain a current 
copy of the adjacent panel as well as the current FIRM Index. These may 
be ordered directly from Map Service Center at the number listed above. 

 

To ensure that the new format countywide FIRM Index is made available to all communities in 
the county, the first time an existing countywide format FIRM is revised, the new Index format 
will be provided to all communities in the county with an explanatory letter. A sample of this 
letter is provided as Attachment B. 

 

Attachments 

 

cc: see attached distribution list 


Text Box: ULISTING OF COMMUNITIESU
COMMUNITY 
NAME COMMUNITY NUMBER LOCATED ON 
PANEL(S) INITIAL NFIP 
MAP DATE INITIAL FIRM DATE MOST RECENT FIRM PANEL DATE
LAKE FOREST, CITY OF 170374 0169, 0188, 0190, 0257, 0259 FEBRUARY 1, 1974 FEBRUARY 18, 1981 SEPTEMBER 4, 1994
LAKE VILLA, VILLAGE OF 170375 0029, 0035, 0036, 0037, 0038, 0039, 0041 MAY 3, 1974 JULY 2, 1981 SEPTEMBER 4, 1994
LAKE ZURICH, VILLAGE OF 170376 0228, 0229, 0233, 0236, 0237, 0241 MARCH 29, 1974 JULY 5, 1983 JUNE 20, 1997
LIBERTYVILLE, VILLAGE OF 170377 0134, 0142, 0161, 0162, 0163, 0164, 0166, 0168, 0252 NOVEMBER 2, 1973 JANUARY 16, 1980 SEPTEMBER 4, 1994
LINCOLNSHIRE, VILLAGE OF 170378 0254, 0258, 0259, 0262, 0266, 0267 NOVEMBER 9, 1973 JULY 16, 1980 SEPTEMBER 4, 1994
LINDENHURST, VILLAGE OF 170379 0041, 0042, 0044 APRIL 5, 1974 JANUARY 2, 1980 SEPTEMBER 4, 1994
LONG GROVE, VILLAGE OF 170380 0144, 0231, 0232, 0233, 0234, 0241, 0242, 0251, 0253, 0254, 0261, 0263 APRIL 5, 1974 MAY 19, 1981 SEPTEMBER 4, 1994
METTAWA, VILLAGE OF 170381 0164, 0168, 0169, 0252, 0256, 0257 OCTOBER 18, 1974 MARCH 28, 1980 SEPTEMBER 4, 1994
MUNDELEIN, VILLAGE OF 170382 0139, 0142, 0143, 0144, 0161, 0163, 0232, 0251 JUNE 28, 1974 P1P JULY 2, 1981 SEPTEMBER 4, 1994
NORTH BARRINGTON, VILLAGE OF 170383 0207, 0208, 0209, 0217, 0226, 0228, 0236 MARCH 22, 1974 OCTOBER 18, 1983 SEPTEMBER 4, 1994
NORTH CHICAGO, CITY OF 170384 0159, 0167, 0180, 0186, 0190 APRIL 5, 1974 DECEMBER 5, 1980 JUNE 20, 1997
OLD MILL CREEK, VILLAGE OF 170385 0055, 0061, 0062 AUGUST 30, 1974 AUGUST 1, 1980 SEPTEMBER 4, 1994
PARK CITY, CITY OF 170386 0156, 0157, 0159 MARCH 1, 1974 OCTOBER 15, 1981 SEPTEMBER 4, 1994
RIVERWOODS, VILLAGE OF 170387 0259, 0266, 0267, 0270, 0286 MARCH 1, 1974 AUGUST 15, 1980 SEPTEMBER 4, 1994
ROUND LAKE, VILLAGE OF 170388 0110, 0126, 0127, 0128, 0129 MARCH 29, 1974 AUGUST 1, 1980 SEPTEMBER 4, 1994
ROUND LAKE BEACH, VILLAGE OF 170389 0038, 0039, 0043, 0126, 0127, 0131 APRIL 5, 1974 AUGUST 1, 1980 SEPTEMBER 4, 1994
ROUND LAKE HEIGHTS, VILLAGE OF 170390 0038 MARCH 29, 1974 JANUARY 2, 1980 SEPTEMBER 4, 1994
ROUND LAKE PARK, VILLAGE OF 073391 0127, 0129, 0133, 0141, 0142 MARCH 29, 1974 JUNE 4, 1980 SEPTEMBER 4, 1994
THIRD LAKE, VILLAGE OF 170392 0044, 0132, 0155 SEPTEMBER 6, 1974 DECEMBER 25, 1981 SEPTEMBER 4, 1994
TOWER LAKES, VILLAGE OF 170393 0206, 0207 APRIL 5, 1974 MARCH 2, 1981 SEPTEMBER 4, 1994
VERNON HILLS, VILLAGE OF 170394 0163, 0164, 0251, 0252, 0253, 0254, 0256, 0258 FEBRUARY 4, 1977 P2P AUGUST 1, 1980 SEPTEMBER 4, 1994
VOLO, VILLAGE OF 171042 0105, 0110, 0112, 0116, 0117 JANUARY 17, 1975 NOVEMBER 3, 1982 SEPTEMBER 4, 1994
WADSWORTH, VILLAGE OF 170395 0055, 0056, 0057, 0058, 0059, 0062, 0064, 0066, 0067, 0068 MARCH 1, 1974 FEBRUARY 4, 1981 SEPTEMBER 4, 1994
WAUCONDA, VILLAGE OF 170396 0116, 0117, 0118, 0119, 0140, 0207 APRIL 5, 1974 DECEMBER 1, 1981 SEPTEMBER 4, 1994
WINTHROP HARBOR, VILLAGE OF 170398 0076, 0077, 0078, 0079, 0081 MARCH 8, 1974 DECEMBER 2, 1980 SEPTEMBER 4, 1994 

 

 

 

Text Box: P1 PInitial Identification Date is January 14, 1972
P2 PInitial Identification Date is April 22, 1976
Text Box: UNOTICEU
Future revisions to this FIRM Index will only be issued to communities that are located on FIRM panels being revised. This FIRM Index therefore remains valid for FIRM panels dated June 20, 1997, or earlier. Please refer to the "MOST RECENT FIRM PANEL DATE" column in the ULISTING OF COMMUNITIESU table to determine the most recent FIRM Index date for each community.
___AcroPDFMTS___AcroPDFMTSText Box: Attachment A
Attachment B 

 

Sample Letter Transmitting New Format Countywide FIRM Index 

 

 

 (179 CWG): 

. Community No.: 
Community: 

 

 

 

Dear .: 

 

Enclosed is a copy of the revised Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) Index for [countywide 
FIRM name] prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). To avoid 
confusion, please replace the FIRM Index that you currently have on file with the most recent 
copy, which is being sent under separate cover to your community's map repository. Your 
community is receiving this information for administrative purposes only; flood hazards for your 
community were not modified in this revision. 

 

As you are aware, your community shares this Index with several other jurisdictions in the 
county. Future revisions to the enclosed FIRM Index will only be issued to you if a FIRM panel 
on which your community is located is revised. This FIRM Index will therefore remain valid 
for your community until such time as a panel on which your community is shown is revised. 

 

It is also important to note that if your community annexes land on adjacent FIRM panels in the 
future, you must obtain a current copy of the adjacent FIRM panel as well as the current FIRM 
Index. These items may be ordered from the FEMA Map Service Center either by telephone at 
(800) 358-9616, or via the Map Service Center website at http://www.fema.gov/msc. 

 

 

 

 

 Sincerely, 

 

 

 

 

 Matthew B. Miller, P.E., Chief 

 Hazards Study Branch 

 Mitigation Directorate 

 

 

Enclosure 

 

Revision Effective Date: 


Distribution List 

 

FEMA Technical Services Division (Electronic Distribution Only) 

 

 Mike Buckley 
 Matt Miller 
 Fred Sharrocks 
 Doug Bellomo 
 Mike Grimm 
 Bill Blanton 
 Phil Myers 
 John Magnotti 
 Mark Crowell 
 Allyson Lichtenfels 
 Sally Magee 
 Max Yuan 
 Helen Cohn 
 Katie Paulson 
 Cynthia Croxdale 
 Agnes De Coca 
 Anne Flowers 
 Cecelia Lynch 
 Kathy Miller 
 Jay Scruggs 
 Shirley Wright

Federal Insurance Administration 

 

 Joe Coughlin 

FEMA Policy, Assessment and Outreach Division 

 Donna Dannels 
 Mike Robinson 
 Bill Lesser 

Program Support Division 

 

 Bob Shea 

FEMA Regional Offices 

 Kevin Merli, Region I 
 Michael Dabney, Region II 
 Thomas Majusiak, Region III 
 A. Todd Davison, Region IV 
 Stuart Rifkind, Region V 
 Frank Pagano, Region VI 
 Bob Bissell, Region VII 
 Steve Olsen, Region VIII 
 Dorothy Lacey, Region IX 
 Carl Cook, Region X 

Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs 

 

 Fran McCarthy 
 Vince Fabrizio 
 Loretta Schaffer 
 Mary Jo Vrem 

FEMA Map Service Center 

 

 Brenda Walguarnery 

Mapping Coordination Contractors 

 

 Zekrollah Momeni, D&D 
 Fernando Pasquel, MBJ 
 Vince DiCamillo, PBS&J