Community Rating System (CRS)Joe's role: Chair of the Marshfield CRS Committee; Organizer of the South Shore CRS Users Group

The Community Rating System (CRS) is a program within the National Flood Insurance Program that, if a community performs certain risk reduction activities, gives premium reductions to an entire community.

Overall, CRS both reduces flood premiums for NFIP policyholders in a community that implements CRS, and also makes a community more resilient against flooding events.

Joe is Chair of the Marshfield CRS Committee, which has overseen the implementation of CRS in the Town of Marshfield, MA.  Since Chairing the Committee, Marshfield has become one of only 22 communities in Massachusetts in the CRS program, and one of only 8 towns in the State with the Class 7 designation.  The Town’s Plan for Public Information document, which organizes all the outreaches the Town must do in a given year, is one of only four in New England, including New York State.  It is the highest scoring PPI of the four in New England.  The result is a cumulative savings of over $300,000 per year in flood insurance premiums throughout the Town, and a reduction of overall flood risk. 

CRS Award For Excellence National recognition for Joe's work in CRS and flood insurance.

In the fall of 2022, Joe was named the 2020 award winner of the Community Rating System Award for Excellence.  This national award recognizes Joe for many of his contributions to floodplain management and CRS.  In a recent letter presented to Joe, Rachel E. Sears, Director, Floodplain Management Division of FEMA said, “The CRS Award for Excellence recognizes those who have actively advanced the vision of the NFIP and CRS and have clearly undertaken efforts to improve the flood safety and resilience in their community… The CRS Task Force believes that you represent the essence of excellence in the CRS.  Your knowledge, commitment, and passion for the CRS program have made Marshfield [MA] safer, better prepared, and more resilient.”  Joe was presented the award by FEMA virtually. 
 
Joe noted, “This award is much like a lifetime achievement award to me.  I could not have done this alone, and I accept this award along with everyone who helped me get to where I am today.”
 
The CRS Award for Excellence is awarded once a year to an individual who provides leadership in raising awareness about the dangers of flooding, implements floodplain management programs that reduce flood damage, and promotes the purchase of flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). 

Get your community involved

Does Your Community Want to get involved?

CRS means your community is safer, more resilient and more affordable.  Joe, through the Massachusetts Coastal Coalition, runs a South Shore CRS Users Group.  The group meets about three times a year, and its goal is to connect and guide local communities through CRS, share best practices, and work together for better floodplain management.  Any community officials can attend.  Get involved by clicking the button below.

What is CRS?

According to the CRS User’s Manual, CRS’s purpose is “to support the NFIP. To do this, the CRS provides flood insurance premium rate reductions to policyholders in recognition of the fact that their communities implement activities that exceed the minimum NFIP requirements and that work toward the three goals of the CRS. Included in this support are measures that credit protection to life and property during a flood.”  CRS has several main goals:

  • Reduce and avoid flood damage to insurable property.
  • Strengthen and support the insurance aspects of the NFIP.
  • Foster comprehensive floodplain management.
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