Hillsborough County - A Model for Community Outreach
Project Overview
In Fall 2005, Hillsborough County, Florida - a coastal community with more than one million residents - was slated to release new preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). The new maps promised to impact how up to 90,000 citizens would be required to protect their properties from future flooding events. To raise awareness and aid in effective communications around this potentially contentious issue, FEMA and its marketing campaign for the National Flood Insurance Program - called FloodSmart - collaborated with Hillsborough County officials to develop and test a wide range of outreach materials that focused on the effects of map modernization efforts on insurance.
Beginning months in advance of the official release of the new flood maps, the FloodSmart team worked with Hillsborough County to create a comprehensive suite of materials that helped community officials inform various stakeholder groups, members of the media and the public about the upcoming map changes and their implications. Materials were distributed broadly to property owners and input from key stakeholders was used to shape both formal and informal presentations on the local map modernization effort. In addition, press kits were developed and local media events were organized stressing the value of the improved maps. This media outreach effort ensured that reporters shared informed stories about the new maps and understood them to be an important tool to enhance public safety.
The use of outreach materials yielded exceptionally positive results in Hillsborough County. Messaging documents and talking points helped local officials effectively and consistently deliver the right information to the public. Media kit information helped ensure that coverage of the release of new maps was positive and accurate. Finally, affected stakeholder groups not only endorsed materials designed for their industries, but also became powerful third-party advocates during the map update process. Incorporating feedback from the use of outreach materials in Hillsborough County, FloodSmart has created template versions of these pieces to form a comprehensive toolkit that communities across the country can use to communicate more effectively about map changes in their area.
Guidance on how to use this toolkit
Tips on effective outreach
Information about the FloodSmart campaign
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Last Modified: Friday, 02-Jun-2006 12:23:46 EDT