What is a Certified Floodplain Manager?
At the ASFPM Annual Conference in Austin, Texas, the
Chair of the ASFPM Certification Board of Regents answered
this question. "I think the simplest way to put
it is that Certified Floodplain Managers are people
who know their stuff. They have a proven level of expertise
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- Floodplain
mapping,
- "The
requirements and standards of the National Flood Insurance
Program,
- "The
requirements and standards of their state floodplain management
programs, and
- "The
administrative procedures needed to make floodplain management
work at the community level.
"How
do we know this? Because a certified floodplain manager has
passed a rigorous closed book test. It isn’t easy. Nationally,
one-third of those who have tried have failed that test.
"Why
should you want to go through the pain and suffering of preparing
for and taking an exam? Let me list four benefits of becoming
certified.
- "First,
you will have confidence in your level of knowledge. You
can’t pass the exam unless you know your stuff.
- "Second,
being certified tells others that your professional capabilities
have been recognized by a national program.
- "Third,
certification is the motivation for continuing education.
You can’t stay certified unless you stay abreast of
developments in the field by attending workshops, conferences
or training courses.
- "Fourth,
it can help you in the job market. If you are an employer
– you can count on CFMs to know their stuff."
We have
several cases where people have gotten raises, bonuses or
promotions for being certified. We have seen some job advertisements
where the employer either wants a CFM or expects the person
to become a CFM within a certain time.
In
its short history, we have already heard of two Illinois CFMs
getting raises after they passed the exam in Peoria. Here’s
some more information
Eligibility:
Any person
involved with, or interested in, the management of Illinois’
floodplains, wetlands and watersheds is eligible for professional
certification. Most applicants are local floodplain managers,
but certification is open to individuals in the private sector,
state and federal government, schools and universities and
other agencies or organizations dealing with floodplain and
other related disciplines.
Membership
in IAFSM is not required for a person to become a CFM. However,
the IAFSM Board of Directors established different fee schedules
for members and nonmembers.
To be
certified as a CFM, a person must complete the following prerequisites:
- Have
at least two years experience in the field of floodplain
management;
- Possess
a high school diploma or equivalent;
- Submit
a completed application;
- Agree
to abide the program’s rules and procedures;
- Submit
a statement by a reference that verifies the experience
requirement;
- Sign
the Code of Professional Conduct;
- Pay
the appropriate certification fee; and
- Pass
the certification exam.
Online
Application & Study References:
Application
Package
Exam
Study Guide
Floodplain
Management Desk Reference
Initial
certification is good for two years. At the end of the two-year
period, a CFM must submit an application to IAFSM for biennial
renewal. The biennial renewal application includes:
- A
form to update the CFM’s credentials;
- Documentation
that the required continuing education credits have been
met; and
- Payment
of the renewal fee.
The CFM
certification exam covers all topics that a local official
in Illinois would need to know in order to effectively administer
a floodplain management ordinance. The Exam Subcommittee was
instructed to make the exam difficult enough to maintain ASFPM
accreditation and the credibility of the program.
Exam:
The exam
has 120 questions. All questions are multiple choice or true/false
to prevent subjective answers and to facilitate grading.
The exam has five parts:
- True/false
questions on general knowledge
- Multiple
choice questions on general knowledge
- A
map reading practical exercise
- A
permit processing practical exercise
- An
exercise on FEMA’s Elevation Certificate
To pass,
a person must get at least 70% of the answers correct.
Subject
matter:
The topics
covered in the certification exam are taken from the IAFSM
Floodplain Management Desk Reference. The certification exam
questions are drawn from the Desk Reference's six major parts
as follows:
- Flooding
and floodplain management 10%
- Flood
studies and maps 25%
- Regulatory
standards 25%
- Ordinance
administration 20%
- Flood
insurance 10%
- Hazard
mitigation 5%
- Natural
and beneficial floodplain functions 5%
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