BACKGROUND

  In November 2003, members of MCC became
concerned about the design of many new
foundations around and near Mill Cove that, to a
layman’s eye, did not look like they were built to
withstand the hurricane waves that have twice in
the past century destroyed buildings on Conimicut
Point. MCC hired Scott Tezak, a nationally
recognized structural engineer who specializes in
disaster damage, to look at this. He determined
that our concern was legitimate, because the
foundations he examined did not meet the
requirements well.
  During this investigation, the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA), which sets the
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
guidelines, including requirements for foundation
design, conducted a limited examination and
concluded that the foundations they considered
met minimum requirements. This meant the City
would not have to take extraordinary steps in
regard to the foundations already constructed.
BUT, the same review led FEMA to strongly urge
Warwick to be much more careful in reviewing and
inspecting foundations in the Velocity zone in the
future and to not allow what they have allowed in
the past.

REDUCE FLOOD INSURANCE PREMIUMS
  Importantly, we found during this investigation
that, if Warwick goes beyond merely meeting
FEMA’s minimum requirements, Warwick citizens
will reap a tremendous bonus. Federal flood
insurance premiums paid by Warwick residents
can be reduced by up to 45%.

  Warwick’s 1,718 flood insurance policy holders
pay nearly $1.2 million on property worth $220
million (before the reassessment!). This places
Warwick in the top five of New England coastal
cities for insurance. Yet, Warwick is not even
among the 50 New England cities (three in Rhode
Island!) that are working to decrease their risk and
the premiums paid by their citizens, even though
FEMA made a $250,000 grant to Warwick for that
purpose.
  Because of Warwick’s overall poor record,
Warwick citizens must pay the highest level
National Flood Insurance rates possible. And more
important than the savings is the lack of
participation increases Warwick’s risk of casualties
and property damage from a storm disaster!
When Warwick reforms its permitting practices
and begins to take other proactive, planned steps
to reduce the risk faced from flooding, premiums
WILL go down.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
  We ask you to join our urgent request to Warwick
officials to do whatever they can to make Warwick
less damage prone and to reduce the premiums
of those insured by federal programs. Good
preservation of our lives and property is certainly
part of good conservation!

  Click here to download a form letter that will make
it easy for you to contact Mayor Scott Avedisian
and the Councilperson from your ward. Send it now.