Forerunner Floodplain Management Software

[jar546]

Does anyone have experience with this software?

I had a demo and the town committed to buying it. A must have if you are the floodplain administrator. Looking for input from those that currently use it.

 

[jar546]

UPDATE: We now have the Forerunner software and are building our database. We are connected to our GIS system and the County Assessor Office, so we have all parcels mapped out using the data from the county. I must say that this software is absolutely amazing. Here is a breakdown of it.

Forerunner is a comprehensive floodplain management software designed to streamline and enhance the efforts of local governments and communities in managing flood risks. The platform consolidates various aspects of floodplain management into a single, easy-to-use interface, helping communities stay compliant with federal regulations, improve resilience, and efficiently manage flood-related data and documentation.

Key Features of Forerunner​

1. Floodplain Compliance:
   • Regulatory Compliance: Forerunner assists in enforcing floodplain regulations by providing up-to-date property profiles that include essential flood risk data. This ensures that all development activities comply with local and federal standards, particularly the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) requirements.
   • Data Consolidation: The software pulls data from FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL) and other regulatory maps, centralizing it for quick and accurate flood zone and Base Flood Elevation (BFE) determinations.
2. Disaster Recovery:
   • Field Documentation: Forerunner enables rapid documentation of flood damage through its mobile app, which syncs data collected in the field with the central system. This feature is particularly useful post-disaster when quick assessments are crucial.
   • Recovery Planning: The platform supports disaster recovery efforts by providing tools to upload post-disaster imagery, export data, and generate reports necessary for effective recovery planning.
3. Resident Education:
   • Public Information Access: Forerunner’s public-facing features empower residents with property-specific flood risk information, helping them make informed decisions and reducing the burden on municipal offices.
   • Real-Time Updates: Changes made in the internal dashboard reflect in real-time on the public website, ensuring residents always have access to the most current information without additional administrative effort.
4. Community Rating System (CRS) Support:
   • CRS Credits: By using Forerunner, communities can streamline CRS reporting and enhance their documentation, which can help secure discounts on flood insurance premiums.
   • Automated Processes: The software automates various tasks such as Elevation Certificate (EC) error detection and document generation, reducing manual effort and minimizing errors.
5. Climate Resilience and Data Platform:
   • Comprehensive Data Management: Forerunner consolidates datasets and maps into one platform, providing insights for floodplain management, disaster recovery, and resilience planning.
   • Climate Adaptation: The platform supports long-term resilience planning by enabling communities to manage, communicate, and plan for climate adaptation effectively.

Benefits of Using Forerunner​

• Efficiency: By centralizing floodplain management tasks, Forerunner saves time and reduces administrative burdens, allowing officials to focus on more strategic activities.
• Compliance: Ensures that all floodplain management activities comply with NFIP and other regulatory requirements, reducing the risk of non-compliance penalties.
• Resident Engagement: Enhances communication with residents by providing them with accessible and understandable flood risk information.
• Disaster Readiness: Improves a community’s ability to respond to and recover from flood events through robust documentation and planning tools.

Forerunner’s innovative approach and robust features make it a valuable tool for any community looking to improve its floodplain management practices, enhance compliance, and increase resilience against flood hazards.

For more detailed information, you can visit Forerunner's official website (Forerunner Floodplain Manager) (Forerunner Floodplain Manager) (Forerunner Floodplain Manager) (Forerunner Floodplain Manager) (CRS Flood Resources).