Part 3 - Supplemental Review Materials
CFM® Exam Study Guide
(Revised July 2020)
Under each CFM® Exam Topic Area, we have provided extra review materials to use to supplement FEMA 480 and the 273 courses (which is the minimum preparation for the exam). These materials are organized by topic area below for easy review, or to narrow your focus on a topic where you may feel you need more preparation.
Floodplain Mapping
Base Flood Concept
- Base Flood (webpage definition)
- Hydrology and Hydraulics for Non-engineers (Video – 10 minutes)
Discharges, Profiles, Floodways
- Watersheds, Rivers and Floodplains (Video – 8 minutes)
- Flood Insurance Study (FIS) (online tutorial)
OR Flood Insurance Study (FIS) (Text)
Coastal Flooding
- The Coastal Flood Risk Analysis and Mapping Process (two-page summary)
- IS-1113: Coastal Barrier Resources Act (Independent Study Course)
Reading/Using Maps
- Flood County USA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) (Online tutorial)
- Flood County USA Flood Insurance Rate FIRM Map Index
Flood County USA FIRM Panel 25
Flood County USA FIRM Panel 38
Flood County USA FIRM Panel 40 - Flood County, USA-Flood Insurance Study (FIS)
Flood County, USA-Flood Insurance Study (FIS) (online) - Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs)
Flood County USA DFIRM Panel 38 Black and White Vector Base
Flood County USA DFIRM Panel 38 Color DOQ Base - Flood County USA Engineering Scale
Revising FEMA Maps
- Revision to National Flood Insurance Program Maps (web page description)
- Letter of Map Amendment – Letter of Map Revision-F (two separate online tutorials)
- IS-1106 A: FEMA Mapping Change (Independent Study Course)
Future Conditions
- Future-Conditions hydrology (webpage definition)
- Final Guidelines for Using Future-conditions hydrology (webpage summary)
NFIP Minimum Regulatory Standards
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
44 CFR 60.3
Development
- Permit Floodplain Development (webpage definition and reference to 44CFR 60.3 sections)
Encroachment Rules
- Encroachment (webpage definition and reference to 44CFR 60.3 sections)
NOTE: This definition only discusses floodway. It does not include 1 foot cumulative encroachment rule in AE floodplains without floodways. The reference 44 CFR 60.3 requirements do include the 1 foot cumulative rule. This distinction is important to know for the CFM exam question(s).
V Zone Rules
- Coastal High Hazard Areas (webpage definition and reference to 44CFR 60.3 sections)
Building Protection Standards
Substantial Improvement/Damage
- Substantial improvement/damage (web page definition and reference to 44CFR 60.3 sections)
Flood Proofing and Retrofitting
- IS-279 A: Introduction to Retrofitting Flood-prone residential Buildings (Independent Study Course)
- FEMA Publication P-936, Floodproofing Non-Residential Buildings (2013) – (apx. 132 pages)
Regulatory Administrative Procedures
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
Permit Process and Inspections
- Reducing Flood Losses through the International Code Series –
(150 page publication – see sample permit/site plan checklists in Appendix D)
Elevation Records
- IS-1103: Elevation Certificate for Surveyors (Independent Study Course)
NFIP Regulations
Enforcement
- Section 1316 Denial of Flood Insurance Coverage (FEMA webpage)
Variance Rules
Flood Insurance
Coverage
- IS-1101 : Basic Agent Tutorial (Independent Study Course)
- IS–1109 : Understanding Basement Coverage (Independent Study Course)
- NFIP Summary of Coverage (6 page plain language booklet)
Rating
- IS-1102: Theory of Elevation Rating (Independent Study Course)
Mandatory Purchase Requirements
- Mandatory purchase of flood insurance (Web page description)
- FDIC Regulations concerning Mandatory purchase of flood insurance
NFIP Grandfather Rules
- NFIP Grandfathering rules – A Fact Sheet for Insurance Agents – 2017 – (4 -page fact sheet)
NFIP Grandfathering rules – A Fact Sheet for Insurance Agents– 2012-(2 -page fact sheet)
ICC
- IS-1100 A : Increased Cost of Compliance (Independent Study Course)
CRS
- National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System (Webpage description)
Section 1316
- Section 1316 – Definition/Description (Web page description)
Flood Hazard Mitigation
Disaster Assistance Procedures
- Overview of the disaster assistance process – (1 -page flyer)
Mitigation Planning
- IS-318: Mitigation Planning for Local and Tribal Communities (Independent Study Courses)
Funding Sources
- IS-212B: Introduction to Unified Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) (Independent Study Courses)
- FEMA HMA Grants (4 page brochure)
Erosion and Other Related Hazards
- Flood Hazards of Special Concern (web page description)
Natural and Beneficial Functions
Unified National Program
Community Sanctions
- Suspension (webpage)
- Probation (webpage)
History and Background of the NFIP
- NFIP Description – (section on history and background)
- Perspectives: The History and Background of the NFIP (video)
Other Federal Programs
- FEMA Publication 409 Natural and Beneficial Functions of Floodplains – (only available in hard copy)
Overall Context of Floodplain Management
Wetlands
- Executive Order 11990 – Protection of wetlands (webpage description)
Multi-Objective Management
- Summary of the Clean Water Act (EPA webpage overview)
- Section 404 Permit Program (EPA web page overview)
NAI
- ASFPM NAI No Adverse Impact Floodplain Management (Webpage description)
Stream Corridor Restoration
- Stream Restoration Wiki (Wikipedia webpage description)
- Natural Stream Restoration: Restoring Streams (video 17 minutes)
Water Quality (NEPA, NPDES, MS4s)
- Tools for Water & Wastewater partners to use to comply with regulations
(webpage with link to a 4-minute video and 47-page guide along with other resources)
Endangered Species Act
- Endangered Species Act (ESA) (2-page fact sheet
- IS-253A: Overview of FEMA’s Environmental and Historic Preservation Review (Independent Study)