Commissioner Whitehurst Presents Flood Awareness Week Proclamation

• 5 March 2025
• Category: SJC News District 1
• Tags: 2025

During the March 4, 2025 St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners meeting, Christian Whitehurst, District 1, presented a proclamation to proclaim March 3 – March 9, 2025 as Flood Awareness Week. The proclamation was presented to John “J.W.” Brown, CFM, Floodplain Manager in the Growth Management Department.

During the ceremony, the public was reminded about Elevate Florida. It is a first-of-its-kind, groundbreaking statewide residential mitigation program. Led by the Florida Division of Emergency Management, this program is designed to protect homes and communities by reducing damage caused by natural disasters like hurricanes and floods. Elevate Florida is designed to expedite the entire process and complete a resident’s mitigation project.

The proclamation read:

WHEREAS, St. Johns County has experienced severe weather in the past in the form of extreme rainfall or tropical system events resulting in flooding in both coastal and riverine areas, and this flooding has caused damage and flood losses to homes and buildings in all areas whether they are high-risk special flood hazard areas or low to moderate risk flood zones; and

WHEREAS, St. Johns County is a voluntary participant in the National Flood Insurance Program that provides residents with the opportunity to protect themselves against flood loss through the purchase of flood insurance at reduced insurance premium rates as well as setting higher regulatory standards to reduce the flood risk and potential flood damage to their property; and

WHEREAS, the reduction of loss of life and property damage can be achieved when appropriate flood preparedness, control, and mitigation measures are taken before a flood; and

WHEREAS, public education and awareness of potential weather hazards and methods of protection are critical to the health, safety and welfare of residents, the Florida Floodplain Managers Association (FFMA), have declared the week of March 3rd-March 9th, 2025 as Flood Awareness Week to promote awareness and increase knowledge of flood risk, the availability of flood insurance, flood protection methods, and how to prepare for emergencies; and

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT PROCLAIMED, that the Board of County Commissioners of

St. Johns County, Florida, does hereby proclaim March 3rd-March 9th, 2025 as

FLOOD AWARENESS WEEK

and further encourage the citizens of St. Johns County to increase their knowledge of how to protect themselves and their property from flooding.

PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of St. Johns County, Florida this 4th day of March 2025.

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