Sacramento County maintains FEMA Class 2 rating for flood risk reduction. Why that matters
IT IS WINTER AND THOUGH WE HAVEN’T SEEN MUCH RAIN, YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN OR WHERE THAT FLOODING WILL TAKE PLACE. AND THAT’S WHY SACRAMENTO COUNTY TAKES STEPS TO REDUCE FLOOD RISKS. NOW IT’S PAYING OFF FOR RESIDENTS. JOINING US RIGHT NOW TO TALK MORE ABOUT HOW THE COUNTY WAS ABLE TO KEEP THEIR FEMA CLASS TWO RATING IN THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM, WE HAVE MATT ROBINSON WHO WORKS WITH THE COUNTY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. SURE. HAPPY TO BE HERE. SO LET’S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT JUST THE IDEA OF EXPLAINING WHAT THE RATING IS. SO KIND OF SET THE FOUNDATION A LITTLE BIT. SO THE FEMA ORGANIZATION HAS A RATING SYSTEM FOR COMMUNITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY. AND SO IT GOES FROM A CLASS TEN WHICH IS THE LOWEST TO CLASS ONE WHICH IS THE HIGHEST. AND AS YOU MOVE UP CLASS, YOU ALSO GET A PERCENTAGE DISCOUNT ON FLOOD INSURANCE THROUGH THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM. SACRAMENTO COUNTY IS A CLASS TWO, WHICH MEANS RESIDENTS IN THE COUNTY RECEIVE A 40% DISCOUNT ON THEIR FLOOD INSURANCE IF THEY BUY IT THROUGH THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM. OKAY. AND SO YOU KIND OF TOUCHED ON RIGHT THERE. WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY MEAN FOR RESIDENTS WHO MIGHT BE LIVING IN THIS AREA? WELL, WHAT WE ARE HOPING THAT RESIDENTS WILL TALK TO THEIR INSURANCE AGENTS ABOUT RECEIVING FLOOD INSURANCE, BECAUSE FLOOD INSURANCE IS VERY IMPORTANT. YOU KNOW, WE GO THROUGH CYCLES. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE FLOODS IN 2017, THEN FLOODS IN 2023. AND A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE DON’T HAVE RAIN, PEOPLE TEND TO FORGET TO PROTECT THEIR HOMES. AND IN SOME CASES WE MIGHT HAVE A STORM LIKE WE DID IN 2023, WHERE ALL OF A SUDDEN THE RAINS COME BACK, THE FLOODING STARTS AND HOMES START TO BECOME INUNDATED. GOTCHA. AND SO, ACCORDING TO THE RATINGS, SACRAMENTO COUNTY DOING A GOOD JOB WITH JUST ITS MITIGATION EFFORTS. WELL, THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES WORKS WITH FEMA TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO WHAT WE CAN TO PROTECT RESIDENTS FROM FLOODS OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF WATER DISASTERS. WHERE CAN FOLKS GO TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS? BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING I’M SURE THAT FOLKS ARE GOING TO BE VERY INTERESTED IN READING UP ON. WELL, THE RESIDENTS CAN GO TO STORM.ORG. THAT’S THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES WEBSITE, AND YOU CAN LOOK AT HOW LONG IT TAKES. IT TAKES ABOUT 60 DAYS TO GET A NEW FLOOD INSURANCE POLICY. SO YOU WANT TO START EARLY AND TALK TO YOUR INSURANCE AGENT ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO GET FLOOD INSURANCE THROUGH THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE POLICY. ANY ANY EFFORTS BY THE COUNTY OR ANY RESOURCES THAT THE COUNTY CAN PROVIDE FOR RESIDENTS. WELL, THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE POLICY IS A PART OF THE WHOLE OVERALL FEMA PROGRAM THAT IS MAKING SURE THAT WE TAKE CARE OF OUR LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PROGRAM. AND RIGHT NOW, THE COUNTY IS IN THE PROCESS OF ITS FIVE YEAR RENEWAL OF ITS LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN. THE PLAN HELPS US MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNTY IS PROTECTING ITSELF AND THE RESIDENTS FROM ANY TYPE OF NATURAL DISASTERS THAT COULD BEFALL US, WHETHER IT IS FLOODING, EARTHQUAKE, VOLCANIC EXPLOSION OR SOMETHING THAT COULD BE A NATURAL DISASTER THAT COULD HARM RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES IN OUR AREA. ALL RIGHT, MATT, W
Sacramento County maintains FEMA Class 2 rating for flood risk reduction. Why that matters
Updated: 3:56 PM PST Dec 9, 2025
Sacramento County’s efforts to reduce flood risks have paid off, as the county has maintained its FEMA Class Two rating in the National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System. Though winter has brought little rain so far, the county’s proactive measures ensure preparedness for potential flooding. Matt Robinson from the county discussed how these efforts have helped maintain the rating.He said that FEMA’s rating system goes from Class 10, which is the lowest, to Class 1, which is the highest. “And as you move up class, you also get a percentage discount on flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program.” He said that Sacramento County residents get a 40% discount on flood insurance if you buy that through the National Flood Insurance Program. He said he hoped that residents talk to their insurance agents about receiving federal flood insurance. Learn more in the video above. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
Sacramento County’s efforts to reduce flood risks have paid off, as the county has maintained its FEMA Class Two rating in the National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System.
Though winter has brought little rain so far, the county’s proactive measures ensure preparedness for potential flooding.
Matt Robinson from the county discussed how these efforts have helped maintain the rating.
He said that FEMA’s rating system goes from Class 10, which is the lowest, to Class 1, which is the highest.
“And as you move up class, you also get a percentage discount on flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program.”
He said that Sacramento County residents get a 40% discount on flood insurance if you buy that through the National Flood Insurance Program.
He said he hoped that residents talk to their insurance agents about receiving federal flood insurance.
Learn more in the video above.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel