Flood Preparedn ess Star ts at Hom e Public Safety Committee Newsletter
September 2026
Protecting Your Property From Flooding The Newport News Public Safety Committee is committed to helping residents stay informed, prepared, and resilient. As a coastal community, we know that heavy rain, storm surge, and flooding can occur with little warning. While the City of Newport News continues to invest in flood mitigation projects and emergency preparedness initiatives, residents can also play an important role in protecting their homes, families, and finances. One of the most effective steps you can take today is to purchase flood insurance and understand your flood risk before the next storm arrives. What’s Covered? A common misconception is that homeowners’ insurance covers flood damage. In most cases, it does not. Even a few inches of water entering a home can result in thousands of dollars in repairs. Flood insurance can help cover damage to your home and belongings, providing an important financial safety net.
Flooding Can Happen Anywhere: Flooding doesn’t only affect properties located in high-risk flood zones. Intense rainfall, overwhelmed storm drains, and changing weather patterns can cause flooding in areas that have never experienced it before. That is why we are encouraging homeowners and renters throughout my district to carry flood insurance, regardless of whether they are in a high-risk area. Act Now: Because most flood insurance policies include a waiting period before coverage takes effect, often 30 days, it’s best not to wait until a storm is in the forecast. Planning ahead ensures that you have protection in place when you need it most. Discounted Premiums: The City of Newport News participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS) and has been continuously working to study current and future flood risk. The City’s efforts to share this risk information have earned NFIP policyholders a 20% discount on flood insurance premiums. You can visit Floodsmart.gov to learn more about the NFIP. The Newport News Public Safety Committee encourages every homeowner, renter, and business owner to review their current insurance coverage and speak with their insurance agent about whether flood insurance is right for their situation. Taking a few minutes today to understand your options could make a significant difference in your recovery after a future storm.
Additional Flood Preparedness Measures In addition to purchasing flood insurance, you can protect your home and family by taking the following steps: Understand your flood risk by visiting maps. nnva.gov/viewer/ and finding out where your property is located on the FEMA flood maps. Sign up for NN Alert which provides local emergency alerts at nnva.gov/1556/NN-ALERT.
Create a family flood response plan and emergency bag (visit redcross.org for more information).
Elevate mechanical equipment such as air-conditioning units and furnaces or create a shield to divert water to protect your utilities or appliances from flooding. If you are evacuating your home due to flooding, turn off the gas and electric power. Efforts such as these will not only protect the equipment in a flood, but they may also provide a discount on flood insurance.
Raise Shelving and Storage in the garage and sheds to protect goods, survival supplies, materials and equipment.
Store your valuables, family photographs, and insurance papers in a waterproof container somewhere high up to protect them from flooding.
Document your belongings by taking photos or videos and writing down descriptions, including year, make, and model numbers, where appropriate. Your inventory will help you prove the value of what you own, which could speed up your claim processing if disaster strikes.
Resilience in Practice Across the City The City has been undertaking numerous measures to build resiliency across Newport News, including: Stormwater Master Planning Effort: The City recently completed a multiyear master planning effort to tackle flooding challenges. Through this effort, the City assessed current and future flood impacts to develop longterm solutions to flooding. The three individual but interdependent plans, Floodplain Management, Stormwater, and Resilience, identify areas of concern for flooding and propose preventative measures and future planning strategies. Newport News is getting floodREADY: A new program has launched offering free home resilience assessments to help residents identify cost-effective flood mitigation measures they can consider to protect their homes from flooding. Learn more about the program by visiting: tinyurl.com/nn-floodready. Erosion and Drainage Assistance: Are you experiencing drainage issues or erosion on your property? The Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP) is a cost-share program that provides financial incentives and technical and educational assistance to property owners. Visit the VCAP webpage for more details: nnva.gov/3232/VirginiaConservation-Assistance-Program.
We Are Here to Help Building a more resilient Newport News is a shared responsibility. The Public Safety Committee encourages residents to stay informed, understand their flood risk, and take advantage of the resources and programs available to help protect their homes and families. By working together and preparing ahead of time, we can strengthen our community’s ability to withstand and recover from future flood events. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact our 311 Contact Center online at nnva.gov/311/Contact-Center, by email at 311@nnva.gov, or by phone at 757-933-2311. Sincerely, The Newport News Public Safety Committee
Councilman Rob Coleman, Public Safety Committee Chair
Councilwoman Tina Vick, Public Safety Committee Vice Chair