Top Ten Reasons to Buy Flood Insurance Now

As a participant in the National Flood Insurance Program, Gallatin County has agreed to follow floodplain management regulations that reduce the risk and dangers of flooding. As a result Gallatin County residents can purchase flood insurance that compensates owners and renters for all covered flood-related losses to a home or business that are not covered by homeowners and business insurance.

The Top Ten Reasons to Buy Flood Insurance Now:

1. Spring flooding is almost here and there is a 30-day waiting period before coverage begins.
2. Coverage is relatively inexpensive – nationally premiums average $565 a year.
3. If your community participates in the NFIP, you are eligible to get flood insurance even if you are located outside the 100-year flood plain.
4. You can receive payments for flood-related losses for over-land flooding – even if no disaster was declared.
5. You can depend on being reimbursed for flood damages because NFIP flood insurance is backed by the federal government.
6. You do not have to repay flood insurance benefits (as you do with disaster-related assistance loans).
7. Renters can purchase flood insurance contents coverage for personal belongings or business inventory.
8. Basement coverage includes cleanup expense and repair or replacement of items such as furnaces, water heaters, washers, dryers, air conditioners, freezers, utility connections, and pumps.
9. You can request a partial payment immediately after the flood, which can help you recover even faster.
10. Buying flood insurance is the best thing you can do to protect your home and business, and your family's financial security from a flood.

To contact a flood insurance agent serving your area, check out: http://www.floodsmart.gov/.

Gallatin County Flooding Information

 

Saddle Peak Avalanche: Q & A

Presented by the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center

• When: Thursday, March 4th, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
• Where: Bozeman Public Library Meeting Room
• Cost: Free
• Who: All ages.

Come join the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center to discuss the snowpack, weather and circumstances leading up to the avalanche on Saddle Peak. The GNFAC will show videos, pictures and share stories about this popular sidecountry destination. Topics will include:

• A detailed history of the snowpack and avalanches
• A weather summation
• How human traffic plays a role in our decision making
• A timeline the day of the avalanche
• Answering common questions about how it avalanched
• Moving forward: making decisions for the future

The 30-minute presentation will be followed by a 30-minute question and answer period.

 

Questions? Contact the GNFAC at 587-6984 or mtavalanche@gmail.com

 

Gallatin County Announces Online Burn Permits

BOZEMAN, MT. - The citizens of Gallatin County will soon be able to obtain a burn permit online without standing in line or even leaving home.

The Gallatin County Burn Permit service - found at http://www.burnpermits.mt.gov/ - will be available starting March 1st at 8am and will provide citizens with instant access to county burn permits. Permit holders will be able to add multiple burn locations to a single permit and can even print their permit at home or send it to themselves electronically by entering an email address.

The online service will allow citizens to purchase a burn permit using a debit/credit card or an electronic check. Citizens will also be able to activate their permit online or by calling the county's new automated phone system at 1-877-306-BURN (2876). To activate a permit, the permit holder simply enters the start and stop times of their burn and county fire and emergency personnel are immediately notified of the burn. An interactive map will also be available to allow citizens and county personnel to view all current burn activity within the county.

"This online service will streamline the burn permit process for the citizens and will create huge efficiency gains for the county," Fire Chief Brett Waters, Central Valley Fire District, said. "We anticipate a significant reduction in non-emergency call volume which will allow fire personnel to better focus on true emergencies."
Burn permits will be available online at http://www.burnpermits.mt.gov/ starting March 1st at 8am. Citizens may also purchase a burn permit in person at the following locations: Hebgen Basin Fire District/West Yellowstone Station, Central Valley Fire Station 1, Big Sky Fire Station 1, Manhattan Fire Station, Bozeman Fire Station 1 and the Three Forks Library. Burn permits will cost $15.00 each and can be used throughout the entire 2010 burn season.

The Gallatin County Burn Permit Service is the result of an alliance between state and county government and the private sector. It was cooperatively developed and is supported by Gallatin County, the Montana Department of Administration's Information Technology Services Division, and Montana Interactive, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of eGovernment provider NIC (Nasdaq: EGOV).

Contact:  Brett Waters, Gallatin County Rural Fire Chief (406) 388-4480

Click Here for Burn Permit Flyer

"Triangle of Life" not appropriate for Earthquakes in Montana

With the recent activity taking place in Yellowstone National Park we have started seeing the circulation of an email from Doug Copp encouraging the concept of "Triangle of Life."  While this concept may be applicable to building techniques in some countries, it is not considered to be an appropriate action for the United States.  The commonly accepted practice of Drop, Cover, and Hold On is still considered the most appropriate action to take in Montana during an earthquake due to the construction methods used here.

The "Triangle of Life" concept does not take into account building standards employed throughout the United States.  The Earthquake Country Alliance does a good job of summarizing the issuees presented by the "Triangle of Life" concept and why Drop, Cover, and Hold On is still appropriate for the United States (Click Here).  When this concept first appeared a couple years ago, numerous organizations responded with their concerns over many key concepts that are over looked in the "Triangle of Life."  Some of their responses can be read below:

• American Red Cross Letter of Response
• Structural Engineers Association of California
• Oregon Office of Homeland Security
• California Office of Emergency Services

Information on Earthquake preparedness is available at:

• ReadyGallatin.com
• EarthQuakeCountry.info

Montana Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan Update

The State of Montana is in the process of updating and revising the State's Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan.  Each state is required to have a FEMA approved plan that addresses the State's risks, assessment of its hazards, and mitigation strategies.  This plan must be in place in order for the state, or local jurisdictions, to be eligible for a variety of federal programs.  These programs include:

• Public Assistance
• Fire Management Assistance Grants
• Hazard Mitigation Grants
• Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grants
• Flood Mitigation Grants

 As part of the State's revision process, a public meeting will be held in Bozmean on April 26th, 2010 from 10:00 am until 12:00 pm at the Bozeman Public Library.  This meeting is open to everyone to learn about the State's Pre Disaster Mitigation Plan, or provide feedback to the State.

Information on the project, and contact information, is available at http://mt-hmpupdate.com/.  The current 2007 state plan is available here.

Preliminary FEMA Floodplain Map Reviews

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released drafts of revised floodplain maps (Flood Insurance Rate Maps) for Gallatin County. Areas in Gallatin County with substantial revisions to the FEMA maps include: the Big Sky Area; the entire length of the East Gallatin River; the West Gallatin River downstream of Interstate 90; and the Jefferson and Madison rivers in the vicinity of Three Forks. The preliminary maps can be viewed on the web at http://www.gallatin.mt.gov/Public_Documents/gallatincomt_plandept/preliminaryfemafloodplain , in the Gallatin County Planning Department, the Bozeman Engineering Department, or at Three Forks City Hall.

During January a series of open houses will be held around the County where the public can review the preliminary floodplain maps and ask questions. The dates and locations of the open houses are as follows:

Date	Time	Meeting Location
Wednesday January 13th	7:00 to 9:00 p.m.	Bozeman* County Courthouse 311 W. Main St.
Thursday January 14th	7:00 to 9:00 p.m.	Three Forks* City Hall 206 N. Main St.
Tuesday January 19th	7:00 to 9:00 p.m.	Belgrade City Hall 91 E. Central Ave.
Wednesday January 20th	6:00 to 8:00 p.m.	Big Sky Water and Sewer District 561 Little Coyote Rd.
*Representatives from FEMA will be in attendance at the Bozeman and Three Forks open houses

Local Rivers Experiencing Ice Jams

The Gallatin River is currently experiencing ice jams, most noteably in the Big Sky area, due to current weather patterns. These ice jams prevent the water from flowing in it's normal channel resulting in water flowing out of the river banks. People recreating around rivers are encouraged to exercise caution due to these ice jams. When an ice jams breaks the potential for debris, and increased water, being carried down river exists.
It is expected that these ice jams will remain for the near future. Property owners along rivers should monitor river levels on a regular basis to ensure they have time to prepare their houses if water levels do continue to rise. Often times river levels can change quickly and without notice. People recreating along the rivers should also utilize caution due to the unpredictable and potential danger presented by the ice jams.