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OCTOBER 8, 2021
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New ups, downs ahead for flood insurance FEMA restructuring rates to reflect property values instead of one-size-fits-all By Mallory Panuska Staff Writer (Oct. 8, 2021) In a coastal town just a few feet above sea level, flood insurance is pretty much a must. And while the cost of protection is
undoubtedly a mere fraction of the out-of-pocket expense of replacing a water-logged property after a significant weather event, a recent overhaul of federal insurance calculations could put a strain on the wallets of local owners who haven’t seen their rates change significantly in quite some time. “We’re trying to boil it down into simple coverage,” Ocean City Plan-
ning Director Bill Neville said of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s new Risk Rating 2.0 plan. “The quick answer is … that in general half the flood insurance policies are going to go up a little bit and the other half are going to go down a little bit.” Which half is which, though, is still unknown. Risk Rating 2.0 is the first upgrade
to FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program since the 1970s. According to a FEMA news release issued in April, the new methodology allows the federal agency “to equitably distribute premiums across all policyholders based on the value of their home and the unique flood risk of their property.” Under the current method, the reSee NEW Page 6
Lawmakers say they will pursue more Kirwan reps Hartman says nominations show bill’s ‘inherent flaws’
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The Ocean City Beach Patrol provided numbers for the 2021 season, following the last day that surf rescue technicians (SRTs) were in stands on Sunday. While in-water rescue numbers were up, head, neck and back injuries — primarily caused by waves breaking on shore — were down. OCBP Capt. Butch Arbin said these numbers typically fluctuate off each other, since prevalent rip currents typically indicate mild shore breaks.
OCBP wraps up ‘dizzying’ summer Rescues up for year, while medical calls decline in otherwise typical season By Jack Chavez Staff Writer (Oct. 8, 2021) The 2021 Ocean City Beach Patrol statistics are on the books and the numbers say there was a lot of variance from other years, but
that everything fell into expected ranges. OCBP Capt. Butch Arbin released preliminary numbers on surf rescue technician (SRT) activities that show rip current rescues rose, while possible neck, head and back injuries — often caused by hard-crashing waves — were down. “This was a typical but dizzying summer, “Arbin said. “Everything
was in normal ranges, what we consider normal for medical ranges. The rescues were on the busier side of normal, medical (calls) were on the lower side.” On the year, interventions numbered 3,824 while there were only 47 possible neck, head and back injuries. Arbin said that interventions, in other words, water rescues, typically See BEACH Page 8
By Mallory Panuska Staff Writer (Oct. 8, 2021) The backlash over the lack of geographical diversity among the nine Maryland residents nominated to oversee the disbursement of billions of dollars in state education funding continues among local representatives, but all hope is not lost for better representation. Lawmakers from rural western Maryland to the Eastern Shore cried foul recently in bipartisan unison when the nominees for the Accountability and Implementation Board appointed to steer the Kirwan education plan were announced — and included individuals from only four of the state’s 24 school districts. And while a news release from the nominating committee issued on Sept. 1 shows that the 43 applications received only came from six districts — none of which were Eastern Shore counties — local representatives are questioning how much effort was put into ensuring a diverse pool. “In hindsight, there should have been a stronger effort on the front end of the nominations process to put See CAROZZA Page 4
