We work with many individuals who are new to the floodplain management field. Whether you are just starting your career as a floodplain manager, or are an experienced professional taking on new responsibilities, becoming a Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) can help you better understand the complexities and empower you to take on new tasks. To become a CFM, you must pass the CFM exam. We put together this guide covering all the details on the exam and credential to help save you time and set you up for success!
Background
The Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) exam was introduced in 1999, and there are over 20,000 Certified Floodplain Managers (CFMs) in the USA today! The exam is uniform across the country, and the certification program empowers floodplain managers and building professionals with essential floodplain management knowledge. The program helps improve public safety in communities across the nation – and for individuals, it helps establish their credibility and gives them access to a larger network of CFMs.
Logistics
The exam is a comprehensive assessment of floodplain management expertise. Some important features include:
Framework
The exam assesses knowledge across three concepts. The first is regulations and administrative procedures, delving into topics like development regulation, CAVs (Community Assistance Visits), and CACs (Community Assistance Contacts). The second centers on customer service activities, encompassing subjects such as repetitive loss information, increased cost of compliance, and LOMAs (Letter of Map Amendments). Finally, the third emphasizes mitigation, preparedness, and disaster response activities, covering aspects like grant programs, cost-sharing eligibility, and disaster declaration.
To help target your preparation, ASFPM offers a helpful self assessment to identify specific areas that require your focus.
The exam questions are classified into a few different categories, outlined below.
Preparation
If you are in the Maryland area, ASFPM recommends FEMA’s 4 day in-person course at the Emergency Management Institute (EMI): FEMA E273 - Managing Floodplain Development through the NFIP.
If you prefer online, ASFPM offers on-demand learning courses in their new Path LMS portal. This allows individuals to self-pace their studying online. Some key on-demand learning courses that they highlight include:
The portal also Includes a brand new course on professional skills! Sign up for an account to access the Path LMS portal here.
In terms of study resources, you can find everything you need in ASFPM’s Virtual Library. This includes all of the CFM Exam Technical Resources (30 documents) that are used to validate every exam question. We’ve outlined additional resources in this blog: CFM Study Guide Resources.
Pricing Details
It is important to keep in mind pricing for the exam as it is non refundable once you sign up. The exam costs $585 and it is discounted to $185 for ASFPM members and students. The fee for retaking the exam is $85 and registration eligibility lasts for 1 year.
Credential Renewal
There are two renewal cycles - one in July and one in January. Depending on when you take the exam will determine which cycle you fall into. Renewal costs $500. It is discounted to $120 for members, and the early bird rate for members is $80. Note: early bird rate starts 3 months before the end of the cycle and lasts 60 days.
In order to renew, 16 hours of eligible Continuing Education Credit (CEC) activities are required to be completed in a 2 year cycle. A credit can only be counted once per cycle and there must be proof of the activity.
Eligible activities include:
The subject matter for qualifying CECs is broad! Anything deemed “reasonably related” to flooding and/or addressing floodplain management can be eligible. ASFPM also pre-approved the following trainings for CECs:
To get credit for your CEC, you must show proof that you completed the activity. Acceptable submissions include:
Do not submit receipts, printouts of a calendar, or email confirmation of registration.
Floods.org is the best place to access resources for managing your CFM designation and it is also where you will track and report on your Continuing Education Credits (CECs).
Best of luck on your exam!! To learn more, reference our blog posts:
Our work at Forerunner is focused on equipping floodplain managers with the resources that they need to be successful in their work. If you’d like to learn more about how our floodplain management software does that, feel free to reach out or request a demo.
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