2025 RIFMA Annual Conference
SAVE THE DATE: Thursday, May 15th,
8:00 am - 4:30 pm
URI Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences
Past events
Resilient Route 114
November 22nd, 12pm (zoom) with Caitlin Greeley,
RI Division of Statewide Planning and Alex Maxwell, Fuss & O'Neill
Integrating Community-Based GSI in a CSO Abatement Program
June 28th, 12pm (zoom) with Brandon Blanchard, VP Environmental Division, Pare Corporation
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April 2024
Lessons from the Field in Stormwater Treatment
April 26th, 12pm (zoom) with Ryan Kopp, Director at the Stormwater Innovation Center
View Recording Here
Passcode: rK4&Sg6y
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February 2024
Easton Pond Resiliency Project
February 23rd, 12pm (zoom) with the Project Team from Fuss & O'Neill
View Recording Here
Passcode: ?W6B+Td*
January 2024
Navigating the Community Rating System in RI
We had an informative presentation on the motivations to apply for the Community Rating System. This included the benefits, but also the challenges with this process. There are 10 CRS communities in Rhode Island: Charlestown, North Kingstown, Bristol, East Providence, Middletown, Narragansett, Newport, Pawtucket, Warwick, and Westerly. If you are interested in starting the process for your community, this presentation is a helpful place to start!
Thank you to Becky Lamond (Planner from North Kingstown and RIFMA Board Member) and John Grace (FEMA Region I)!
View Recording | Passcode: j20=NcR@
November 2023
Community Engagement & Flood Mitigation
We heard from Elsa Schloemer, with Warren’s Health Equity Zone program, and creative non-fiction writer, Kate Schapira, on the process and positive impacts of organizing community workshops to create space for residents’ stories and conversation around flooding and sea level rise in Warren, RI.
This project is a follow-up on community engagement efforts related to the Market to Metacom plan.
September 2023
MyCoast and Coastsnap
A fantastic Flood Talk Friday with Ally Cuomo, Alex Pouliot, and Bess Points! They gave a presentation on the application of MyCoast and Coastsnap for community-based data collection as it pertains to climate change mitigation, specifically along our coastlines. This talk dove into the features, functions, and uses of MyCoast and Coastsnap. Following, we had an opportunity for discussion on how participants imagine the app being used.
Thank you to Ally Cuomo, Alex Pouliot, and Bess Points from URI!
July 2023
Why become a CFM?
We had a panel discussion on the importance of becoming a Certified Floodplain Manager. Participants learned about the certification process, why it benefits your professional credibility, and who should be certified.
Thank you to Toni Pignatelli and Mark James from Michael Baker International, Wayne Pimnental from the Town of Narragansett, and Loui Greenwell from the Association of State Floodplain Managers.
April 2023
Climate migration in the US and New England:
A social scientist’s view
Elizabeth Fussell is Professor of Population Studies and Environment and Society at Brown University, as well as Editor-in-Chief of Population Environment. She earned her doctoral degree in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was a postdoctoral fellow at the Population Studies Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Since 2005, when Hurricane Katrina struck, she has investigated disparities in the disaster’s long-term effects on the health, wellbeing, and residential mobility of the residents of New Orleans using innovative methods and datasets. She has extended this research agenda to study the effects of hurricanes and other events on the population of the United States.
March 2023
The Dam Atlas
Emily was a part of the National Science Foundation Future of Dams grant looking at aging dam infrastructure in New England. She researched and practiced methods to engage communities in decision making around their local dam. Growing out of that research, she has continued to collaborate with Art Gold to develop the Narragansett Bay Dam Atlas, an online platform that includes information to help the public understand the complex social-ecological dynamics of dams, case studies, decision support tools, and an interactive map of all the dams in the Narragansett Bay Watershed.
January 2023
The AIA Disaster Assistance Handbook
Kenneth J. Filarski is principal of FILARSKI/ARCHITECTURE+PLANNING+RESEARCH, an integrated architecture and planning, ecology design studio and research workshop. Founded in 1976 the studio is recognized with national, regional, state awards in multiple disciplines from professional societies, governments, and citizen organizations.
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December 2022
Quonnie Pond Breachway Project
Bring your lunch and join us virtually as Bin, Senior Technical Specialist at GZA, discusses her project, Quonnie Pond Breachway Coastal Resiliency Improvement Design.
November 2022
Market to Metacom
Bob Rulli, from the Town of Warren’s Office of Planning and Community Development. Bob will present on this award-winning project, Market to Metacom.
October 2022
Risk Rating 2.0
Bob will offer explanation of the new Risk Rating 2.0 premiums, and how they more accurately reflect a property’s unique flood risk by considering a broader range of variables.
RIFMA wants to showcase you!
With the continued threats of climate change, sea level rise, and inland flooding, RIFMA wants to showcase all the important work that its members are doing every day!
RIFMA’s Flood Talk Friday Webinar is a platform for any RIFMA member to share (and brag) about programs, projects and events that work towards Rhode Island flood mitigation and resilience. For one hour, you’ll have a captive audience of like-minded flood-obsessed peers! Flood Talk Friday is the 4th Friday of every month from 12pm-1pm. If you are interested in showcasing your work, please send a few sentences describing your project/event/program to rhodeislandfma@gmail.com.
If you can’t wait to share, please post to our social media sites or send us content for the RIFMA Flood Vents Newsletter! We can’t wait to hear from you!