Basement -Any area of the building, including any sunken room or sunken portion of a room, having its floor subgrade (below grade level) on all sides.

Building (Eligible Building) -A walled and roofed building, other than a gas or liquid storage tank, that is principally above ground and affixed to a permanent site, including a building in the course of construction, alteration, or repair, and a manufactured (mobile) home on a foundation. The building must be located in a participating community.

Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS) -Communities, coastal barriers, and other protected areas identified by the Department of the Interior legislation in either the Coastal Barrier Resources Act of 1982 or the Coastal Barrier Improvement Act of 1990.

Community -A political entity that has the authority to adopt and enforce floodplain management ordinances for the area under its jurisdiction. A participating community is one for which the Administrator has authorized the sale of flood insurance under the NFIP.

Elevated building -A non-basement building that has its lowest elevated floor raised above the ground level by extended wall foundation, shear walls, posts, piers, pilings, or columns such that there would be air space between the lowest floor beam and the ground.

Emergency Program -Typically the first phase under which a community participates in the NFIP. It is intended to provide a first layer amount of insurance at subsidized rates to all insurable structures in that community before the effective date of the initial Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM).

Enclosure -That portion of an elevated building below the lowest elevated floor that is either partially or fully shut-in by rigid walls.

Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) -The federal agency under which the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is administered.

Federal Insurance Administration (FIA) -The federal entity within FEMA that directly administers the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Flood -A flood is technically defined as "an overflow of inland or tidal waters, unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source, and mudslides which are proximately caused by flooding."

Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) -Official map of a community on which the Administrator has delineated both the special hazard areas and the risk premium zones applicable to the community.

Post-FIRM Construction -Construction or substantial improvement that started on or after the effective date of the initial Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) of the community or after December 31, 1974, whichever is later.

Pre-FIRM Construction -Construction or substantial improvement that started on or before December 31, 1974 or before the effective date of the initial Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) of the community, whichever if later.

Proper Openings -All enclosures below the lowest elevated floor must be designed to automatically equalize hydrostatic flood forces on exterior walls by allowing for the entry and exit of floodwaters. A minimum of two openings having a total net area of not less than 1 square inch for every square foot of enclosed area subject to flooding must be provided. The bottom of all openings must be no higher than 1 foot above grade.

Regular Program -The phase of a community’s participation in the NFIP where more comprehensive floodplain management requirements are imposed and higher amounts of insurance are available based upon risk zones and elevations determined in a flood insurance study.

Special Flood Hazard Area -An area that has a 1 percent chance of being flooded in any given year (100-year floodplain).

Substantial Improvement -Any reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, or other improvement of a building, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50 percent of the market value of the building before the "start of construction" of the improvement.

Waiting Period -The time between the date of the application and the policy effective date.

Zone -A geographical area shown on the Flood Hazard Boundary Map or Flood Insurance Rate Map that reflects the severity or type of flooding in the area.