FEMA FIRM Panel

The FIRM is the basis for floodplain management, mitigation, and insurance activities for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Insurance applications include enforcement of the mandatory purchase requirement of the Flood Disaster Protection Act, which "... requires the purchase of flood insurance by property owners who are being assisted by Federal programs or by Federally supervised, regulated or insured agencies or institutions in the acquisition or improvement of land facilities located or to be located in identified areas having special flood hazards, " Section 2 (b) (4) of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973. In addition to the identification of Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs), the risk zones shown on the FIRMs are the basis for the establishment of premium rates for flood coverage offered through the NFIP. The FIRM Database presents the flood risk information depicted on the FIRM in a digital format suitable for use in electronic mapping applications. The FIRM Database serves to archive the information collected during the Flood Risk Project.

洪水保险费率地图（Flood Insurance Rate Map, FIRM）是美国国家洪水保险计划（National Flood Insurance Program, NFIP）开展洪泛区管理、洪水减灾及保险相关业务的核心依据。其保险业务场景涵盖执行《1973年洪水灾害保护法》规定的强制投保要求，该法案第2条(b)(4)款明确指出："凡获得联邦项目资助，或由联邦监管、受联邦监督或由联邦保险的机构协助购置或改造位于已划定特殊洪水危险区内的土地设施的物业所有者，均须购买洪水保险。" 除了划定特殊洪水危险区（Special Flood Hazard Areas, SFHAs）之外，洪水保险费率地图上标注的风险分区，亦是美国国家洪水保险计划所提供的洪水保险产品厘定保费费率的核心依据。洪水保险费率地图数据库以适配电子制图应用的数字化格式，呈现了洪水保险费率地图所承载的洪水风险信息。该数据库用于归档洪水风险项目中采集的相关信息。