Devastated during the last two years from torturous "100-year-floods," the city of Ottawa is working its way to be one of the most prepared cities in the nation for future high water events, according to Scott Cofoid of the Insurance Services Office.

Cofoid praised the city's Flood Management Commission at its monthly City Hall meeting Thursday, saying, "Because Ottawa has set a higher floodways standard than the federal government and has completed many of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's requirements, I expect the city to receive a Class 6 rating from FEMA when it soon enters the Community Rating System."

The insurance expert said, "That good rating will mean a significant savings for those homeowners and businesses which now have flood insurance and for those who might find themselves in mandatory insurance areas once the new flood zone maps are released in the next few weeks."

Mike Sutfin, Ottawa's building officials and certified flood plain manager, predicts the city will do better than that. "I'm fully confident that we'll get a Class 5 rating which means even more savings for our residents," he said.

Sutfin, who shares flood planning responsibilities with City Engineer Dave Noble, expects the new flood zone maps to "greatly" expand the targeted areas along the Illinois and Fox rivers. Such possible changes would require mandatory flood insurance for businesses and residences in places that have never yet flooded.

Sutfin thinks wetlands close to Goose Creek will also be included on the FEMA maps as new flood zones.

Both Cofoid and Sutfin believe, with the continued work of the commission and city offices, Ottawa could push that CRS rating even lower. "Ottawa could join only seven other elite communities in the nation which are in Class 4 or better," Cofoid said.

Sutfin has previously said his goal is to get the city into a Class 1 rating.

Only one U.S. city, Roseville, Ca., a suburb of Sacramento, currently has that top distinction. That rating would lower local flood insurance rates by a whopping 45 percent, Sutfin said.

Speaking to the commission, Jeff Brodberg, manager of safety and disaster planning at Ottawa Regional Hospital and Healthcare Center, gave a powerpoint presentation on the improvements the hospital has adopted in its future flood response plan after the lessons learned from recent high waters near its buildings.

Diana Stiles, the city's 911 supervisor and office manager, also explained to commission members the sophisticated Community Emergency Notification System now in place in Ottawa. Utilizing Global Connect, a web-based voice messaging system, Stiles said any threats to property or lives from floods or any other event can be communicated to city officials, workers, or residents within minutes.

The Flood Management Commission was formed to insure the city will be proactive instead of reactive when it comes to how local government will work in all future flood emergencies.

In light of recent unique weather events, Sutfin believes the new FEMA maps might raise the current base high water flood mark by more than a foot. He previously said it was the commission's responsibility to have elevation data available for those stakeholders who will undoubtedly want to appeal the revision.

"And there is only a 90-day window to do that after the maps come out," Sutfin warned. The maps were due to be released back in August and the flood manager now guesses they will not be available until mid-December.

The commission meets monthly on every third Thursday.