The eLearning Center for Gatlin Education Services

This (one-hour) course is based on the FEMA construction guidelines for “breakaway” walls used below Elevated Coastal Buildings.

In Coastal High Hazard Areas (Zones V, VE, and V1-30), the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) regulations require that communities participating in the program adopt floodplain management ordinances or laws requiring that all new and substantially improved buildings be elevated to or above the base flood elevation (BFE) on foundations consisting of piles, posts, piers, or columns.

These open foundations must be designed to allow waves and water moving at high velocity to flow beneath the building. Local ordinances or laws adopted by participating communities must further require that the area below the lowest floor of the elevated building be left free of obstructions. Walls or other obstructions below the elevated building can significantly increase the potential for flood damage to the elevated building by increasing the surface area subject to wave impact and velocity flow during a coastal storm.

Although obstructions are prohibited, the area below the lowest floor of an elevated building in a Coastal High Hazard Area may be enclosed with open wood latticework, insect screening, or non-supporting “breakaway” walls. However, each of these must be designed and constructed to collapse under wind and water loads without causing collapse, displacement, or other structural damage to the elevated portion of the building or supporting foundation system. In addition, like all other construction in the Special Flood Hazard Area, any enclosure below the lowest floor of an elevated building must be built with flood-resistant materials and with methods and practices that minimize flood damage. Furthermore, the area below the lowest floor of the elevated building may be used only for parking, building access, or storage.

The student must take a multiple-choice quiz consisting of ten (10) questions at the end of this course to earn PDH credits.

State Board Acceptance

This course can be used by professional engineers to fulfill PDH requirements mandated by state and provincial licensing boards. Decatur Professional Development is an approved provider of continuing education in all states that pre-approve course providers. In all other states that mandate continuing education for engineers, it is the individual engineer's responsibility to determine the suitability of activities for PDH credit. The state boards typically accept online* courses that cover technical, managerial** or ethical content and which are relevant to the practice of engineering. The course must have a clear purpose or objective with a content that will maintain, improve or expand the skills and knowledge of the licensee's field of practice. For questions about your mandatory PDH requirements, visit the website of your state licensing board.

*Online courses are accepted by all state licensing boards that mandate continuing education. Other than New York (which limits online courses to 18 PDH) and Iowa (which limits online courses to 6 PDH), there are no limits placed by other states on the number of hours that can be earned through online continuing education. Consult with your state licensing board if you have any questions about the acceptability of online courses.

**The New York State Board of Engineers does not accept general office management courses, but will accept project management courses that are offered by an approved provider and that are technical in nature and contribute to the engineer's professional practice.

Please Note: Continuing Education credits for this course are awarded as PDH (Professional Development Hour Credits).