CFS Professional Standards & Competencies 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A Certified Floodplain Surveyor discovers an error in a previously submitted LOMA application after the determination has been issued. What is the most appropriate professional response?
- Ignore the error since the determination is already final
- Notify FEMA and the community and submit a correction or Letter of Map Amendment Revision (Correct answer)
- Wait for the property owner to discover the error independently
- Resubmit a new application without disclosing the prior submission
Correct answer: Notify FEMA and the community and submit a correction or Letter of Map Amendment Revision
Professional ethics require the CFS to proactively disclose errors to FEMA and the affected community and initiate corrective action.
Question 2: Which professional body is primarily responsible for administering the CFS certification program?
- American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
- National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS)
- Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) (Correct answer)
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Correct answer: Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM)
ASFPM administers the CFS certification program as part of its professional development mission in floodplain management.
Question 3: When a CFS is engaged by a developer whose project may affect a floodplain, what must the surveyor disclose before accepting the engagement?
- The surveyor's fee schedule and billing terms only
- Any conflicts of interest, financial relationships, or prior involvement with the project (Correct answer)
- The names of competing surveyors who also bid on the project
- Confidential information from previous unrelated clients
Correct answer: Any conflicts of interest, financial relationships, or prior involvement with the project
CFS professionals must disclose potential conflicts of interest to maintain objectivity and uphold public trust.
Question 4: Under the NFIP, which document defines the minimum standards that communities must adopt to participate in the flood insurance program?
- The Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM)
- 44 CFR Part 60 — Criteria for Land Management and Use (Correct answer)
- The Flood Insurance Study (FIS)
- FEMA P-259 Engineering Principles and Practices
Correct answer: 44 CFR Part 60 — Criteria for Land Management and Use
44 CFR Part 60 establishes the minimum floodplain management criteria that participating NFIP communities must meet.
Question 5: A CFS is asked to certify an elevation certificate for a structure in a Zone AE area without conducting a site visit. What should the CFS do?
- Complete the certificate based on available topographic data and GIS maps
- Certify the form with a disclaimer noting no site visit was performed
- Decline to certify; a site visit with field measurements is required for an accurate EC (Correct answer)
- Delegate the certification to a licensed engineer who can review remotely
Correct answer: Decline to certify; a site visit with field measurements is required for an accurate EC
An Elevation Certificate requires field survey measurements; certifying without a site visit violates professional standards and FEMA requirements.
Question 6: Continuing education requirements for CFS recertification primarily serve which purpose?
- Generating revenue for the certifying organization
- Ensuring certificants remain current with evolving standards, regulations, and best practices (Correct answer)
- Satisfying state licensing board mandates only
- Providing networking opportunities with peers
Correct answer: Ensuring certificants remain current with evolving standards, regulations, and best practices
Continuing education keeps CFS professionals updated on regulatory changes, new mapping methodologies, and floodplain management advances.
Question 7: When a CFS identifies that a community's floodplain ordinance does not meet minimum NFIP standards, the most appropriate professional action is to:
- Complete the project and note the deficiency in an internal file only
- Advise the client of the deficiency and recommend the community correct its ordinance (Correct answer)
- Proceed as if the ordinance is compliant to avoid project delays
- Report the community anonymously to FEMA without informing the client
Correct answer: Advise the client of the deficiency and recommend the community correct its ordinance
A CFS must inform the client of regulatory deficiencies and recommend corrective action to protect public safety and NFIP standing.
CFS Professional Standards & Competencies 2
A Certified Floodplain Surveyor discovers an error in a previously submitted LOMA application after the determination has been issued.
What is the most appropriate professional response?