• The Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is a community’s official flood insurance map on which the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has identified both High Hazard Flood Zones and High Hazard Zones for a specific community. This is the most common card that FEMA issues and is used by various parties. Insurance agents and insurers use FIRM to determine the degree of flood risk to real estate and buildings. Community officials use FIRM to manage rules for floodplain management and flood mitigation. Lending agencies and federal government agencies use FIRM to locate properties and buildings according to mapped flood hazards, and to determine if flood insurance is needed when making loans or grants for disaster recovery.