TO THE EDITOR:
The tragedy in Baton Rouge makes us stop and appreciate how fortunate we are. Many homes were destroyed that were not in the Federal Flood Zone. It's a misconception that you can't buy flood insurance from FEMA unless you are in the 100 year flood plain. Mortgage companies usually require flood insurance if your home is in the flood plain. However, you can buy flood insurance to protect your home and personal property because there are several plains FEMA uses to determine the premium (there are exceptions).
There were homes that were 6 feet above the FEMA flood plain in Baton Rouge that got several inches or feet of water. You can contact your homeowners policy agent, who can give you a price for flood insurance. The higher your home is above the flood zone, the cheaper the cost. Everyone can then determine if they wish to purchase the coverage. Just because your home is not in a flood plain, does not mean you can't get water in it.
Wayne Poe
Texarkana, Texas