Session 11 Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction Gavin Smith, PhD University of North Carolina 1 Session 11: Catastrophe Readiness and Response Course

Session 11Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction

Gavin Smith, PhDUniversity of North Carolina

1Session 11: Catastrophe Readiness and Response Course

Learning Objectives

• 10.1 Describe disaster recovery, including the issues faced following a major and catastrophic disaster

• 10.2 Discuss stakeholders and their roles in recovery

• 10.3 Describe and analyze the United States Disaster Recovery Assistance Framework

2Session 11: Catastrophe Readiness and Response Course

Defining Disaster Recovery

• Disaster recovery: “The differential process of restoring, rebuilding and reshaping the physical, social, economic and natural environment through pre-event planning and post-event actions” (Smith and Wenger 2006)

• Catastrophic disaster recovery

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Disaster Outcomes

• Positive Outcomes:– Hazard Mitigation– Education– Post-Event “window of opportunity”– Increased investment– Decreased levels of social conflict


Disaster Outcomes

• Negative Outcomes:– Degradation of the environment– Failure to assist socially vulnerable

populations– Long-term or permanent closure of

businesses– Reduced investment– Increased social conflict


In-Class Discussion

• Discuss the concept of a disaster as a “window of opportunity”– Who are the beneficiaries and losers following

disaster?


Elements of Recovery

• Physical Recovery– Reconstruction

• Social Recovery– Emergent groups

• Economic Recovery– Continuity of operations plan

• Environmental Recovery


In-Class Discussion

• How do catastrophes impact the physical recovery or reconstruction of impacted communities?

• Issues to consider include:– Scope of the event– Duration of recovery– Intensity of the event


In-Class Discussion• In the case of sea-level rise, how should coastal

communities - which are highly dependent on tourism, tax revenue from ocean-front properties and the harvesting of coastal marine life (which are dependent on the health of degraded wetlands) - address these and other identified economic recovery challenges?


Disaster Recovery Process• The process emerges from the initial response to a

disaster and transitions into initial short-term recovery efforts

• Recovery involves more than reconstruction

• Following a major or catastrophic disaster recovery can take more than a decade (in some locations, organizations and individuals will never return to their pre-disaster condition)

• The transition from short-term to long-term recovery is often difficult and uncertain


In-Class Discussion

• Should Hurricane Katrina be categorized as a catastrophic event? Why or why not?

• Are there other measures of physical, economic, social and environmental impacts that should be considered? If so, what are they?


Disaster Recovery Process


Disaster Recovery Process

• Emergency Period

• Restoration Period

• Reconstruction I

• Reconstruction II


In-Class Discussion

• Does this model adequately address the issues associated with a catastrophic event? If not, what factors are missing?

– Missing elements

– Other critiques


10.2 Discuss Stakeholders and their Roles in Recovery

• Stakeholders:– Public Sector (federal, state and local governments)– Quasi-governmental and Non-governmental (regional

planning organizations, professional associations, colleges and universities)

– Nonprofit Relief Organizations (non-profits and foundations)

– International Aid Organizations and Nations– Private Sector and For-Profit Organizations

(businesses and corporations, financial and lending institutions, insurance, media)

– Emergent Groups and Individuals


Public Sector

• Key Federal Agencies:– FEMA– Small Business Administration– U.S. Army Corps of Engineers– National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration– Department of Housing and Urban Development– The Military– Others

• National Response Framework


Emergency Support Functions(as defined by FEMA)

• ESF #1 Transportation • ESF #2 Communications• ESF #3 Public Works and Engineering• ESF #4 Firefighting• ESF #5 Emergency Management• ESF #6 Mass Care, Emergency Assistance, Housing and Human

Services• ESF #7 Resource Support• ESF #8 Public Health and Medical Services• ESF #9 Search and Rescue• ESF #10 Oil and Hazardous Materials Response• ESF #11 Agriculture and Natural Resources• ESF #12 Energy• ESF #13 Public Safety and Security• ESF #14 Long-Term Community Recovery• ESF #15 External Affairs


State Agencies and Organizations• State Emergency Management Agency• Governor’s Office• State Legislature• Department of Natural Resources• Department of Commerce• State Budget Office• State Planning Office• Department of Public Health• Others


State Emergency Management Agency• Maintained by each state• Responsibilities:

– Oversee “comprehensive” emergency management program– Develop and implement training, education and outreach

program– Coordination of state assets and agencies after a disaster– Liaison to FEMA pre- and post-event– Administrator of federal programs following disasters

• Public Assistance• Hazard Mitigation Grant Program• Individual Assistance

– Administration of state recovery programs (if they exist)

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Governor’s Office

• Emergency Powers designation• Committing state assets• State disaster declaration• Establish evacuation routes• Request federal assistance following disasters• Designating a State Coordinating Officer• Enter into mutual aid agreements• Public face of disaster• Seek additional funding through state legislature


State Legislature

• Appropriate state funds for disaster assistance– Non-federal match– State programs– State “rainy day” fund

• Establish post-disaster recovery commission

• State budget – emergency managementSession 11: Catastrophe Readiness and Response Course 21

Local Government

• Government Actors:– City Manager– Financial Official– Public Works Director– Planning Director– Police Chief– Fire Chief– Building Official– Local Floodplain Administrator– Local Emergency Manager


Quasi-governmental and Nongovernmental Organizations

• Regional planning organizations

• Professional associations

• Colleges and universities


Regional Planning Organizations

• Write and implement local grant programs

• Local land-use planning and plan-writing

• Collect and analyze data

• Assume local governance tasks Session 11: Catastrophe Readiness and Response Course

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Professional Associations

• Critically analyze recovery activities / offer solutions

• Provide expert opinion• Mobilize association members• Conduct post-disaster damage assessments• Provide pre- and post-disaster planning

assistance• Advocate for changes in building standards,

codes or other activities tied to their area of expertise


Professional associations involved in recovery include:

• Association of State Floodplain Managers• National Emergency Management

Association• International Association of Emergency

Managers• American Planning Association• American Institute of Architects


Colleges and Universities

• Conduct hazards-related research

• Teach growing cadre of students interested in hazards management

• Provide post-event technical assistance


Non-profit Relief Organizations

• Non-profits:– Food, shelter, clothing, medical assistance,

counseling and crisis management– Repair and reconstruction of damaged housing– Advocate for the protection of natural systems– Capacity building– Technical experts

• Foundations:– Provision of gap funding– Share information– Mobilize public opinion– Identify shortfalls in the recovery assistance system


International Aid Organizations and Nations

• Link international assistance with local needs

• Identify appropriate diplomatic channels/organizations to funnel relief

• Draw international attention to a major disaster or catastrophe


Private Sector and For-Profit Organizations

The Private Sector includes the following organizations:

• Businesses and Corporations– Financial and Lending Institutions– Insurance– Media


Business and Corporations

• Contractors and consultants:– Debris removal– Deployment of assets– Writing and administering of grants– Repairing and reconstruction following disaster

• Local business aid• Corporate aid• Financial and lending aid• Insurance• Media


Emergent Groups and Individuals

• Emergent Groups:– Share information– Advocate for the equitable distribution of

assistance– Assert the nature of local needs

• Individuals– Share experiential lessons– Identify and articulate local needs– Grass-roots activism


10.3 The Disaster Recovery Assistance Framework

• Members of the Disaster Assistance Network:– Public Sector– Quasi-governmental and Nongovernmental

Organizations– Nonprofit Relief Organizations– International Aid Organizations and Nations– Private Sector and For-Profit Organizations– Emergent Groups and Individuals


The Disaster Recovery Assistance Framework

• Types of Assistance:– Funding– Policy – Technical Assistance

• Framework Characteristics:– Rules and understanding of local needs– Timing of disaster assistance– Horizontal and vertical integration

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Rules and Understanding of Local Needs


Timing of Disaster Assistance


In-Class Discussion

• How does the adoption of hazard mitigation measures slow or speed the process of disaster recovery?

– Issues to consider include:• The timeframe in which mitigation measures are

implemented• The role of pre-disaster hazard mitigation planning


Horizontal and Vertical Integration

Vertical

Horizontal

Strong Weak

Strong Type 1 Type 2

Weak Type 3 Type 4


Disaster Recovery Planning

• Benefits of recovery planning– Berke, Kartez and Wenger (1993)– Oliver-Smith (1990)– Olson, Olson and Gawronski (1998)– Findings largely qualitative


Recovery Planning

• Pre-disaster– Planning tools, including hazard mitigation

• Post-disaster– Long-term recovery and reconstruction

• Importance of planning process– Public participation– Policy dialogue– Facilitation– Negotiated rule-making


The Disaster Recovery Plan

• Evaluation of existing plans and policies

• Assessment of legal authorities

• Creation of local recovery committee

• Implementation strategy


The Disaster Recovery Plan

• Topical elements:– Damage and needs assessments– Post-disaster permitting– Building moratorium– Debris management– Restoration of public services– Repair of infrastructure– Critical facilities– Housing (emergency shelter, temporary, permanent)– Public health, social services– Business and economic recovery– Hazard mitigation


Reluctance to Plan for Recovery

• Negative outcomes:– Poor coordination (horizontal and vertical)

among stakeholder groups– Increased length of time required to recover– Lower levels of public participation– Reduced understanding of local needs– Missed opportunities to incorporate hazard

mitigation into recovery– Increased dependence on federal assistance

following disastersSession 11: Catastrophe Readiness and Response Course 43

National Disaster Recovery Framework Listening Sessions

• Individual and family empowerment• Leadership and local primacy• Preparation for recovery• Partnerships for inclusiveness• Communications• Unity of effort• Timeliness and flexibility• Resilience and sustainability


National Disaster Recovery Framework – Proposed Organizational Changes

• Federal Recovery Coordinators (FRC)

• State Recovery Coordinators (SRC)

• Recovery Support Functions (RSF)


In-Class Exercise

• Discuss the Model Recovery and Reconstruction Ordinance (Schwab, et. al. 1998) in the context of the Disaster Assistance Framework

• Discuss the draft National Disaster Recovery Framework in the context of identified limitations in the current US disaster recovery assistance framework


Take Home Exercise

• Create an outline of a disaster recovery plan for your hometown or designated community

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In-Class Discussions

• Discuss the factors that could stimulate a greater awareness of the importance of pre-event planning for post-disaster recovery

• Discuss and critically analyze the Disaster Assistance Framework

• Does the proposed National Disaster Recovery Framework address identified limitations?


Documents

Session 11 Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction Gavin Smith, PhD University of North Carolina 1 Session 11: Catastrophe Readiness and Response Course