PPA 573 – Emergency Management and Homeland Security

1. PPA 573 – Emergency Management and Homeland Security Lecture 6 – Recovery From Disaster

2. Introduction • Advanced planning for recovery yields significant benefits in the event of a disaster. • The recovery period is a valuable opportunity to influence the community’s future development. • The recovery planning process virtually requires local officials to study the experience of other communities that have recovered from disasters. • Support for mitigation tends to be highest immediately after a disaster, and local officials must be prepared with specific plans and policies to take advantage of the opportunity.

3. Overview of the Recovery Process

4. Framework for Local Recovery • In communities where the speed and quality of recovery was higher, local officials found ways to: • Ensure more productive intergovernmental relationships; • Compete effectively for scarce resources; and • Better manage community-level decision-making during the postdisaster period.

5. Key Elements of the Recovery Process • Personal leadership. • Local decision-making. • Priority of intergovernmental relations. • Redevelopment of damaged areas. • Long-range view of built community. • Ability to marshal internal and external resources.

6. Key Elements of the Recovery Process • Ability to act. • Availability of state and federal resources. • Reliance on local rather than external resources. • Local administrative and technical capability. • Horizontal and vertical intergovernmental relationships.

7. Key Elements of the Recovery Process • Knowing what to do. • Local knowledge of requirements for state and federal assistance. • Identification of sources of assistance. • Realistic, flexible, and current preparedness plans.

8. Federal and State Assistance • Disasters of 2002. • http://www.fema.gov/library/diz02.shtm. • Disasters of 2003. • http://www.fema.gov/library/diz03.shtm. • Disasters of 2004. • http://www.fema.gov/news/disasters.fema?year=2004. • Federal aid. • Individual assistance. • http://www.fema.gov/rrr/inassist.shtm. • Public assistance. • http://www.fema.gov/rrr/pa/. • http://www.fema.gov/rrr/pa/overview.shtm.

9. The Red Cross and Other Voluntary Assistance • The most likely source of immediate assistance following a disaster is the American Red Cross. • Also Salvation Army and Mennonite Disaster Services. • Work with victims on a one-to-one basis frequently. • The Red Cross congressional charter gives the organization broad authority during a disaster.

10. The Red Cross and Other Voluntary Assistance • Red Cross will provide assistance regardless of presidential disaster declaration. Their definition of a disaster is broader. • After a federally declared disaster, Red Cross almost becomes an arm of the federal government.

11. The Red Cross and Other Voluntary Assistance • Red Cross also has a statement of understanding with FEMA outlining its responsibilities during a disaster where FEMA is present. • Functions: • Mass care (shelter and food); • Direct financial and material assistance to families; • Emergency health care; • Assistance with rebuilding and repair; and • Comprehensive damage assessment.

12. Post-disaster Mitigation • Mitigation has been defined as “deciding what to do where a risk to health, safety, and welfare of society has been determined to exist; and implementing a risk reduction program.” • Since most natural disasters result from known agents, some anticipation can take place.

13. Post-disaster Mitigation • Mitigation requirements. • Robert T. Stafford Disaster Act of 1988. • Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000. • http://www.fema.gov/regions/v/newsletter/news_n3.htm. • Obstacles of mitigation. • Complexity. • Long lead time. • Resistance to mitigation. • Local government capacity and will.