Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Gavin P. Smith1
1. Post, Buckley, Schuh and Jernigan, 1616 East Millbrook Road, Suite 310
Raleigh, North Carolina 27608-4968. gpsmith@pbsj.com. Research
Professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Department of City
and Regional Planning
INTRODUCTION
Following disasters in the United States, a great deal of attention is placed on the
assistance provided to individuals, groups, communities, states and nations, including
the degree to which it is distributed based on race, class and gender; power or
influence; the differential access to information; and how current post-disaster
funding practices contribute to an increased level of hazard vulnerability. While pre-
and post-disaster financial assistance plays a key role in recovery (particularly for
events that are deemed federally-declared disasters), two additional types of aid exist,
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Copyright ASCE 2008 Solutions to Coastal Disasters Congress 2008
Solutions to Coastal Disasters 2008
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including policymaking and technical assistance provided both before and after a
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disaster. An over reliance on the search for monetary assistance post-disaster can
supersede attempts to implement meaningful policy change or the degree to which
outreach, training or education can change behavior among individuals, groups and
organizations.
Organizations found among the lower rungs of the framework, including disaster
victims, local government officials, and non-profits, who have the best understanding
of local needs, are frequently excluded from decisions associated with the
Next, the stakeholders involved in disaster recovery are discussed. The implications
of their characteristics are described relative to the disaster assistance network and the
type of aid provided. This is a summary of the material collected to date as part of
the ongoing research associated with the writing of the text A Review of the United
States Disaster Assistance Framework: Planning for Recovery.
Federal, State and Local Government. Federal, state and local units of government
are consumed by the administration of disjointed post-disaster federal recovery
programs. The objectives guiding these programs are not coordinated and are often
contradictory. The role of post-disaster recovery planning as a coordinative tool
remains marginalized as ESF-14, the federal “emergency support function”
responsible for this task, is not widely accepted within FEMA, the agency responsible
for its implementation. Program rules, while highly prescriptive, are regularly
modified during disasters based on the politicization of disaster, the influence of
powerful interests, and the adroit use of data, negotiations and policy dialogue.
Experienced state and local government officials who know how to operate within
this system stand to gain while others who are less aware of the process, suffer as a
result.
A key premise of the disaster assistance model is the realization that local
government officials are among the most aware of local needs, yet play a limited role
in the formulation of major federal policies directly affecting them. The focused
management of post-disaster grant programs often obscures the fact that local
governments possess some of the most effective pre- and post-disaster recovery tools.
Land use planning techniques including subdivision regulations, zoning, capital
investments and the strategic placement of public infrastructure have great potential
to shape pre- and post-disaster settlement patterns relative to known hazards. While
an array of tools exist, their direct application to planning for post-disaster recovery
remains underutilized (Burby 1998).
The reward system for aid-based organizations is often linked to the amount and
speed with which it is delivered. This approach has the unintended effect of limiting
local capacity-building (Cuny, 1983) and the coordination of other forms of aid that
follow. Disaster victims recognize the responsiveness of non-profits, including their
ability to rapidly distribute aid and target groups that may be ineligible for other
sources of grant and loan programs. This approach results in a greater level of trust
when compared to other members of the disaster recovery aid network. Non-profits
can serve a coordinative role through the dissemination of post-disaster recovery
information, including program and policy eligibility criteria, and the timing of
disbursement across aid networks. Patterson (1998) argues that when addressing
complex problems involving multiple levels of government and other stakeholder
groups, a network of non-profits, armed with differing “functions” (i.e. issue
advocacy and mobilization of public opinion; policy formulation and collaborative
problem solving; coordination and partnership building; trusted, innovative, and
flexible service delivery; providing, attracting and leveraging resources; and research,
education, and information dissemination) aimed at building local capacity and
commitment should be utilized (pp. 206-207).
to land use and transportation planning, public health, economic development and
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Regional organizations serve an important training and outreach function for smaller
municipalities with limited staff and larger metropolitan areas sharing multi-
jurisdictional concerns. Their involvement in pre- and post-disaster recovery
activities varies widely across the country and is linked to developing pre-disaster
relationships across stakeholder groups and facilitating an organizational culture that
supports collaborative work and multi-objective planning. Watershed management
groups provide a good example of this approach. Following major flood-related
disasters in the United States, for example, the large-scale acquisition of flood-prone
properties protect natural habitats (i.e. wetlands and riparian ecosystems) while
reducing future disaster losses.
The effective adoption of policy at the local level requires a sustained commitment to
advise and train stakeholders that will be tasked with implementation. Providing
examples of what is possible must be tempered by what is feasible considering the
political, social, economic conditions present. This does not mean that significant
policy change cannot be achieved. Rather, for meaningful change to occur, a strong
local champion must be identified, a broad-based coalition of support established, and
technical professionals identified to assist. Not withstanding the adoption of the
above actions, significant resistance to changes in the status quo or competing
reconstruction ideologies may prevail.
Private Sector. The private sector contributes to disaster recovery efforts in several
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Federal, state and local agencies tasked with the administration of disaster assistance
are increasingly reliant on private sector contractors. Examples include policy
formulation, grants management activities, training of local, state and federal
emergency management officials, the development of risk assessment models, and the
management of temporary housing. Widespread outsourcing has led to several
negative outcomes, including a reduction of government staff that posses an in-depth
understanding of policy issues and institutional knowledge, lower employee morale,
and a greater dependence on organizations who are motivated by profit and
professional recognition rather than public service. Private contractors can play a
crucial role when effectively utilized. In order to be effective, contractors and
government officials must develop a strategy that addresses identified needs while
sustaining the internal capabilities of government through a process of project
implementation, local training, and extensive public involvement.
Media. The media does not control monetary aid, govern policy development or
provide direct technical assistance. Rather, their actions play a significant role in
influencing post-disaster assistance through the distribution of information. The
Emergent Groups. The U.S. system of disaster recovery assistance is in many ways
reflective of the larger governmental and societal processes prevalent across other
policy arenas. That is, large, complex problems are addressed through the
implementation of disjointed federal programs rather than grass roots-driven
processes. As a result, the assistance is provided without a clear understanding of
local needs. Emergent groups often form in response to perceived needs that go
unfulfilled by other members of the disaster assistance network. These groups tend to
be informal, assume tasks that they have not previously undertaken and engage in this
activity for a limited period of time. Examples of aid provided may include
addressing the failure to effectively or equitable distribute limited recovery assistance
funding (Bolin and Stanford 1998) education of underrepresented groups about risk
and preparedness activities (Lindell and Perry 1992), or providing a voice for those
who feel disenfranchised. Research conducted by Stallings and Quarantelli (1985)
has shown that emergent groups address numerous recovery-related activities,
including limiting future development in flood-prone areas, replanting trees following
a tornado, opposing proposed post-disaster housing approaches, and identifying funds
to pay for the reconstruction of homes following a landslide.
Individuals. Studies have shown the merits of localized recovery strategies that
drive policy formulation, technical assistance and the distribution of financial aid
(Anderson and Woodrow 1989; Oliver-Smith 1990; Smith and Wenger 2006).
Successful local efforts demonstrate to participants that they can affect change,
leading to a growing sense of empowerment and self-reliance. Individuals possess
detailed experiential knowledge regarding program clarity, lessons learned, and how
to craft more effective policy reflecting local needs. Individuals, particularly those
impacted by a disaster, can provide critically important input into the broader disaster
aid framework through such collaborative processes as public participation, policy
dialogue, and involvement in disaster recovery planning committees.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This paper represents the work conducted to date on the text A Review of the United
States Disaster Assistance Framework: Planning for Recovery, to be published by the
Public Entity Risk Institute. The model evolved from an educational tool used to
train staff while serving as the Director of the Governor’s Office of Recovery and
Renewal in the State of Mississippi following Hurricane Katrina.
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