Recovery Operations -the Long and Short of it…..
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Agenda
• Recovery Considerations
• Case Studies -State Level
• Case Studies -Local Level
• Lessons Learned
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What is “Long-Term Recovery?
The process of recovery that follows a disaster event and may continue for months and years (From the DRAFT National Disaster Recovery Framework, FEMA, 2010)
Examples include the complete redevelopment and revitalization of a damaged area, which could mean:• Returning the area to prior conditions; or • Using the event to build back smarter and more sustainably,
or in recognition of new “real-world” conditions resulting from the event.
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How is Recovery Different from Response?
Response is Comparatively “Easy”• Short-Term• Trained personnel available (e.g., Fire/EMS, Public
Works)• Established and known funding sources• Limited number of players• Few question resource needs• Needs are obvious• Limited political issues (at least until later!)
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How is Recovery Different from Response?
Longer-Term Recovery is More Complex• Can last years• Few trained personnel; no established staffing and
management Structures• Different and more stakeholders• Need to leverage many funding sources, often not
designed for recovery• High-Visibility for the issue of limited resources• Needs are more subjective, agenda-driven• Substantial political issues
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Why is Recovery Planning Needed?
As disaster impacts grow, the need for recovery support increases accordingly
• Not all events require long-term recovery planning and implementation; it’s a function of scale– Timeline to recovery– Breadth of “communities” affected– Impact on housing, infrastructure– Changes to economic patterns and workforce– Loss of governmental capacity– Changes to demographics– Changes in community perception
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Normal Assumptions Don’t Apply
After a big disaster, normal assumptions about your community and how it supports itself often need to be reassessed– Government capacity / personnel availability– Demographics– Economy– Community plans– Understanding of risk– Need for public involvement
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During disaster recovery ...
Observations:• There will be lots of new faces, and different
agencies will play new and large roles• Standard management practices and other
processes may not apply• Outside resources may be needed for long periods
of time (staffing, housing, debris, construction, etc., etc.)
• Unforeseen opportunities may arise• There will be pressure to get back to business ASAP
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During disaster recovery ...
Observations:• Reliable information/data will be hard to get• Citizens will have their own ideas• The business sector will have resources the
State/Local Governments does not• The business sector will have needs and wants• The media will be crucial – and hard to manage• Others?
How do you organize for Recovery Operations?
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Case Study - Iowa
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Iowa
Situation: Iowa, May-August 2008• May 25: Devastating EF 5 tornado hits Butler and
Blackhawk counties in northeast Iowa• June-July: record heavy rains cause widespread
flooding• August 13: All rivers in Iowa finally fall below flood
stage• Federal Disaster Declaration covered 87 counties, including 700 cities
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Iowa
Initial Numbers• 18 deaths and 106 injured• 38,000 displaced by tornadoes and flooding• In Parkersburg, 1 in 3 residences were destroyed by
tornado• Governor’s 45-day report (incomplete damage
totals):– $946,000 in unmet housing costs– $3B in small to intermediate business losses– $703M in public building and infrastructure losses
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Iowa
Organizing for Recovery• June 27, 2008: Gov. Culver established the Rebuild
Iowa Office (RIO) and Advisory Commission (RIAC) and nine task forces
• RIO purpose: Rebuild “safer, stronger, smarter”• Engaged representatives of agencies throughout
state government and across all sectors of impacted communities
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Iowa
Nine Task Forces• Agriculture and Environment• Cultural Heritage and Records Retention• Economic and Workforce Development• Education• Floodplain Management/ Hazard Mitigation• Housing• Infrastructure and Transportation• Long-term Recovery Planning• Public Health and Health Care
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Iowa
Guiding Long-Term Recovery:• Working with FEMA ESF-14 Long-
term Community Recovery (LTCR)• LTCR teams in 10 communities• State RIO representatives embedded• Engaging communities in identifying
LTCR goals, objectives, strategies, and projects
• Leveraging local, state, and federal capacity
17New Orleans 80% Underwater
Case Study -Louisiana
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• Problems could not be addressed in “stove-pipes”
• Private sector coordination & team-building necessary
• Cross-jurisdictional complexities
• Need to leverage and coordinate delivery of assistance
• Needed to speak with one voice about needs and priorities
• Ensure opportunities are exploited
• Need to re-evaluate vision due to changes in population, economy, housing
• Lack of “planning culture” in LA
Overwhelmed and challenged the state and locals:
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
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Louisiana Recovery Authority
The mission of the Louisiana Recovery Authority is to ensure that Louisiana rebuilds safer, stronger and smarter than before. There are five areas of focus: 1. Securing funding and other resources needed for the
recovery, 2. Establishing principles and policies for redevelopment, 3. Leading long-term community and regional planning efforts, 4. Ensuring transparency and accountability in the investment
of recovery funds, and 5. Communicating progress, status and needs of the recovery
to officials, community advocates and the public.
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LRA Authorities
Powers established in Executive Order:• Establishing short and long-term priorities for
recovery• Speak on behalf of the entire state regarding unmet
needs to the federal government and public• Establish legislative agendas for recovery• Identify funding sources, and coordinate assistance
delivery• Establish recovery policy across and inside agencies• Organize itself by pulling staff from agencies at will
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LRA Oversight
LRA was responsive to a non-governmental board that oversaw LRA activities and set direction:• Composed of as many as 26 members, all appointed
by the Governor• Speaker and Speaker Pro-Temp from the LA House,
and President and President Pro-Temp from the LA Senate, were non-voting members
• Pulled-in outside experts and stakeholders for recovery planning
• Non-governmental and inclusive nature of the Board provided “insulation” for difficult decisions
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LRA Accomplishments
• Justified requests for supplemental appropriations• Led and succeeded in the effort to adopt a statewide building
code• Led a regional long-term recovery planning effort for south
Louisiana, and worked with FEMA on ESF-14 implementation in the most impacted parishes
• Established the Louisiana model for use of CDBG funds for owned and rental housing repair and replacement, infrastructure “unmet needs,” and economic recovery investments
• Established metrics for recovery, and focused state agencies on meeting them
• Facilitated issue resolution between State and Feds
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LRA Accomplishments
LRA promoted disaster specific legislation:• Waiver of 10% non federal cost share• Extended Reimbursement for temporary housing
utility cost for 24 months• Waiver of Alternate Project Penalty for Schools• Waiver of Alternate Project Penalty for Police and
Fire Stations• Independent Arbitration in lieu of Appeals Process
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LRA Coordination and Integration
• LRA provided a focal point for locals to address systemic and “big picture” issues
• While the LRA had (and has) broad powers, they primarily coordinated, cajoled, and influenced other agencies with recovery responsibilities, including– Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency
Preparedness (GOHSEP)– Office of Community Development (OCD)– Facilities Planning and Control (FPC)– Coastal Protection and Restoration Agency (CPRA)– Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH)– Recovery School District (RSD)
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Cedars Rapids, IA
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Cedar Rapids, IA
Cedar Rapids Recovery Reinvestment and Coordination Team (RRCT)• Housing• Rental Housing• Business• Downtown District• Art and Culture• Schools• County• Human Services
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Cedar Rapids
Regional Issues• Geographic Breadth of
Damages• Small Business Impacts• Housing• Infrastructure• Mitigation / Watershed
Issues• Transportation
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Case Study: City of Galveston
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Galveston
Starting Over?• Demographic Shifts• Understanding of Risk• Infrastructure• Housing Affordability• Economy / Jobs• Government Services
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Recovery Operations
Lessons Learned:• We plan for response; need to plan for recovery• Establishment of a coordinating body is critical to
long-term recovery• A recovery entity needs authority to succeed• Feds, State agencies, stakeholders initially unsure of
what to make of Recovery Organizations• Recovery activities require coordination across all
sectors, prioritization, and input/support from community
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Recovery Operations
Lessons Learned:• Focus on the big picture; don’t get lost in the weeds• Local and state ownership of the recovery planning
process is needed– Planning at local level is insufficient for events
with regional and statewide impacts• Traditional Federal / State programs are generally
not designed for recovery– Coordination and filling of “gaps” are key roles of
a recovery entity
Questions?
Greg FentonDirector of Operations, Southern Region
James Lee Witt [email protected]
404 942-7750
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