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New Web Site Solicits Feedback on Disaster Recovery
by News Report on October 30, 2009
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On Wednesday, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan announced the launch of www.disasterrecoveryworkinggroup.gov. The new Web site will serve as a vehicle for the recently formed Long-Term Recovery Disaster Recovery Working Group to solicit comments from state, local and tribal stakeholders as well as the public regarding disaster recovery. Some of the sample questions the working group is seeking to answer include:

  • What constitutes a successful disaster recovery?
  • How can federal, state and local disaster planning and recovery processes and programs be best coordinated?
  • As disaster recovery is primarily a state and local leadership issue, what are best practices for the timing (including start and end) and form of federal assistance and coordination?
  • What are the greatest capacity challenges that local and state governments face in disaster recovery and what are the best practices for increasing that capacity?

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A successful recovery from a small disaster is possible under current law and administrative capacity. It is NOT possible for a catastrophic disaster under current law and adminstrative arrangements. The best that could be achieved is that FEMA ends its role after 18 months and a skilled transition program exists to ensure that disaster operations are transferred for up to 36 months to other federal programs, functions, and activities. This transfer system should be funded and staffed and made a part of every federal program, function, and activity that conceivably has a role in disaster recovery, like housing.
From William R. Cumming November 08


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