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Disaster Recovery Operations

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Recovery in the aftermath of natural or man-made disasters is directly related to the availability of local resources and the infrastructure and operational ability to deliver assistance from outside the affected region. RAND researchers have helped governments, militaries, and private organizations organize recovery operations during disasters, learn from past experience, and prepare for future disasters.

Report

Building Community Resilience to Large Oil Spills

Jul 6, 2020

How can communities build resilience to large oil spills? This report examines the effects of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill and how communities' resilience to similar threats could be improved.
Report

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Early Assistance After Disasters

Nov 14, 2019

After human-made disasters, early assistance from potentially responsible parties can sometimes fill gaps that are not always addressed by NGOs and first responders. But is providing such assistance a good strategy in terms of reducing future litigation or improving public opinion?

Explore Disaster Recovery Operations

Journal Article

Journal Article

From Awareness to Action: Accounting for Infrastructure Interdependencies in Disaster Response and Recovery Planning

We suggest that awareness of the vulnerabilities in interdependent infrastructure systems needs to be coupled with coordinated action and collaboration among government agencies, communities, and industries.

Aug 12, 2020
Commentary

COVID-19 Highlights Disaster Policy's Need to Prepare for Multiple, Sequential Emergencies

The pandemic has highlighted the vulnerabilities many disaster-affected households face. As lawmakers debate a second relief package, they could reconsider how the emergency management framework responds to the effects of simultaneous hazards on individual-assistance and community-recovery programs.

Aug 11, 2020
Blog

Preparing for a COVID-19 Election, Hurricane Response, North Korea: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on preparing for a COVID-19 election, how the pandemic is affecting artists, North Korea's deadly artillery, and more.

Aug 7, 2020
Dissertation

Dissertation

Improving the Air Force Medical Service's Expeditionary Medical Support System: A Simulation Approach: Analysis of Mass-Casualty Combat and Disaster Relief Scenarios

Uses a simulation tool to analyze the Air Force's Expeditionary Medical Support System to see how it performs, what changes can be made, and the specific impacts on overall patient outcomes for different patient streams.

Jun 3, 2020
Commentary

Planning for a COVID-19 Hurricane

What if Hurricane Katrina had hit during a pandemic? Emergency planners can prepare for this scenario by evaluating current response system capacity, evacuation and sheltering procedures, food and supply issues, and more.

May 4, 2020
Journal Article

Short-Term Solutions to a Long-Term Challenge: Rethinking Disaster Recovery Planning to Reduce Vulnerabilities and Inequities

We review case examples to illustrate how post-disaster policies may influence the nature, pace, and inclusiveness of community recovery.

Apr 30, 2020
Research Brief

How the U.S. Coast Guard Can Leverage Social Media and Enhanced Cell Phone Data to Improve Emergency Response

A growing proportion of maritime distress calls to the U.S. Coast Guard comes indirectly through social media, 911, or cell phones. Better understanding of the social media and cell phone environments could help inform future Department of Homeland Security policy on using these media in response operations.

Mar 17, 2020
Report

Report

U.S. Coast Guard Emergency Response and Disaster Operations: Using Social Media for Situational Awareness

Researchers are helping the U.S. Department of Homeland Security understand whether and how social media might be better leveraged for situational awareness in U.S. Coast Guard response operations.

Mar 17, 2020
Report

Report

U.S. Army North in the Hurricane Maria Response

This report addresses questions from U.S. Army North about the assistance it provided to civilian disaster-response operations in the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 1997.

Mar 10, 2020
Journal Article

Journal Article

Climate-Resilient Planning for Urban Stormwater and Wastewater Utilities: Workshop Proceedings

This document summarizes the Climate-Resilient Planning for Urban Stormwater and Wastewater Utilities Workshop, held July 16–17, 2019 at the Newtown Creek Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility in Brooklyn, NY.

Mar 5, 2020
Journal Article

Journal Article

What Can FEMA Learn from the Historic 2017 Hurricane and Wildfire Seasons?

Emergency managers—including FEMA, but also extending to the states and localities that are the first line of defense—could do much more to identify statewide risks and build community resilience long before an event makes headlines.

Feb 12, 2020
Commentary

What Can FEMA Learn from the Historic 2017 Hurricane and Wildfire Seasons?

When a hurricane comes ashore or a wildfire ignites, most of a community's vulnerability to disaster is already set. Emergency managers including FEMA, states, and localities could do much more to identify statewide risks and build community resilience before an event makes headlines.

Feb 3, 2020
Testimony

California's Hospital Seismic Safety Requirements: Cost and Affordability

By 2030, California hospitals will be required by law to remain operational after a major earthquake. How much might it cost to reach compliance by the deadline? And can hospitals afford this estimated spending?

Jan 28, 2020
Commentary

Australia's Fires: Respond Now, but Also Measure Toll on People for the Future

As an Australian, Melissa Finucane has watched with anguish as massive bushfires devastated wide swaths of her home country. As a researcher who studies community resilience, she can't help but think of how much blood, sweat, tears, and money will be required to recover.

Jan 20, 2020
Journal Article

On the Need for Prospective Disaster Survey Panels

Understanding how human beings respond to emergencies is difficult, because a lack of predisaster data often makes before-and-after comparisons impossible.

Nov 26, 2019
Blog

Disinformation, Drug Policy, Artificial Intelligence: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on tools to fight disinformation online, the negative consequences of punishing pregnant women for drug use, how to ensure public trust in artificial intelligence, and more.

Nov 15, 2019
Commentary

Hurricane Recovery in the Bahamas: Turning Good Intentions into Good Decisions

Recovery in the Bahamas will have to be a balancing act. Plans will need to allow for transition toward long-term strategic goals for the nation, but also be mindful of not perpetuating inequities.

Sep 6, 2019
Essay

How Citizen Scientists Are Protecting Their Communities

After Superstorm Sandy, residents of Brooklyn's Sunset Park neighborhood cleaned up debris, pumped out basements, and teamed up with researchers to find out what was in the floodwater. They established safety protocols to help local businesses prevent their chemicals from escaping and wrote a guide to help other communities.

Aug 29, 2019

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RAND Topic:
Disaster Recovery Operations

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