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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

Commentary

Local Communities Need a Voice in How to 'Build Back Better'

Long before it was popularized and made its way into political slogans and economic recovery battle cries, the phrase “building back better” was a central tenet of disaster recovery and community resilience. How should community voices be incorporated into “building back better” processes?

Jan 12, 2021
Commentary

Previous Disasters Provide Important Lessons for Central America's Recovery from Hurricanes

As the global community works together to assist Central America in recovering from the disastrous 2020 hurricane season, experiences from other recent disaster recovery efforts offer some helpful lessons, both for the governments of the region as well as outsiders providing resources and support.

Jan 11, 2021
Journal Article

The Measurement of Disaster Recovery Efficiency Using Data Envelopment Analysis: An Application to Electric Power Restoration

This paper considers disaster severity to assess efficiency for electric utilities. We provide an application to recent post-hurricane restoration activities across different electric power companies in the states and territories of the United States.

Dec 15, 2020
Report

United States–Japan Research Exchange on Artificial Intelligence: Proceedings from a Pair of Conferences on the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Work, Health, and Data Privacy and on Disaster Prediction, Resilience, and Recovery

This report captures insights from two conferences that brought together U.S. and Japanese experts on work, health, and data security and on disaster response and disaster modeling to exchange views on artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Dec 7, 2020
Blog

Supporting Working Women, the Intelligence Community, Refugees: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on supporting America's working women, challenges facing the next Director of National Intelligence, how Syria's forever war is creating forever refugees, and more.

Dec 4, 2020
Commentary

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Are Important Tools to Improve Cost Estimation for Natural Disasters in Electric Utilities

Natural disasters in the United States cause billions of dollars of damage to electric infrastructure every year. Artificial intelligence and machine learning, if applied in a disaster recovery context for electrical utilities, might significantly improve cost estimating capability and responsiveness.

Dec 4, 2020
Commentary

Disaster Reporting and Its Impacts on Policy and Inequities

Disaster news tropes may capture audience attention, but they ultimately frustrate progress in mitigating the short- and long-term effects of disasters on communities. It's more important than ever that news stories about disasters frame the effects of environmental phenomena in meaningful ways.

Nov 16, 2020
Report

Recovery in the U.S. Virgin Islands: Progress, Challenges, and Options for the Future

This report provides analysis to help the U.S. Virgin Islands accelerate recovery from the 2017 hurricanes. It describes goals, accomplishments, challenges, and steps needed to improve recovery capacities, infrastructure, the economy, and services.

Nov 11, 2020
Commentary

What's Missing From Community Disaster Response? The Whole Community

Across the United States, significant gaps exist in disaster response needs and capabilities. Community volunteers have stepped up to fill those gaps where possible. They may need more support and resources.

Nov 9, 2020
Blog

Truth Decay, Opioid Settlement Funds, Veterans Health Care: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on fighting back against Truth Decay, how to spend opioid settlement funds, China's lack of friends, and more.

Oct 23, 2020
Commentary

Creating the Right Incentives for State and Local Governments to Reduce Disaster Costs

In the United States, federal, state, and local governments share responsibility for paying for losses from disasters. As the frequency and severity of disasters has increased, so have the losses. It’s worth considering whether the current risk-sharing approach is appropriate.

Oct 14, 2020
Report

Insuring Public Buildings, Contents, Vehicles, and Equipment Against Disasters

What insurance and financial risk management practices do state and local governments employ for buildings, contents, vehicles, and equipment, and what role does Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance play in these decisions?

Oct 9, 2020
Commentary

HSOAC Hosts Seminar Series on Improving Equity in Disaster Policy

Natural and biological hazards, and critically the human response to these hazards, have the potential not only to exacerbate existing population inequities but also to create them. To better understand the equity implications of disaster policies, the Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center invited several experts to share their knowledge.

Oct 7, 2020
Commentary

Counting the Costs: Improving Disaster Recovery Cost Estimation

Estimating the cost of disasters is a complex process. Disaster recovery is complicated even further during this new era of COVID-19, when extra precautions must be taken. How can we estimate costs quickly and reliably, thus improving the flow of dollars back into the community?

Sep 30, 2020
Project

Supporting Puerto Rico's Disaster Recovery Planning

In response to Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, RAND researchers supported the development of Puerto Rico's economic and disaster-recovery plan. They collected and analyzed damage and needs information, and developed and costed recovery actions that addressed multiple areas of need.

Sep 30, 2020
Report

The Education Sector in Puerto Rico After Hurricane Maria: Predisaster Conditions, Hurricane Damage, and Themes for Recovery

Presenting a strategic approach to aid Puerto Rico's recovery from Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the report details prestorm conditions, assesses damage and recovery needs, and describes courses of action for the Education sector.

Sep 30, 2020
Report

Community Planning and Capacity Building in Puerto Rico After Hurricane Maria: Predisaster Conditions, Hurricane Damage, and Courses of Action

The authors detail the status of Puerto Rico's communities leading up to Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the storms' impact on them, and 15 courses of action to improve their capacity for emergency preparedness, communication, and recovery planning.

Sep 30, 2020
Report

Recovery Plan for the Communications and Information Technology Sector After Hurricanes Irma and Maria: Laying the Foundation for the Digital Transformation of Puerto Rico

Authors assess Puerto Rico's communications and information technology sector needs after damage caused during the 2017 hurricanes and present courses of action that will help the sector recover and move forward in a sustainable and resilient manner.

Sep 30, 2020
Report

Challenges and Opportunities for the Puerto Rico Economy: A Review of Evidence and Options Following Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017

The authors review Puerto Rico's economic history and provide analysis following the 2017 hurricane season that serves as the context for a set of principles and actions in the recovery plan for rebuilding a healthy economy.

Sep 30, 2020
Report

Health and Social Services in Puerto Rico Before and After Hurricane Maria: Predisaster Conditions, Hurricane Damage, and Themes for Recovery

This overview of health and social services in Puerto Rico includes 31 courses of action to better recover from health crises, build a more resilient system to future disasters, and actively promote health and well-being.

Sep 30, 2020

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RAND Topic:
Disaster Recovery Operations

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