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From Leaders, For Leaders: Advice From the Lived Experience of Leaders in Community Health Sector Disaster Recovery After Hurricanes Irene and Sandy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 June 2016

Hillary A. Craddock ,
Lauren Walsh ,
Kandra Strauss-Riggs  and
Kenneth Schor
Hillary A. Craddock*
Affiliation:
National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland.
Lauren Walsh
Affiliation:
National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland.
Kandra Strauss-Riggs
Affiliation:
National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland.
Kenneth Schor
Affiliation:
National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Ms Hillary A Craddock, MPH, 11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 1000, Rockville, MD 20852 (e-mail: HCraddock5@gmail.com).
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Abstract

Objective

Hurricanes Sandy and Irene damaged and destroyed homes, businesses, and infrastructure, and recovery after these storms took years. The goal of this article was to learn from the lived experience of local-level decision-makers actively involved in the long-term disaster recovery process after Hurricanes Irene and Sandy. Respondents provided professional recommendations, based on their experience, to assist other organizations in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with professionals actively involved in recovery from Hurricane Irene or Hurricane Sandy in 5 different communities. Transcripts were qualitatively analyzed.

Results

Respondents’ advice fell into 5 main categories: planning and evaluation, education and training, fundraising and donations management, building relationships, and disaster behavioral health.

Conclusions

The lived experience of those in disaster recovery can provide guidance for planning, education, and training both within and outside their communities in order to better respond to and recover from future disasters. These data help to facilitate a community of practice by compiling and sharing the lived experience of leaders who experienced large-scale disasters, and the outcomes of this analysis help to show what areas of planning require special attention in the phases of preparedness, response, and recovery. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:623–630)

Keywords

multi-agency coordinationdisaster planningemergency preparednesslocal governmenthealth care facilitiesmanpowerand services
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 10 , Issue 4 , August 2016 , pp. 623 - 630
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2016 

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