4. Using Disaster Recovery To Maintain and Enhance The Quality Of Life
- Where To Find Information -
Organizations
Boulder Area Sustainability Information Network (BASIN).
BASIN is a pilot project designed to help deliver a variety of environmental information about
the Boulder area to its inhabitants. BASIN desires to 1) improve environmental monitoring to
provide credible, timely, and usable information about the watershed; 2) create a state-of-the-art
information management and public access infrastructure using advanced, web-based computer
technologies; 3) build strong partnerships and an ongoing alliance of governmental, educational,
non-profit and private entities involved in watershed monitoring, management and education;
and 4) develop education and communication programs to effectively utilize watershed
information in the public media and schools and facilitate greater public involvement in public
policy formation.
See http://bcn.boulder.co.us/basin/main/about.html [accessed July 23, 2001]
Disaster Resistant Neighborhoods."Building Disaster Resistant Neighborhoods Handbook."
This handbook outlines a step-by-step action plan, with examples, to assist planners in working
with neighborhood associations to help them become better prepared for disaster. Posted on the
link along with the handbook are a variety of tools to assist in promoting the program.
See http://www.tallytown.com/redcross [accessed September 21, 2001]
Joint Center for Sustainable Communities.
The advisory committee includes Wellington Webb, Mayor of Denver and President, the U.S.
Conference of Mayors and C. Vernon Gray, President, National Association of Counties.
See http://www.naco.org/programs/comm_dev/center or http://www.usmayors.org/sustainable [accessed August 3, 2001]
Local Government Commission.
The LGC is a non-profit organization "working to build livable communities" in California. LGC
organizes a variety of conferences, workshops, and training sessions on land use and
transportation-related issues. The organization also publishes a monthly newsletter and has a
resources library with a catalog of videos and slides.
See http://www.lgc.org/center [accessed June 15, 2001]
National Arbor Day Foundation
This group sponsors programs that encourage communities to plant trees.
See http://www.arborday.org [accessed June 15, 2001]
Videos, CD-ROMs, and DVDs
The Link Between Sustainability & Disaster Resistant Communities. Slide show produced by the
U.S. Department of Energy and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
http://www.sustainable.doe.gov/disaster/impact
This slide show explains the concept of sustainable redevelopment and gives examples of
redevelopment in three communities: Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin; Valmeyer, Illinois; and
Arkadelphia, Arkansas.
Mitigation Revitalizes a Floodplain Community: The Darlington Story. Wisconsin Department
of Natural Resources. 1997. Madison, WI.
This is a splendidly produced videotape about the efforts of a small rural Wisconsin community
to reverse the effects of neglect and disinvestment in its historic downtown area caused by
repeated flooding and economic change. Using a multi-objective planning and management
strategy, officials and citizens, in partnership with government agencies and private entities,
identified six goals: 1) preserve the historic character of the downtown; 2) restore community
pride; 3) acquire and relocate commercial properties at risk; 4) elevate and flood proof
commercial and residential structures; 5) stimulate investment downtown; and 6) pursue tourism
as an economic strategy. The video follows the mitigation process from early meetings through
floodproofing and relocation. Produced by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 27
minutes. 1997. Available free from Wisconsin DNR, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921;
(608) 264-9200.
Quality Redevelopment of Eastern North Carolina. Horizon Video Productions. 2000. Durham,
NC.
This 20-minute video was produced by the state in the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd to introduce
and educate local and state officials about the "better ways" available to recover from the disaster
and at the same time address other local concerns such as environmental quality, economic
vitality, housing, sense of community, business and job opportunities, and disaster mitigation. It
introduced a framework espoused by the state for sustainable community action and features the
governor explaining the tenets of "quality redevelopment" and how it can--and did--benefit
North Carolina communities and help ensure a better future for the state's citizens. Available
from North Carolina Department of Emergency Management, 1830-B Tillery Place, Raleigh, NC
27699; (919) 751-8000; fax: (919) 715-9763.
Taking the Initiative. Federal Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Management
Institute. 2000. Emmitsburg, MD.
This 20-minute video shows how a neighborhood, two small towns, and a business owner took
responsibility for and got organized to adopt sustainability principles and techniques in coping
with hazards. The three separate instances, all in California, illustrate participatory processes,
taking initiative, looking at the economic benefits of hazard mitigation (in one case, elevating a
restaurant), incorporating livability components into a flood protection measure, and protecting
the local environment and habitat. This video is available from the Emergency Management
Institute at 1-800-238-3358. Ask for the "Disaster-Resistant Jobs" video.
Books, Articles, and Chapters
Berke, Philip and Maria Manta. 1999. Planning for Sustainable Development: Measuring
Progress in Plans. Lincoln Institute of Land Policy Working Paper. Lincoln, NE: Lincoln
Institute of Land Policy. 23 pp.
Using six principles that define and operationalize the concept of sustainable development, the
authors evaluated 30 comprehensive plans to determine how well the policies of these plans
supported sustainable development. Findings indicate no significant differences in how
extensively sustainability principles were supported between plans that state an intention to
integrate sustainable development and those that did not. In addition, plans did not provide
balanced support of all six sustainability principles; they supported one-the livable built
environment principle-significantly more than the others.
Casey-Lefkowitz. 1999. Smart Growth in the Southeast: New Approaches for Guiding
Development. Washington, D.C.: Environmental Law Institute Research Publications.
The southeastern United States has been trying to find ways to continue to reap the benefits of
the region's bustling economy without the mounting fiscal, health, and environmental costs of
poorly planned development. This report provides an overview of land use and transportation
trends in seven states-Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee,
and Virginia-and shows how these states are beginning to shape the pace and location of
development by promoting community revitalization, conservation, and transportation
alternatives.
Clinton-Gore Administration. 2000. Building Livable Communities: Sustaining Prosperity,
Improving Quality of Life, Building a Sense of Community.
This report identifies steps that the Clinton-Gore Administration took to help communities grow
in ways that ensure a high quality of life and strong, sustainable economic prosperity. It includes
a brief description of challenges faced by urban, suburban, and rural communities, the innovate
ways that some are meeting them, and the Livable Communities Initiative-a package of 30 policy
actions and voluntary partnerships that support local efforts to build livable communities.
CUSEC Journal 7(1).
This special issue focused on the economic vulnerability of rural communities and on disaster
recovery for small businesses. The journal is produced by the Central U.S. Earthquake
Consortium. For more information contact the CUSEC Office at (901) 544-3570 or see
http://www.cusec.org [accessed September 21, 2001]
Department of Energy. 1994. Rebuilding Your Flooded Home: Guidelines for Incorporating
Energy Efficiency. DOE-EE-0019. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of
Building Technologies, 36 pp.
After disasters, the natural tendency is to return to one's home and restore it to the way one left
it. Due largely to recent advances in building technologies, it is possible to rebuild a residence
with a little extra care-and not much more time and cost-and have a home that is much more
energy efficient than it was before the disaster. Because many house components will have to be
replaced, i.e., insulation, it makes sense to purchase the most energy-efficient equipment and
materials available. Following sections about drying out a flooded house and on personal safety
when cleaning up, the document explains how to analyze the property for building shell problems
(air leakages, foundations, flooring, etc.), then considers building systems and equipment issues
(electric motors, air conditioning, and appliances). Suggestions are presented and tips are
provided for financing energy-efficient solutions, such as buying materials in bulk if many
properties are affected.
Federal Emergency Management Agency. n.d. Safeguarding Your Historic Site: Basic
Preparedness and Recovery Measures for Natural Disasters. Boston, MA: U.S. Federal
Emergency Management Agency, Region I. 55 pp.
Drawing upon experience gained through disasters in Nantucket, Massachusetts, and Montpelier,
Vermont, this document helps stewards of historic sites-including historic buildings, landscapes,
districts, and museums-prepare their sites to withstand and recover from a natural disaster. The
handbook can also be used by public officials, planners, community development professionals,
and emergency management professionals as a general step-by-step guide to emergency planning
for such facilities. Before a disaster strikes, the handbook provides information about identifying
and assessing the risks to a facility, describes preventive measures for historic sites, and presents
emergency planning guidelines. During the disaster itself, the handbook describes what can be
done in the time available. After the disaster, guidelines are given for stabilizing the situation and
recovering from the impacts. Preventive measures and preservation considerations are provided
for four disaster agents: wildfire, hurricanes, riverine floods, and earthquakes.
Federal Emergency Management Agency. 2000. Planning for a Sustainable Future: The Link
Between Hazard Mitigation and Livability. FEMA Report 364. Washington, D.C.: Federal
Emergency Management Agency. 40 pp. Available at http://www.fema.gov/mit/planning_toc.htm.
This booklet is about hazard mitigation, disaster resistance, sustainable development and
livability, and describes the linkages among these concepts. It shows how communities that
undertake hazard mitigation planning become more disaster resilient and reap further benefits.
Hazard mitigation links disaster resistance to broad community objectives of economic health,
social well-being, and environmental protection.
Federal Emergency Management Agency. 2000. Rebuilding for a More Sustainable Future: An
Operational Framework. FEMA Report 365. Washington, D.C.: Federal Emergency
Management Agency. Available at http://www.fema.gov/mit/planning_toc2.htm.
This document provides guidance to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Sustainability Planner in the post-disaster response and recovery process. State emergency
management officials, local jurisdictions, and other FEMA staff may also use it as a reference
during non-disaster time.
Flink, Charles A. and Robert M. Searns. 1993. Greenways: A Guide to Planning, Design, and
Development. Washington, D.C.: Island Press. 351 pp.
Within the developed landscape, greenways serve a dual function: they provide open space for
human access and recreational use, and they serve to protect and enhance remaining natural and
cultural resources. This manual provides interested organizations and concerned individuals with
background information about planning a greenway project, how to enlist local assistance in
organizing project support, funding the project, related water recreation, greenway safety and
liability, management, and planning for the care of rivers, streams, and wetlands. Information is
provided on preserving stream and river functions, the impacts of urbanization on riparian
regimes, and the establishment of organizational partnerships to plan, realize, and preserve
greenway arrangements.
Geis. D.E. 2000. "By Design: The Disaster Resistant and Quality of Life Community." Natural
Hazards Review 1(3):151-160.
According to Geis, the present approach to designing and building communities is inadequate
and is inflicting great and growing harm-physically, environmentally, socially, economically, and
emotionally-that we can no longer tolerate. The disaster resilient community concept, the first
step toward creating quality-of-life communities, was created specifically to provide a new way
of thinking. A number of basic questions need to be addressed. What are Disaster Resistant
Communities? Why are they important? What are the benefits? What is the relationship between
a Disaster Resistant Community and a sustainable quality-of-life community? And, most
importantly, how do we go about creating them? This article provides the answers to these
questions so that the concept can be better understood and used to its fullest potential.
Kline, Elizabeth. 1997. Sustainable Community: Topics and Indicators. Available at
http://ase.tufts.edu/gdae/modules/modinstruct.html [accessed June 22, 2001]
These narratives about sustainable community indicators were developed under a contract with
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The primary audiences are community practitioners
and technical resource people.
Mileti, Dennis S. 1999. Disasters by Design. Washington, D.C.: The Joseph Henry Press. 351 pp.
Available at http://books.nap.edu/catalog/5782.html. [accessed September 21, 2001]
This book is a summary volume of the Second National Assessment of Research on Natural
Hazards with the formal mission of summarizing what is known in the various fields of science
and engineering that is applicable to natural and related technological hazards in the United
States, and making some research and policy recommendations for the future. It summarizes the
hazards research findings from the last two decades, synthesizes what has been learned, and
outlines a proposed shift in direction in research and policy for natural and related technological
hazards in the United States. Disasters by Design is intended for a general audience, including
policymakers and practitioners.
North Carolina Emergency Management Division and Federal Emergency Management Agency.
2000. Hazard Mitigation in North Carolina: Measuring Success. Raleigh, NC.
To accelerate the institutionalization of hazard mitigation in North Carolina, the North Carolina
Emergency Management Division established the Hazard Mitigation Planning Initiative, a long-term program to build local capacity to implement mitigation policies and programs in
communities across the state. Through a series of case studies, this study documents losses
avoided as a result of the implementation of a wide range of mitigation measures, including
elevations and the acquisition and relocation or demolition of floodprone properties.
Rueter, Patty. 1998. Town Centers: Why? What? How? Portland, OR: Portland State University,
School of Urban and Public Affairs, Institute of Metropolitan Studies, Community
Fellowship Program.
This report is a study of Portland's growth management challenge including reviews of history,
standards, and societal needs as they related to recent community involvement in Portland's town
center planning process.
Rural Voices 5 (Fall)
This special issue of the magazine, produced in 2000 by the Housing Assistance Council,
featured several stories on the "Lessons from Disaster." The Housing Resource Council has also
written a guide that explains resources available from federal and state governments for
rebuilding housing after a disaster, on a temporary basis or long-term. Contact the national office
at (202) 842-8600 or hac@ruralhome.org
Schwab, Jim; Kenneth C. Topping, Charles C. Eadie, Robert E. Deyle, and Richard A. Smith.
1998. Planning for Post-Disaster Recovery and Reconstruction. PAS Report No. 483/484.
Chicago, IL: American Planning Association. 346 pp. Abstract available at
http://www.planning.org/apapubs/details.asp?Num=1178. [accessed September 21, 2001]
This document helps community leaders and planners educate their constituents on how
informed decisions and choices can affect the rebuilding process and yield a safer, more
sustainable community. This report introduces planners to their roles in post-disaster
reconstruction and recovery, and provides guidance on how to plan for post-disaster
reconstruction side by side with all other players involved. A key theme throughout this report is
to rebuild to create a more disaster-resilient community. The report contains many references to
technical resources.
U.S. President's Council on Sustainable Development. 1997. Sustainable Communities Task
Force Report. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 186 pp.
This report, and its companion volume, Sustainable America: A New Consensus for Prosperity,
Opportunity, and a Healthy Environment for the Future, published in 1996, lay out a set of
policy recommendations for planning for sustainable communities. One of the recommendations
is to "shift the focus of the federal disaster relief system from cure to prevention." The appendix
contains case studies of communities that have set forth sustainability principles, profiles of
communities in the 50 states, state-led sustainability initiatives and organizations, and a list of
resources for sustainable communities.
Additional Reading
Baruch, S. and M. Baruch. 2000. "The Economic Vulnerability of Rural Businesses to
Disasters." CUSEC Journal 7(21):8-9.
Department of Housing and Urban Development. 1998. Building Communities and New Markets
for the New Century. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development. 78 pp. plus second volume of appendices.
Hanson, Kate and Ursula Lemanski. 1995. "Converting flood 'buyout' areas to public open
space: Case studies from Iowa." Pp. 95-100 in From the Mountains to the Sea--Developing
Local Capability. Proceedings of the Nineteenth Annual Conference of the Association of
State Floodplain Managers. Special Publication 31. Boulder, CO: Natural Hazards Research
and Applications Information Center.
Harper, C. 2000. "Design and Construction Can Help Rural Homes Avoid Wind Damage." Rural
Voices 5(4):5-7.
Hauer, Andrea. 1996. "The Power of Water in Des Moines, Iowa." Forum for Applied Research
and Public Policy 11(3):131-33.
Moran, E.F. 2000. "North Carolina Disaster Recovery: Lessons Learned." Rural Voices 5(4):12-15.
New York Times. 1999. "Suburbia Learns It Has Paved Over the Natural Defenses to Flooding"
Wednesday, September 29: B1&B8.
Tibbetts, John. 1998. Open Space Conservation: Investing in Your Community's Economic
Health. Cambridge, MA: Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.
Shookner, Malcolm. 1997. Quality of Life Summary Report.Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Social
Development Council and Social Planning Network of Ontario. http://www.qli-ont.org/report.html
Watson, B. 1996. A Town Makes History Rising to New Heights.
http://www.sustainable.doe.gov/articles/smithsonian/index.shtml and http://www.sustainable.gov/success/Valmeyer.shtml.
