Research Counts


By Jeffrey Schlegelmilch, Jackie Ratner, Daniel Kushner, and Susanna Aguilar

Investments in electrical infrastructure can have big payouts for societal resilience, but more data is needed to help planners and policymakers make the case for funding. An exercise in Chicago offers a roadmap for how we can begin to quantify the benefits.


By Tener Goodwin Veenema and Mary Casey-Lockyer

Shelter residents often arrive with complex medical and mental health needs, but with careful planning, providers can assure access to necessary services.


By Amy Helene Schnall

Public health surveillance in disaster shelters is a critical to identifying immediate needs within shelters and health trends in general. See how it works.


By Kelsey Merlo, Katrina Conen, Wie Yusuf, Jennifer Marshall, Joshua G. Behr, and Elizabeth Dunn

Shelter work can be stressful enough without worries about contracting COVID-19. Learn what can be done to support worker mental health in a pandemic.


By Carol S. North and Richard V. King

Mass evacuation centers receive an influx of residents, all dealing with some level of trauma. Lessons previously learned from designing mental health services in such large-scale shelters can assist in meeting the needs of evacuees.


By Shefali Juneja Lakhina

Conducting research during these trying times will take all the foundational techniques at our disposal—and more. Read more to learn how conducting caring research can support both participants and researchers.


By Laura M. Stough

After a disaster, people with disabilities face different challenges in recovery. Laura Stough looks at the myriad of resources and services that need to be rebuilt with an eye to future resilience.


By Naim Kapucu and Fernando Rivera

Rural communities can have less resources to respond to and recover from disasters. Collaboration is key to expanding their capacity.


By Anaís Delilah Roque, David Pijawka, and Amber Wutich

A connected community is a strong community. Read how Puerto Rican’s extensive experiences with disaster have created social cohesion that makes them resilient.


By Laura M. Stough and Elizabeth McAdams Ducy

For families whose children have special healthcare needs, preparing for disasters, evacuating, and finding shelter can be overwhelming—and missteps can be life-threatening. Luckily, steps can be taken to keep families safe and reduce stress.


If you are interested in contributing to this series, please contact Natural Hazards Center Director Lori Peek directly at lori.peek@colorado.edu.


Acknowledgements

Research Counts is made possible with funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF Award #1635593) and supplemental support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-National Integrated Drought Information System (NOAA-NIDIS). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF, FEMA, NOAA-NIDIS, or Natural Hazards Center.