Recovery

The aim of the recovery phase is to restore the affected area to its previous state. It differs from the response phase in its focus; recovery efforts are concerned with issues and decisions that must be made after immediate needs are addressed. Recovery efforts are primarily concerned with actions that involve rebuilding destroyed property, re-employment, and the repair of other essential infrastructure. An important aspect of effective recovery efforts is taking advantage of a ‘window of opportunity’ for the implementation of mitigative measures that might otherwise be unpopular. Citizens of the affected area are more likely to accept more mitigative changes when a recent disaster is in fresh memory.

In the United States, the National Response Plan dictates how the resources provided by the Homeland Security Act of 2002 will be used in recovery efforts. It is the Federal government that often provides the most technical and financial assistance for recovery efforts in the United States.

10. Pick out the words from the text which may be grouped under the heading “Mitigation”, “Preparedness”, “Response”, “Recovery”.

11. Ask questions using the following words and word combinations: to eliminate risk, to occur, to reduce the impact, precursor activity, to evaluate hazards, proper training rescue efforts, the recovery phase, response phase.

12. Define the part of speech from which each of the words below was formed:

precursor, specific, occurring, coordination, destroyed, understandable, warning, professional.

13. Read the text and make an outline using the following key words:

emergency manager, community preparedness incident command, back ground, professional certification, related resources, phase of emergency.