When disasters occur, they claim many lives and property. In this view, it is important for governments to plan for recovery operations. The department of emergency management is concerned with helping the communities that have been affected to return to a sound economy, habitable dwellings, as well as restored employment and commerce (Lindell, 2013). Recovery is one of the mission areas of emergency management as defined by FEMA. Thus, every country should develop mitigation measures to minimize the hazards. In Colorado, the Recovery Plan is an annex to the State Emergency Operations Plan. The two utilize a functional approach and focus on helping the affected to recover from the hazards (Lindell, 2013). Colorado has assistance programs have been introduced. This ranges from individual programs to housing programs. Concerning the individual help, the persons affected are expected to apply and meet with the agencies and customers face-to-face (Lindell, 2013). The country has Emergency Support Functions that play central roles in helping the affected. For example, transportation support requests for alternated services, assess, and report damage as well as coordinating restoration. There is the provision of housing needs that is done through Mass Care, Emergency Assistance, and Human Services. Through this plan, the victims of hazards are provided with resources, such as outbreak control, drinking and waste water, hospital resources, among others. Besides, the state provides environmental recoveries, which include the provision of assistance, managing resource requests, helping coordinate resource delivery, and managing the recovery grants that are associated with the restoration and rehabilitation activities (McEntire, 2014). Nevertheless, there are hazards mitigations, whereby the state provides assistance, manages resources, helps to coordinate resource recovery, and manages grants that are associated with protecting the damaged cultural resources (McEntire, 2014). Regarding the economy and the community, the state manages the resource delivery, identifies the potential resources, and manages recovery grants (McEntire, 2014). Infrastructure systems have significant roles in the restoration process, and Colorado State plays similar roles like those in other areas to ensure that it is prepared to support recovery operations.
It is crucial to state that during activation, public information results in the use of the SEOP mechanism, implying that the description concerning public information is excluded from the RSF plan (Wein, Johnson & Bernknopf, 2011). Notably, the state departments and agencies that are involved in recovery activities provide financial that support operations and documentation of disaster-related expenditures and costs to support any potential requests for the reimbursement (Wein et al., 2011). However, when state and local resources are inadequate, there is a declaration of disaster and the federal government is expected to offer support. It is imperative to state that there is the method of measuring disaster. As a result, there is the establishment of a disaster emergency fund that constitutes funds appropriated by the general assembly. This should be according to the Colorado Disaster Emergency Act, which states that the general assembly should set aside funds to meet disaster emergencies (Wein et al., 2011). It is recommended that accurate records should be kept for agencies that are involved to withstand post-emergency audits. In cases where there are more disasters than others, financial operations are conducted under compressed timeframes, which requires expedited purchases and other expenditures outside the normal procurement procedures.
Regarding preparedness, the Colorado Department of Disaster and Emergency prepares adequately by ensuring that equipment that are crucial are acquired at the right time. By doing so, it ensures that every need is met after a disaster. Another strategy that the state uses is to offer training concerning the use of the equipment (White, Kelly & Roth, 2012). The training covers proper use of the equipment, the expected discipline during an emergency as well as the interagency and interdisciplinary training. Updating of documents and procedures that used during recovery operations is another method that Colorado uses to prepare to handle hazardous (White et al., 2012). This ensures that the right methods and procedures are followed.
In conclusion, it is imperative for countries to develop recovery plans the same case they do with the mitigation plan. This is because they are central to the restoration and helps people to begin living normal lives as before. The steps that Colorado takes should be emulated by all states across the world.
- Lindell, M. K. (2013). Recovery and reconstruction after the disaster. In Encyclopedia of Natural Hazards. New York, NY: Springer Netherlands.
- McEntire, D. A. (2014). Disaster response and recovery: strategies and tactics for resilience. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.
- Wein, A., Johnson, L., & Bernknopf, R. (2011). Recovering from the ShakeOut earthquake. Earthquake Spectra, 27(2), 521-538.
- White, W. L., Kelly, J. F., & Roth, J. D. (2012). New addiction recovery support institutions: Mobilizing support beyond professional addiction treatment and recovery mutual aid. Journal of Groups in Addiction & Recovery, 7(2-4), 297-317.
