Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-18T09:49:07.544Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Harnessing a Community for Sustainable Disaster Response and Recovery: An Operational Model for Integrating Nongovernmental Organizations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 April 2013

Joie Acosta*
Affiliation:
RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California.
Anita Chandra
Affiliation:
RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California.
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Joie Acosta, PhD, RAND Corp, 1200 S Hayes St, Arlington, VA 22202 (e-mail: [email protected]).

Abstract

Objective

Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are important to a community during times of disaster and routine operations. However, their effectiveness is reduced without an operational framework that integrates response and recovery efforts. Without integration, coordination among NGOs is challenging and use of government resources is inefficient. We developed an operational model to specify NGO roles and responsibilities before, during, and after a disaster.

Methods

We conducted an analysis of peer-reviewed literature, relevant policy, and federal guidance to characterize the capabilities of NGOs, contextual factors that determine their involvement in disaster operations, and key services they provide during disaster response and recovery. We also identified research questions that should be prioritized to improve coordination and communication between NGOs and government.

Results

Our review showed that federal policy stresses the importance of partnerships between NGOs and government agencies and among other NGOs. Such partnerships can build deep local networks and broad systems that reach from local communities to the federal government. Understanding what capacities NGOs need and what factors influence their ability to perform during a disaster informs an operational model that could optimize NGO performance.

Conclusions

Although the operational model needs to be applied and tested in community planning and disaster response, it holds promise as a unifying framework across new national preparedness and recovery policy, and provides structure to community planning, resource allocation, and metrics on which to evaluate NGO disaster involvement. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2012;0:1–8).

Type
Original Research
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Moore, M, Chandra, A, Feeney, K. Building community resilience: what the United States can learn from experiences in other countries [published online April 30, 2012]. Disaster Med Public Health Prep.Google Scholar
2.Chandra, A, Acosta, J, Stern, S, etal. Building Community Resilience to Disasters: A Way Forward to Enhance National Health Security. Santa, Monica, CA: RAND Corp; 2011.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Chandra, A, Acosta, J. The Role of Nongovernmental Organizations in Long-Term Human Recovery after Disaster: Reflections from Louisiana Four Years after Hurricane Katrina. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corp; 2009.Google Scholar
4.Chandra, A, Acosta, J. Disaster recovery also involves humans recovery. JAMA. 2010;304(14):1608-1609.Google Scholar
5.Joshi, P. Faith-Based and Community Organizations’ Participation in Emergency Preparedness and Response Activities. Chapel Hill, NC: Institue for Homeland Security Solutions; 2010.Google Scholar
6.Homeland Serurity Institute. Heralding Unheard Voices: The Role of Faith-Based Organizations and Nongovernmental Organizations During Disasters. Arlington, VA: Homeland Serurity Institute; December 18, 2006.Google Scholar
7.Acosta, J, Chandra, A, Feeney, KC. Navigating the Road to Recovery: Assessment of the Coordination, Communication, and Financing of the Disaster Case Management Pilot in Louisiana. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corp; 2010.Google Scholar
8.Acosta, J, Chandra, A, Sleeper, S, Springgate, B. The Nongovernmental Sector in Disaster Resilience: Conference Recommendations for a Policy Agenda, RAND Corp; 2011.Google Scholar
9.Federal Emergency Management Agency. A Whole Community Approach to Emergency Management: Principles, Themes, and Pathways for Action. Washington, DC: Federal Emergency Management Agency; December 2011. http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=4941. Accessed May 20, 2012.Google Scholar
10. National Health Security Strategy of the United States of America. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services; December 2011.Google Scholar
11.US Centers for Disease Control and Preparedness. Public Health Preparedness Capabilities: National Standards for State and Local Planning. Atlanta, GA: US Centers for Disease Control and Preparedness; March 2011. http://www.cdc.gov/phpr/capabilities/DSLR_capabilities_July.pdf. Accessed MAy 20, 2012.Google Scholar
12.Federal Emergency Management Agency. Memorandum of Agreement Between the Federal Emergency Management Agency/U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the American Red Cross. Washington, DC: Federal Emergency Management Agency; October 22, 2010. https://nmcs.communityos.org/cms/files/os114/p75/FEMA%20American%20Red%20Cross%20MOA%20October%202010.pdf.Google Scholar
13.Chandra, A, Acosta, J, Meredith, LS, etal. Understanding Community Resilience in the Context of National Health Security: A Literature Review. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corp; 2010. http://www.rand.org/pubs/working_papers/WR737/.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14.Acosta, J, Chandra, A, Sleeper, S, etal. The Nongovernmental Sector in Disaster Resilience: Conference Recommendations for a Policy Agenda. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corp; 2011.Google Scholar
15.President of the United States. National Security Strategy of the United States of America. Washington, DC: Office of the President; May 2010. http://whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/national_security_strategy.pdf2010.Google Scholar
16.Federal Emergency Management Agency. National Disaster Recovery Framework: Strengthening Disaster Recovery for the Nation. Washington, DC: Federal Emergency Management Agency; September 2011. http://www.fema.gov/pdf/recoveryframework/ndrf.pdf2011.Google Scholar
17.US Department of Homeland Security. Homeland Security Presidential Directive/HSPD-21: Public Health and Medical Preparedness. Washington, DC: The White House; October 18, 2007.Google Scholar
18.National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee on Disaster Reduction. Grand Challenges for Disaster Reduction. Washington, DC: Executive Office of the President; June 2005.Google Scholar
19.Federal Emergency Management Agency. Guide for All-Hazard Emergency Operations Planning. Washington, DC: Federal Emergency Management Agency; September 1996. http://www.fema.gov/pdf/plan/slg101.pdf2010.Google Scholar
20.US Department of Health and Human Services. HHS Pandemic Influenza Plan. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services; October 2005. http://www.hhs.gov/pandemicflu/plan/.Google Scholar
21.Kusumasari, B, Alam, Q, Siddiqui, K. Resource capability for local government in managing disaster. Disaster Prev Manag. 2010;19(4):438-451.Google Scholar
22.Baezconde-Garbanati, L, Unger, J, Portugal, C, Delgado, JL, Falcon, A, Gaitan, M. The politics of risk in the Philippines: comparing state and NGO perceptions of disaster management. Disasters. 2006;33(4):686-704.Google Scholar
23.Quinn, S. Crisis and emergency risk communication in a pandemic: a model for building capacity and resilience of minority communities. Health Promot Prac. 2008;9(4):18S-25S.Google Scholar
24.McMaster, R, Baber, C. Multi-agency operations: cooperation during flooding. Appl Ergon. 2012;43(1):38-47.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25.Wise, G. Preparing for disaster: a way of developing community relationships. Disater Manag Response. 2007;5(1):14-17.Google Scholar
26.Buckland, J, Rahman, M. Community-based disaster management during the 1997 Red River flood in Canada. Disasters. 1999;23(2):147-191.Google Scholar
27.Dawes, S, Cresswell, A, Cahan, B. Learning from crisis 1: lessons in human and information infrastructure from the World Trade Center response. Social Sci Comput Rev. 2004;22(1):52-66.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
28.O'Dempsey, T, Munslow, B. “Mind the gap!” rethinking the role of health in the emergency and development divide. Int J Health Plan Manag. 2009;24:S21-S29.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
29.Eide, A. Community-based rehabilitation in post-conflict and emergency situations. In Martz (ed). Trauma Rehabilitation After War and Conflict: Community and Individual Perspectives. New York, NY: Springer; 2010:97-110.Google Scholar
30.Homeland Security and Counterterrorism. The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned. Washington, DC: Office of the President; February 23, 2006.Google Scholar
31.Motoyoshi, T, Takao, K, Ikeda, S. Determinants of household and community-based disaster preparedness. Japan J Soc Psychol. 2008;23:3209-3220.Google Scholar
32.Muller, A, Whiteman, G. Exploring the geography of corporate philanthropic disaster response: a study of Fortune Global 500 firms. J Bus Ethics. 2009;84:589-603.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
33.Patterson, O, Weil, F, Patel, K. The role of community disaster response: conceptual models. Popul Res Policy Rev. 2010;29:127-141.Google Scholar
34.Eikenberry, A, Arroyave, V, Cooper, T. Administrative failure and the international NGO response to Hurricane Katrina. Public Admin. 2007 67:160-170.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
35.Troy, D, Carson, A, Vanderbeek, J, Hutton, A. Enhancing community-based disaster preparedness with information technology. Disasters. 2008;32(1):149-165.Google Scholar
36.Faulkner, B. Towards a framework for tourism disaster management. In Faulker B (ed). Progressing Tourism Resarch. Witshire, Great Britain: Cromwell Press; 2003:244-268.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
37.Runyan, RC. Small business in the face of crisis:identifyinng barriers to recovery from a natural disaster. J Contingenc Crisis Manag. 2006;14(1):12-26.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
38.Gajewski, S, Bell, H, Lein, L, Angel, RJ. Complexity and istability: the response of nongovernmental organizations to the recovery of Hurricane Katrina survivors in a host community. Nonprofit Voluntary Sector Q. 2011;40(2):389-403.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
39.Merlot, E, DeCieri, H. The challenges of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami for strategic international human resource management in multinational nonprofit enterprises. Inl J Human Res Manag. 2012;23(7):1303-1319.Google Scholar
40.Natural Hazards Center. Holistic Disaster Recovery: Ideas for Building Local Sustainability After a Natural Disaster. Fairfax, VA: Public Entity Risk Institute; 2006.Google Scholar
41.Jackson, B. The Problem of Measuring Emergency Preparedness: The Need for Assessing “Response Reliability” as Part of Homeland Security Planning. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corp; 2008.Google Scholar
42.US Government Accountability Office. Disaster Recovery: Past Experiences Offer Insights for Recovering from Hurricanes Ike and Gustav and Other Recent Natural Disasters. Washington, DC: US Government Accountability Office; September 26, 2008.Google Scholar
43.Pyles, L. Community organizing for post-disaster social development: locating social work. Int Social Work. 2007;50(3):321-333.Google Scholar
44.Alesi, P. Building enterprise-wide resilience by integrating business continuity capability into day-to-day business culture and technology. J Business Continuity Emergency Plan. 2008;2(2):214-220.Google Scholar
45.Allen, K. Community-based disaster preparedness and climate adaptation: local capacity-building in the Philippines. Disasters. 2006;30(1):81-101.Google Scholar
46.Keim, M. Using a community-based approach for prevention and mitigation of national health emergencies. Pacific Health Dialog. 2002;9(1):93-96.Google ScholarPubMed
47.Thomas, J, Roggiero, JP, Silva, B. Using community partners to deliver low-cost and effective emergency management and business continuity services. J Business Continuity Emergency Plan. 2010;4(4):317-328.Google ScholarPubMed
48.Suwanvanichkij, V, Murakami, N, Lee, CI, etal. Community-based assessment of human rights in a complex humanitarian emergency: the Emergency Assistance Teams-Burma and Cyclone Nargis. Conflict Health. 2010;4:8-22.Google Scholar
49.Kilby, P. Tje strength of networks: the local NGO response to the tsunami in India. Disasters. 2007;32(1):120-130.Google Scholar
50.Day, JM, Strother, S, Kolluru, R, Booth, J, Rawls, J, Calderon, A. Enhancing private sector engagement: Louisiana's business embergency operations centre. J Business Continuity Emergency Plan. 2010;4(3):216-230.Google Scholar
51.Embrey, E, Clerman, R, Gentilman, MF, Cecere, F, Klenke, W. Community-based medical disaster planning: a role for the Department of Defense and the military health system. Military Med. 2010;175(5):298-300.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
52.Telford, J, Arnold, M, Harth, A. Learning Lessons from Disaster Recovery: The Case of Honduras. Washington, DC: World Bank; June 2004.Google Scholar
53.Nepal, V, Banjerjee, D, Slentz, M, Perry, M, Scott, D. Community-based participatory research in disaster preparedness among linguistically isolated populations: a public helath perpective. J Empir Res Human Res Ethics. 2010;5(4):53-63.Google Scholar
54.King, D. Organisations in disaster. Natural Hazards. 2007;40:657-665.Google Scholar
55.Watkins, RE, Cooke, FC, Donovan, RJ, MacIntyre, CR, Itzwerth, R, Plant, AJ. Tackle the problem when itgets here: pandemic preparedness among small and medium businesses. Qual Health Res. 2008;18(7):902-912.Google Scholar