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Recovery After Disasters: Improving the Patterns of Sheltering and Housing for Impacted Victims

Frimpong, Agyemang
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1279894852

Abstract Details

2010, Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, Urban Studies and Public Affairs.
Disaster management in the United States has always been in response of particular disasters. Recovery which is one of the phases of disaster management has been very difficult to manage in the aftermath of disasters. Every once in a while disasters occur and local governments are supposed to respond and help victims recover. Sheltering and housing of displaced victims happen to be one of the key components of the recovery phase of disaster management. This research is aimed at finding the problems involved in the implementation of recovery programs and help improve upon delivery. The federal government management acting through Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) continues to urge States and county governments to set higher standards to help victims recover in the aftermath of disasters. All disasters are local. Establishing emergency shelters is generally a well-rehearsed effort that unfolds smoothly at the local level as emergency management officials and non-governmental organizations execute their emergency plans. Current practices in disaster housing vary based on the nature and scope of a disaster and can range from providing short-term shelters to arranging temporary and in some cases, permanent housing. These challenges are exacerbated when impacted victims are displaced from their homes for longer periods of time and temporary housing must be provided. Meeting housing demands in normal times are difficult to meet but it is even more challenging when resources are stretched thin and demands become greater. An exploratory case study research was conducted in all 88 counties in the State of Ohio. The research population consisted of all 88 county directors of emergency management agencies. This research was designed to explore the challenges involved in the implementation of recovery and disaster housing programs in the aftermath of disasters. Using the Critical Incident Technique (CIT) county directors were asked to recall and retell their experiences with sheltering/housing in the aftermath of the last disaster that occurred in their county. In analyzing the dominant themes that came out of the online/mail surveys as well as focused interviews with five directors, the study found out that some of the barriers to successful implementation of shelters and housing programs in the aftermath of disasters were politics and bureaucracy, lack of adequate knowledge about laws governing recovery, lack of recovery plans for functional/special needs population, lack of back-up power to operate emergency operation centers and political interference in the hiring of personnel working for county EMAs leading to less qualified people being hired. In addition to the above findings, the study showed that most county directors need to upgrade their knowledge and skills in emergency management through professional continuous development and also by getting higher education beyond the high school level. It was also shown that county political leaders need to be educated in the basics of emergency management so that they would be in line to help resource the counties to deal with recovery after disasters.
RaJade Berry-James, Dr. (Advisor)
171 p.
Public Administration
Critical Incident Technique; Sheltering; Housing

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Frimpong, A. (2010). Recovery After Disasters: Improving the Patterns of Sheltering and Housing for Impacted Victims [Doctoral dissertation, University of Akron]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1279894852

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Frimpong, Agyemang. Recovery After Disasters: Improving the Patterns of Sheltering and Housing for Impacted Victims. 2010. University of Akron, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1279894852.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Frimpong, Agyemang. "Recovery After Disasters: Improving the Patterns of Sheltering and Housing for Impacted Victims." Doctoral dissertation, University of Akron, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1279894852

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

akron1279894852
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This open access ETD is published by University of Akron and OhioLINK.