Disaster Recovery Support Initiative

In the wake of disasters, especially natural disasters of medium-to-large scope, communities must organize to ensure effective, wide-spread recovery takes place. Often this involves the formation of a Long-term Recovery Group (LTRG), tasked with facilitating case management, construction management, volunteer coordination, and other needs. The current landscape of disaster response has a detrimental gap in resources for supporting Long-term Recovery Group development. In light of this, the Disaster Response Support Initiative (DRSI) was formed to assist local communities in holistic recovery through the deployment of a Disaster Recovery Support Team (DRST) consisting of a Case Management Specialist, a Volunteer Construction Specialist, and an LTRG Formation Specialist that will model, support, mentor, and encourage the development of local LTRGs through a sustained on-site presence. Team members will deploy rapidly and remain with the community for a period of 2-12 months as a resource to the local recovery effort, offering training, teaching, mentoring, and assistance to the LTRG staff and partners. All DRST efforts will be in cooperation with the LTRG, giving ownership of the recovery to the local community and its leaders.