An Information Tool for Post-Disaster Economic Recovery
<p>Jonathan Morgan is a School of Government faculty member.</p> <p>North Carolina’s recent experience with Hurricane Irene focuses attention on the difficult challenge of rebuilding a local economy in the aftermath of a major natural disaster. There has been no shortage of disasters–natural and man-made–to occur around the globe in past couple decades. Indeed, the U.S. has had its share: 9/11 terrorist attacks, numerous hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and wildfires. It is amazing to see how many of the natural disasters taking place in the U.S. since 1980 have exceeded $1 billion individually in terms of economic costs. The National Climatic Data Center, a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce, estimates that the 109 major natural disasters affecting the U.S. since 1980 caused cumulative damage and economic losses totaling more than $750 billion. For a listing and brief summary of these weather-related disasters including their total costs, both in terms of dollars and loss of life, click here.</p> <p>To assist communities with the daunting process of economic recovery following a major disaster, the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) and the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) have partnered to create a web-site called RestoreYourEconomy.org. The web site is intended to be a centralized clearinghouse for information and resources on pre-disaster planning/preparation and post-disaster economic recovery. The site includes specific information about:</p> the phases of a disaster, before and after the distinctive roles of economic development professionals in the planning and recovery process navigating the federal system communication strategies facilitating financial and technical assistance for businesses lessons learned from real-life [...]
