Communities create Emergency Operations Plans for the purpose of protecting the community during the response and recovery efforts of a disaster. Once an Emergency Operations Plan is implemented, stakeholders unite to assess damage and respond accordingly. They must consider details of the disaster and damage generated by the disaster to determine immediate needs or threats. Possible factors to consider are:

• What happened?
• Has the federal government officially declared it a disaster?
• Have people been affected?
• Has property been affected?
• What equipment or support do first responders require?

This assignment evaluates the community needs to fully recover from a disaster. Use the California Wildfires from 2008. The initial step in recovering from a disaster is damage assessment. This includes both people and property. At the completion of an assessment, the emergency managers have a better idea of required response efforts and additional assistance needs to reestablish the community. Focus your attention on the critical services and infrastructures in the community that require attention in order to rebuild and prepare for normal function. This consists of residential homes, businesses, and government buildings.

Critical Infrastructures

Identify all the infrastructures in the community affected by the disaster. Prioritize these by most critical to the recovery of the community. Locate the “Critical Infrastructure Assessment” matrix. This is a tool to organize the information essential to this assignment. You must use this template or create your own visual representation of the infrastructure damage. Identify five major services or infrastructures damaged by the disaster. Determine the extent of damage, the recovery efforts by the emergency responders to repair the service or structure, and any challenges the community developed during the recovery efforts of the identified service or structure.

Sheltering

Sheltering is the relocation of residents during and after a disaster hits a community. The purpose of sheltering is to find a safe place for residents and responders to live; whether short term or long term, until the community is deemed safe again. Evaluate the community associated with the disaster you have researched. Was an evacuation required for residents in the community? What areas or structures were used to shelter people affected by the disaster? Was there one central sheltering location for all people affected, or did the community utilize multiple sheltering options?

Community Assessment

In a summary (1,250-1,500 words), discuss the assessment of the community during response and recovery efforts. Determine infrastructures affected and sheltering options provided during response efforts. Your summary must include the following:

1. Briefly describe the critical infrastructures and services affected by the disaster. What role did these structures have in the community prior to the disaster?
2. What recovery efforts were required to reestablish the infrastructures and services in the aftermath of the disaster? What challenges occurred in rebuilding the communities operations and damaged structures?
3. Did the community require evacuation or sheltering during the response and recovery efforts? How prepared was the community to shelter residents and responders of the community?
4. What sheltering type(s) were used during recovery? Were they effective in maintaining a safe environment for all members affected?

Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

This assignment uses a checklist rubric. Please review the checklist prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.