Purpose
The purpose of this step is to identify, communicate with, and engage stakeholders. Special emphasis is placed on engagement with vulnerable groups and individuals to ensure that recovery support remains equitable. Community disaster recovery planning cannot take place without the participation of community stakeholders. Public engagement after a catastrophe builds hope, trust, and confidence in government, enhances relationships, new leaders, and opportunities to improve long-standing community challenges. To capture these benefits, public engagement must be both deliberate and strategic.
Guiding Questions
- Impacts: Who in the community was affected by the disaster and/or will be affected by the recovery to follow?
- Involvement: How can these people and organizations best be involved in the recovery efforts?
- Considerations: What groups of people in the community have vulnerabilities that make engagement difficult and/or require special recovery considerations?
- Engagement Methods: What are the best methods and channels for communicating with and engaging all community stakeholders?