Recovery is part of emergency management, which includes the broader components of prevention, preparedness and response. It includes built, environmental and economic elements, as well as social wellbeing. Recovery can provide an opportunity to improve these aspects beyond previous conditions.
Planning for recovery
Local governments are responsible for managing recovery following an emergency event. The Shire of Dandaragan will work closely with the community and responsible agencies to facilitate ‘community-led’ recovery process. It has appointed a Local Recovery Coordinator and has developed a Local Recovery Plan to guide the recovery process.
The Recovery Plan also sets out guidelines for managing financial arrangements, including donations and the distribution of government financial aid.
Principles of recovery
Community recovery in Western Australia is underpinned by the National Principles for Disaster Recovery. The Shire of Dandaragans recovery activities will embrace the following principles:
- Understand the context – successful recovery is based on an understanding of community context, with each community having its own history, values and dynamics;
- Recognise the complexity – successful recovery is responsive to the complex and dynamic nature of both emergencies and the community;
- Use community-led approaches - successful recovery is community-centred, responsive and flexible, engaging with community and supporting them to move forward;
- Coordinate all activities - successful recovery requires a planned, coordinated and adaptive approach, between community and partner agencies, based on continuing assessment of impacts and needs;
- Communicate effectively - successful recovery is built on effective communication between the affected community and other partners; and
Recognise and build capacity - successful recovery recognises, supports, and builds on individual, community and organisational capacity and resilience
Communications in recovery
Effective communications is a key principle of disaster recovery and critical to facilitating community involvement. An affected community has a right to all information relevant to its recovery. The Shire of Dandaragan will:
- Ensure the information is presented in a way that is clear and free of jargon;
- Consult with the community to establish what people actually want to know, i.e what is happening with recovery and how they can access support and who to contact should they have any questions;
- Ensure the communication fits the audience;
- Respect the community by ensuring the communication is culturally appropriate;
- Ensure that information is accessible to audiences in diverse situations, addresses a variety of communication needs and is addressed through a variety of media and channels;
- Reiterate and re-communicate information periodically through the recovery process; and
- Allow people affected by an emergency to acknowledge and validate their experiences.
Recovery centres
In the event of an emergency which has an impact on the community, the Shire of Dandaragan may establish a recovery centre to provide assistance to those impacted by the emergency.
The decision of where to establish the local recovery centre will be made by the local Recovery Coordinator and will depend upon the location, extent and severity of the emergency.