storm-recovery-action-plan

Purpose

Organize post-storm response into phased work with owners, resources, and documentation aligned to NIMS/ICS and the National Disaster Recovery Framework concepts. The plan serves the Incident Commander/EOC and the recovery lead; it supplements, not replaces, the incident action plan.

Required inputs

• Damage snapshot: rapid damage assessment results (housing, public buildings, roads, utilities, trees/debris), initial cost estimates, and unmet needs.
• Declarations: local, state, and federal status; thresholds and deadlines.
• Resources: public works crews, mutual aid, contractors with pre-positioned contracts, debris sites, volunteers.
• Utility restoration status (electric, gas, communications, water, sewer) and critical facility needs.
• Insurance coverage, FEMA/state programs, and prior mitigation plans.

Workflow

1. Phase 0 (0 to 72 hours, response): life safety, search and rescue, road clearance for emergency routes, shelter and mass care, utilities safety, hazard isolation, situational awareness, and public alerts. Priority sequence for debris: emergency routes, critical facilities, then residential streets.
2. Phase 1 (3 days to 3 weeks, stabilization): damage assessments (local, then joint preliminary damage assessment if requested), debris management plan with monitoring, temporary power/water, temporary facilities, disaster declaration requests, donation and volunteer management, and resident information.
3. Phase 2 (weeks to months, restoration): permanent repairs, permitting surge, contractor registration, rental inspection, business support, unemployment and housing assistance referrals, and infrastructure repairs.
4. Phase 3 (months to years, recovery and mitigation): rebuilding, hazard mitigation grant projects, plan updates, zoning or building code changes, and long-term community recovery committee.
5. Reimbursement protection: track force-account labor, equipment hours, and contracts by site (project worksheets); follow federal procurement rules for FEMA-funded work, noting emergency procurement flexibility is limited and documentation-intensive; separate insurance proceeds; keep photos and time logs; confirm deadlines. Verify current FEMA PA policy.
6. Debris: separate categories (vegetative, construction, hazardous, white goods, vehicles), temporary storage sites with environmental precautions, haul-out contracts with pre-event or competitively procured vendors, and monitor hauling with load tickets.
7. Permitting and code: emergency permit processes, substantial-damage determinations (50 percent rule in floodplains), temporary housing zoning allowances, and contractor licensing/fraud warnings.
8. Equity and vulnerable populations: language access, disabled residents, renters, and unhoused people.
9. Assign each action an owner by position, due date, resources, and a status check cadence.

Output structure

| Phase | Action | Owner | Due | Resource/funding | Documentation | Status | Add: priority roads/facilities list, debris plan summary, cost tracker, regulatory deadlines (declaration, requests for public assistance), and communications calendar.

Red flags / escalate

• Deadlines for declarations, FEMA applicant briefings, and request for public assistance.
• Procurement without documented competition or rate reasonableness.
• Hazardous materials, unstable structures, or gas leaks.
• Substantial damage determinations in floodplains.
• Contractor fraud complaints.
• Staff fatigue and safety.

Common mistakes

• Starting recovery without cost documentation.
• Leaving mutual-aid paperwork unsigned.
• Clearing debris from private property without legal authority.
• Not planning for longer-term housing needs.

State-law variance

Declaration authority, private-property debris removal rules, and state recovery programs vary by state.