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20 <br /> Elected Official's Guide to Emergencies and Disasters <br /> Recovery <br /> Recovery involves all of the activities that are necessary to be able to return the area to <br /> normal. This involves decisions and actions related to rebuilding homes, debris removal, <br /> replacing property, resuming employment, restoring businesses, and permanently <br /> repairing and rebuilding infrastructure. Recovery is often the hardest part of the response <br /> to disasters and may continue for an extended period of time. As soon as it is safe to do <br /> so, the County, with assistance from the municipalities, first responders and local <br /> community groups, will conduct preliminary damage assessments to determine the level <br /> of property damage and the parts of the critical infrastructure that may be damaged. <br /> During the recovery phase, you may find it helpful to get briefings from county staff as to <br /> the extent of the damage and status of the recovery process. These briefings will be held <br /> regularly and scheduled, as the conditions require. <br /> The overall priority for service is the same across all jurisdictional lines. These include: <br /> • Life safety <br /> • Critical facilities/ Incident stabilization <br /> • Property damage <br /> • Environmental damage <br /> Residents have their own priorities, which may be different from those of the County. The <br /> general public is often unaware of the scope of the disaster or incident; they may have <br /> unrealistic expectations about what local government can do for them as everyone works <br /> to recover. Some of the biggest issues that occur after the disaster or incident involve the <br /> following: <br /> • Debris Removal: Debris removal on private property is typically not covered by <br /> FEMA or the County and is the property owner's responsibility. If you have a <br /> constituent who has a significant problem with debris removal, call Orange County <br /> Emergency Services (919-245-6100) or E�orangecountync.gov. Please do not <br /> call 9-1-1. <br /> • Rebuilding: Residents may want to rebuild their house or business in the flood <br /> plain. This brings up zoning and ordinance issues. Vulnerable residents and <br /> populations may also face problems with the cost of rebuilding. <br /> • Response Time: Residents may think that government is slow to respond. It <br /> typically takes the Federal government 72 to 96 hours to respond to a local <br /> emergency. <br /> • Public Information: Residents may report difficulty getting critical information <br /> about the disaster or incident from the news media. Despite our efforts to <br /> communicate through the media, by issuing regular news releases, local media <br /> often choose to edit the information significantly, which can make it inaccurate, or <br /> not use it at all in their reports. However, we are continuing our efforts to foster <br /> positive working relationships with the media as these relationships are critical <br /> during times of disasters. <br /> 17 � <br />