“We were ready for fire, but not flood”: Exploring Whole-Community Recovery and Resiliency in the Rural Intermountain West

FEMA Higher Education Program: 2024 Monthly Community Webinars

When: Third Friday of each month, 2:00–3:00 p.m. EST
Where: Via Zoom
Description: The recovery from the 2022 regional flooding in Montana’s Yellowstone Country began immediately after the acute response concluded. It is recognized that communities which experience successful disaster recovery are more resilient when confronting future disasters (Demiroz & Hu, 2014) – yet there is no consensus of what constitutes efficient and effective whole-community recovery among scholars or practitioners (Rubin, 2009). Furthermore, prior research on disaster recovery processes suggest recovery is not experienced uniformly across all groups within a community (Tierney & Oliver-Smith, 2012). Ultimately, much of community recovery activity emphasizes the navigation of federal aid processes and programs. Paradoxically, rural communities like those in Montana’s Yellowstone Country tend to be more susceptible to natural disasters like floods, droughts, and wildfires (Manuele & Haggerty, 2022), yet have smaller governmental structures, less diversified economies, and fewer financial reserves to handle disaster recovery and resiliency than their larger, urban counterparts (Waugh, 2013; Kapucu et al., 2013).  Using a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach, this study explores the differential experiences of disaster recovery across Montana’s Yellowstone region. By understanding gaps in post-disaster recovery, this project offers solutions to advance wholistic, equitable, and resilient preparedness and resiliency efforts in the future.

More Information: FEMA Higher Education Program | Community Webinars