“WHEN THIS HAPPENS AGAIN”: ANALYZING COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVES OF FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO REPEATED DISASTER VULNERABILITY AND THEIR IMPACT ON RECOVERY

Abstract

Storm-related flooding is one of the greatest disaster risks facing communities in eastern North Carolina. After flood events, communities of limited means may be incapable of pushing for reconstruction agendas that increase their disaster resilience. Recovery efforts driven by the agendas of outside agencies can perpetuate the pre-disaster status quo and result in a state of continued disaster vulnerability, highlighting the need for recoveries focused on the needs and viewpoints of the afflicted communities. Recently, the town of Windsor, NC has dealt with four floods reaching the 500-year flood stage. Data from participant observation and in-depth interviews with 16 stakeholders in Windsor are used to explore issues inhibiting long-term recovery. Specifically, I argue that part of the failure is due to a political power structure that favors assistance to regions with greater economic growth at the expense of economically vulnerable populations. Second, I show how repeated disaster trauma and disruptions to the recovery cycle have led many residents to distrust external agencies, misidentify the factors and risks for repeated flooding, and doubt the ability of the community to recover. I hypothesize that this attitudinal cluster is another key factor that mitigates against long-term recovery by inhibiting community building mechanisms. The goal of the research is to propose a more inclusive and holistic recovery model that addresses community viewpoints, actively seeks to create mutually beneficial relationships between residents and external agencies during recovery efforts, and views disaster recovery as a single step in a system that promotes community health and reduces vulnerability.