Colorado Recovery and Resiliency Collaborative Local Government Guide to Recovery

In 2011, many local, state and federal emergency management personnel would have said that it is rare for Colorado to face disasters that reach the thresholds necessary to declare a major emergency or federal disaster. In reality, however, Colorado experienced major emergencies in 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007, and major disasters in 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2008. Since 2011, Colorado has experienced flooding, mudslides, wildfires, severe weather events and a mining accident that caused heavy metal contamination in waterways.

Jurisdictions affected by these events have learned lessons about recovery that haven't been documented in manuals or that are governed by rules and regulations. Lessons have been learned by managing these events and experiencing the complexities of recovery. As time goes by, however, lessons learned often become lessons forgotten as staff changes and memories fade. This Local Government Guide to Recovery is an attempt by those most affected by recent events in Colorado to pass along valuable lessons to others that may one day face the same challenges.

Recovery spans a continuum starting with activities that restore vital life-support systems to at least the minimum of operating standards and extends through the rebuilding and redevelopment process, which can take years. Longer-term activities focus on efforts to return communities to normal or pre-disaster conditions and/or to a new and improved condition that may incorporate principles of hazard mitigation, energy efficiency, smart growth or other design concepts adopted by affected communities to guide redevelopment. The National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) identifies three phases of recovery: short-term, intermediate and long-term. The timing and length of each phase varies widely based on the type and severity of the incident.