Advisory Committee Chair
Erin L Borry
Advisory Committee Members
Nevbahar Ertas
Thomas A Jacobs
Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
2016
Degree Name by School
Master of Public Administration (MPA) College of Arts and Sciences
Abstract
Long-term disaster recovery is an important aspect of public administration, especially as the United States is more frequently affected by natural disasters. Federal, state and local governments must adapt and respond to their citizens’ needs. This research analyzes one small Alabama community’s recovery following a devastating series of tornados. This case study on the City of Cordova is conducted via a document analysis of local newspaper articles, government documents and personal communication. The experiences of Cordova are analyzed using principles outlined in FEMA’s National Disaster Recovery Framework. The analysis suggests that disaster recovery in a small city or town is inherently different from urban recovery, thus the recovery process should be tailored according to the size of the community. These observations conclude with recommendations for other governments faced with the challenge of disaster recovery.
Recommended Citation
Burchfield, Marybrook, "Mending rural America: Disaster recovery in small municipalities" (2016). All ETDs from UAB. 1290.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/1290