For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
DHS Contact: 202-282-8010
HUD Contact: 202-708-0685
Memphis, Tenn.—The Long Term Disaster Recovery Working Group held its fifth planned stakeholder forum today in Memphis, Tenn.—designed to encourage stakeholders to provide direct input and ideas for disaster recovery.
The Working Group—co-chaired by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan—is a high-level, strategic initiative that will recommend future improvements and help inform and develop a National Disaster Recovery Framework to provide operational guidance for recovery organizations.
“We are committed to ensuring a more resilient nation in which individuals, communities and the economy can adapt to changing conditions and rapidly recover from disasters of all kinds,” said Secretary Napolitano. “These forums are providing valuable input and feedback to strengthen our disaster recovery capabilities nationwide.”
“The stakeholder meetings ensure that the vital voices of disaster recovery professionals and stakeholders are heard as we move forward to improve disaster recovery efforts,” said Secretary Donovan. “It allows those on the ground to tell us what works and what doesn’t in responding to natural disasters.”
Last week, Secretary Napolitano and Secretary Donovan continued the ongoing work of the interagency Working Group at a White House briefing with senior officials from more than 20 agencies. The Working Group discussed methods and objectives, stressing the importance of engaging stakeholders in a comprehensive review and assessment of disaster recovery capabilities in order to provide strong recommendations.
The Working Group previously met with stakeholders to gather input and ideas in Salt Lake City on Nov. 19, Los Angeles on Nov. 17, New York City on Nov. 10 and New Orleans on Nov. 4.
The public and all stakeholder organizations are also encouraged to visit DisasterRecoveryWorkingGroup.gov to provide input on the same 16 specific questions posed to stakeholders at today’s Working Group meeting. The Web site, launched in October, provides more information about the Working Group’s initiatives, progress and objectives moving forward.
The Working Group is analyzing stakeholder input received thus far and will be developing themes in preparation for providing both operational guidance for recovery organizations and recommendations for future improvements.
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