Issue link: https://blog.providence.org/i/1367431
7 Key Facts As with other sectors, local government was more focused on relief and recovery than long term recovery and resilience. Agencies have faced multiple challenges, and have made efforts to remedy them. As with other sectors, evaluation efforts have been spotty. Partnerships with CBOs and funders are increasingly valued, but commitment to a cross-sector collective action plan is still needed. Response Achievements Response Challenges All hands on deck as Disaster Service Workers at EOCs, PIO, and LACs in relief and into recovery period Mental health response, including crisis counseling and com- munity-based trauma relief Massive clean-up and progress in massive rebuild project Partnership with CBOs to reach vulnerable communities. Improvement of Emergency Response System • Alert system • Added staff and restructuring in Department of Emergency Services • Creation of the Office of Recovery and Resiliency Initial confusion at EOCs Budget constraints dwarfed some response, particularly in long-term recovery and resilience Most individuals still awaiting rebuild or permitting Unmet needs in certain vulnerable populations, most notably Spanish speakers and immigrants Assessment of response efforts Implementation of resilience framework Table 3: Local Government (County) Disaster Response Findings Toward an Aligned Plan and Disaster Response Ecosystem The situation during and immediately after the fires in Napa and Sonoma was chaotic and constantly changing, making alignment and coordination difficult. In Sonoma County, the scope of the disaster was far too great for any one organization to handle and there was not a coordinated disaster relief plan in place. As a result, many capable organizations set out to address the problem, sometimes with minimal coordination. In Napa County, the commu- nity had learned from the 2014 earthquake, and stakeholders identified that these learnings and planning efforts, which included pre-authorized MOUs between philanthropy and CBOs and more organized COAD, helped the Napa response tremendously. An aligned plan represents the next phase of disaster readiness for the region. What are the components of an aligned plan? What does a disaster response eco-system look like? From feedback gathered, such a plan would capture both prevention strategies and plot out future response efforts. The plan would focus on avoiding duplication and filling service gaps, and capture the entire philanthropic, the nonprofit, and county contributions to such an effort. It would identify each contributor's unique strengths, while making room for the different values, strategies, and philosophies that are inevitable in such a broad coalition. It would recognize that Napa and Sonoma are different counties with different landscapes and needs, but look for ways the neighbors can support each other and work together. The stakeholders that were surveyed and interviewed through this assessment consistently cited the need for such a plan. Some referred to growth in this area among certain groups and collaboratives, but consensus and clarity was considered "still a work in progress." Addi- tionally, many respondents identified reasonable obstacles the creation and implementation of such a plan, referring to different organizational missions, the lack of a tradition of collaboration