The Recovery phase of a disaster is the longest phase. Especially if the disaster created extensive damage to property or worse, loss of life. The truth is recovery is probably the hardest part of dealing with a disaster because it begins the moment the disaster is over and can last years, even decades. 

After a disaster the City's job is to get Santa Cruz back to working order. Fixing infrastructure, clearing roads and getting utilities functioning and serving all populations are just some of the things the city needs to focus on in order to get the community healing and recovering as a whole. The sooner these important functions are restored the sooner the community can start to rebuild.

The good news is, you can help the city recover from every disaster... by being prepared for any disaster. Research has shown that the more prepared individuals and families are, the faster a community is able to recover from a disaster. Citizens that are prepared to care for themselves and their families in the immediate hours and days after a disaster contribute to the recovery of the whole community by freeing up first responder resources so they can be where they are needed most. 

There is also an emotional side to disaster recovery. Regardless of whether you were affected directly by the disaster, the very nature of disasters, being overwhelming and unexpected, can cause an intense emotional reaction. Talking about your experience with friends and can be a powerful tool.

Additionally, a professional mental health worker can also help you. Check out this link to read about how to emotionally recover from a disaster.

Learn more about the disasters Santa Cruz has faced and recovered from by clicking here.