An Exploratory Analysis of the First Long-Term Recovery Group in Delaware

An Exploratory Analysis of the First Long-Term Recovery Group in Delaware | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Case Report An Exploratory Analysis of the First Long-Term Recovery Group in Delaware Sydney Dyck, Julie Elliott, Tamika Brooks Collick This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9052724/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 5 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This paper focuses on the experiences, complexities, resiliency, and accomplishments of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Eleventh Street Bridge Community Long-Term Recovery Group (ESBC-LTRG), which is Delaware's first long-term recovery group (LTRG). The ESBC-LTRG was founded in the fall of 2021 in Wilmington, Delaware, following the monumental destruction and flooding caused by Hurricane Ida. Headed by a resident whose home was impacted, the ESBC-LTRG has been incorporated as a non-profit organization since the summer of 2022 to bring over 250 residents who were affected or displaced by the storm back to a safe and secure means of daily living. There is a significant emphasis on preparation and response within emergency management, leaving much to be desired regarding recovery, especially long-term recovery [ 1 , 2 ]. Therefore, we conducted a community-based research project through qualitative interviews with board members of the ESBC-LTRG. Additionally, the chair of the ESBC-LTRG, who is a coauthor on this paper, has provided a written reflection to highlight her lived experience of the flooding event, and the formation of the LTRG. This paper sheds light on the impacts of designating long-term recovery to community members with a severe lack of resources, funding, and assistance to their success. Despite these challenges, this paper also seeks to share knowledge that has been foundational to the ESBC-LTRG’s success, potentially lessening the burden for future LTRGs to come. Plain English Summary Disaster events cause vast destruction across the globe every year, and a rising number of long-term recovery groups have been created in their wake. Long-term recovery groups, or LTRGs, are led by citizens affected by disaster events in order to facilitate recovery efforts that may take a longer amount of time to address than immediate needs, such as housing repair. LTRGs are often supported by other organizations, such as nonprofits, government agencies, and members of their local Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters chapters in the U.S.A. This paper uses qualitative interviews to capture the experience of board members of the Eleventh Street Bridge Community Long-Term Recovery Group (ESBC-LTRG) in Wilmington, Delaware, which was formed after Hurricane Ida flooded the Eleventh Street Bridge neighborhood, causing widespread damage. The ESBC-LTRG was the first LTRG in the state of Delaware, which caused varying challenges to navigate throughout the group’s formation and recovery. The authors of this paper have been volunteers with the LTRG for over three years, and describe the challenges and successes of the group through interviews and analysis of shared experiences among the board members. Additionally, this paper provides lessons learned for future LTRGs in Delaware and beyond. Introduction In September of 2021, the City of Wilmington, Delaware, experienced historic flooding as the remnants of Hurricane Ida passed through the region. This was the largest flooding event ever experienced by the City of Wilmington, and within the state’s recent history [ 3 ]. The flooding caused significant damage in the Eleventh Street Bridge Community of Wilmington’s Third District, where residents were impacted by high water, with some homes in the Thirteenth and Heald Street areas suffering catastrophic damage [ 3 ]. Some homes suffered smaller damages, such as warped fences and decks, downed trees, and impacts to drywall on lower levels [ 3 ]. Regardless of the size of the damage caused to the Eleventh Street Bridge Community, the impacts affected aspects of everyday life, mental health, and a sense of security. Emergency services from city, state, and federal agencies responded to the event, with significant support from voluntary organizations coordinated by the Delaware Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (DEVOAD) chapter. Organizations such as the Red Cross, Salvation Army, and Team Rubicon responded to the needs of those impacted by the flooding. But, as the response work wound down, it became clear that some damage would require an extended rebuild and response effort. Drawing on the expertise of community organizations in Maryland, members of the Eleventh Street Bridge Community came together to learn about creating a Long-Term Recovery Group (LTRG). An LTRG is usually composed of local members of a disaster-affected community working together to unite recovery resources to assist individuals with unmet needs following the immediate recovery stage of a disaster [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Some LTRGs also participate in mitigation activities to protect the community from future disaster events and to create resiliency and self-sufficiency among members and neighbors [ 4 ]. The goals of an LTRG are determined by the members themselves and are shaped by the local knowledge of members of the disaster response and recovery community, such as organizations involved with the state’s VOAD. The Maryland and Delaware VOADs were integral to the formation of the Eleventh Street Bridge Community’s LTRG, as they provided training sessions on what the path ahead would look like, while encouraging community members to contribute to the scope and vision of what they needed and wanted from an LTRG [ 3 ]. Throughout a few training sessions, individuals volunteered for roles within the LTRG to address the pressing disaster-induced needs of over 200 residents. This resulted in the formation of the Eleventh Street Bridge Community Long-Term Recovery Group (ESBC-LTRG), which is the first long-term recovery group in the state of Delaware. This paper explores the challenges and successes of the ESBC-LTRG through qualitative interviews with board members of the organization, which included community members, outside volunteer members, and members of government agencies. This exploratory study engaged with challenges related to the ESBC-LTRG’s management and structure, funding, coordination, and wellness of individuals participating in the organization. Literature Review Disaster scholars view emergency management as a cyclical process composed of four phases: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery [ 7 ]. When a disaster occurs, the community is immediately thrown into response operations, where the priority is bringing stability to the event. Once the threat to life, property, and the environment is over, the community begins transitioning into recovery. Recovery may be conceptualized in many ways; it is difficult, if not impossible, to identify its endpoint. Recovery may involve the restoration of services, replacement and reconstruction of structures, development and betterment/improvement of the community, and commemoration of the disaster event [ 8 ]. As a community transitions into recovery, responding organizations that deployed to the community will begin to deactivate, leaving the remainder of the recovery to community-based organizations and citizens in a particular area. With this in mind, the success of recovery operations will heavily depend on access to community-based assets [ 9 ], whether that be nonprofits, public and private institutions, faith-based congregations, community members, and so on [ 7 , 10 , 11 ]. Because community-based organizations do not typically leave communities (and are familiar to communities pre-response), these organizations may exhibit task emergence well beyond “response” [ 12 , 13 , 14 ]; likewise, they may be particularly prone to capacity challenges [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ]. Throughout many events, nonprofits have demonstrated that they play important roles in their communities both before and during disasters [ 11 , 13 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ]. Nonprofits provide a wide range of services, from operating shelters to feeding disaster survivors [ 22 ]. Nonprofits can have a focus specifically on disasters, or may include disaster operations as a secondary focus; meanwhile, some nonprofits have no explicit focus on disasters. Such nonprofit organizations may exhibit task emergence and adapt their services to disaster-induced demands [ 23 ]. Murphy & Pudlo [ 22 ] note that organizations without a primary focus on disaster-related work may struggle to collaborate with formal response agencies. One way communities prepare for community-based response and recovery is through Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) networks [ 24 ]. The literature on VOADs is relatively sparse, but we know that VOAD networks can vary in size and scope. National VOAD is a national coalition of nonprofit organizations that work within the disaster management space. The organization was founded in 1970, following the impacts of Hurricane Camille in Louisiana [ 25 ]. The purpose of National VOAD is to support the cooperation, communication, coordination, and collaboration of disaster-focused, non-governmental organizations after a disaster event, ultimately reducing redundancy and increasing effectiveness. This model for disaster response and recovery efforts has been adopted by states (with all 50 states and territories having state/territory-level VOAD organizations) and by many local jurisdictions (region, county, city, or community-level VOADs). VOADs are known to serve many roles in response and recovery, often spanning both phases [ 24 ]. Some scholarship calls for increased utilization of VOAD networks [ 24 , 26 ]. Eller et al. [ 11 ] emphasize the “robust and extensive” capacity of the nonprofit sector, and note that VOAD member organizations are more likely to be successfully integrated into collaborative response activities. Sutter & Smith [ 27 ] highlight National VOAD as a “primary mechanism for assembling [disaster-related] lessons” (p. 481), drawing attention to the committees and task forces it convenes, such as the Emotional and Spiritual Care Committee [ 28 ]. Long-Term Recovery Groups (or LTRGs) are a growing phenomenon tied to VOAD networks (Meyer et al., 2022). LTRGs are associations of local nonprofits addressing specific disaster-produced needs in communities impacted by disasters (Meyer et al., 2022; NVOAD, 2012). LTRGs are similar to local VOADs, but are focused on disaster case management activities [ 5 ]; likewise, these groups may dissolve, go dormant, or transform into a local VOAD after recovery efforts have ended. Meyer et al. [ 5 ] found that counties with higher disaster damages were more likely to have an LTRG; though LTRGs are different from local VOADs, it seems possible that local VOADs are more likely to form in jurisdictions that have experienced disaster damage. This hypothesis is supported by Peacock & Ragsdale [ 29 ], who observed the formation of a local VOAD in Miami-Dade County from a recovery-focused network established after Hurricane Andrew. Peacock & Ragsdale [ 29 ] mention the organization’s success and call for more research on the structure and effectiveness of such networks, noting that such organizations “can lessen conflict, negotiate competition, and facilitate coordination” (p. 34) during recovery. The work of an LTRG is deeply dependent on an organization’s ability to collaborate. Collaboration, however, is not easy [ 30 , 31 , 32 ]. Collaboration may be easier when organizations are similar to one another [ 33 , 34 , 35 ] or there has been a history of successful collaboration in the past [ 36 ], but without a pre-existing relationship – or perhaps pre-existing strain on relationships – may hinder collaborative efforts. Further, scholars have noted that successful collaboration is heavily reliant on strong leadership [ 30 , 36 , 37 ]. Questions remain, however, of how to practically increase community-level capacity while enabling disaster-focused organizations to better collaborate and facilitate efficient disaster management. Methods This study was conducted in the summer of 2024 through a research program for graduate students at the University of Delaware. I (Sydney Dyck) had been volunteering with the ESBC-LTRG for two and a half years at the time of the interviews, and have continued to serve in a voluntary role as the ESBC-LTRG secretary. This formal and friendly connection with the board of the ESBC-LTRG allowed me to engage in this community-based research project in a way that prioritized the needs of the ESBC-LTRG, a process that I took very seriously to ensure that this work was not conducted in an extractive manner. Participation was voluntary and non-incentivized and open only to board members, and informed consent was obtained for both data collection and publication. This project was approved by the board of the ESBC-LTRG by vote, as well as the University of Delaware’s Institutional Review Board. Research was carried out following the guidelines of the Institutional Review Board at the University of Delaware under the study number 2190943-1 in accordance with their policies on exempt studies involving human subjects, in June of 2024. The co-author on this work, Julie Elliott, has also been volunteering with the ESBC-LTRG for a year and a half, representing the University of Delaware during board meetings. I interviewed six of the ten eligible board members, with three men and three women participants. The participants spanned across the resident, faith-based, voluntary, and state organization categories of the ESBC-LTRG’s board; therefore, all members represented unique perspectives. The interviews were 30 to 90 minutes long and were conducted online via Zoom. I recorded the calls and created transcripts, from which I conducted qualitative open-coding based on themes from the open-ended questions I asked during the interviews. Julie, my co-author, later re-coded the data to make more finite and descriptive categories. She did this by cross-referencing between my codes and the ones she observed, and where quotes could be moved or overlapped with the goal of our categories. This served as a rigorous analysis of the data separately and collaboratively, as we compared our findings in shared spreadsheets, agreeing upon the themes and processes that would be used in the written documentation of the data going forward. Six distinct themes arose from the interviews following Julie’s secondary data analysis, with each one encapsulating diverse points of view of the participants. Additionally, Julie’s re-coding includes the distinction of insider vs. outsider perspectives, which adds a layer of rigor and comparison within the data. Insiders are defined as individuals who are part of the ESBC-LTRG and are residents of the community themselves, while outsiders are members of the ESBC-LTRG board, but are not members of the community directly. Following the interviews, the interviewees and any other members of the group, regardless of whether they had been interviewed, were invited to join a meeting where we discussed the findings. Group members had precedence and veto over what was shared, with the betterment of the LTRG being at the forefront of the project’s purpose. Board members agreed on the findings that would be shared with the general public for the best interest of the group, as well as for the protection of the participants and their viewpoints; this was to ensure that the group could be publicly represented in a way that they agreed on and consented to, while keeping exact participants’ identified concealed and representing only what the members felt would be beneficial to be shared. Additionally, participants are not differentiated alongside their quotes in order to add an additional dimension of identity protection. The authors ensured that each participant received an evenly distributed amount of quotes throughout this paper. Results The results of this study highlight a diverse range of opinions and perspectives within the ESBC-LTRG. This is exemplified by the different roles that each member played in the formation of the group, as well as their affiliation as government employees, non-profit workers, or residents of the affected community. This includes the level to which there was an emotional connection to the LTRG itself, as well as the deeply personal and arduous process of recovery. These differences in responses highlight how personal ties to the disaster event itself impact the stake one has in the success of an LTRG – that losing one’s sense of security within one's own home or neighborhood can be deeply disrupting – but empowerment and agency can be cultivated within an organization such as an LTRG. The major themes that emerged from this work can be placed into the following categorizations: Collaboration and Running a LTRG Challenges (Insider v. Outsider Perspective) On-Your-Own Recovery Slow and Taxing Recovery Successes Reflections Each of these themes will be discussed in greater detail below, highlighting direct quotes from participants that exemplify the emergent themes. Collaboration and Running a LTRG The first theme discussed by participants was the importance of community collaboration in the formation and continued existence of the LTRG. Board members spoke to the importance of the LTRG being formed by community members in partnership with members of local organizations that have disaster response and recovery expertise and experience. Overall, the interviews shared a sense of the importance of community collaboration within the board itself, as it is composed of members of varying backgrounds, from residents to faith leaders, to NGOs and local emergency management offices. Continued community collaboration outside of the board itself has also emerged as an important aspect of the ESBC-LTRG’s purpose, as the board often participates in community meetings held by other organizations, resource fairs, and city-wide community safety calls. This collaboration also served the purpose of directing residents of the Eleventh Street Bridge community to additional resources provided by other community groups, such as those that assist with food security or mental health support, which is beyond the ESBC-LTRG’s main purpose of focusing on housing repair from Ida. The following quote is from a board member who is not a resident, but speaks to the importance of identifying community stakeholders when forming LTRGs to achieve goals: “...And then I begin to help them make decisions about who should be sitting at the table. You know, that's sort of the important question is, you know, who are the stakeholders? Who are we at the table making decisions about the long-term recovery? About how to spend whatever money we have? And you know, that's by far the, for me, the most critical thing is that the community is deciding who the stakeholders are. And who should be sitting at the table.” This quote exemplifies how differing levels of community can be involved with and interact within an LTRG – there are state VOAD involvements, local government assistance from emergency management offices at city, regional and state levels, as well as other pre-existing or new community organizations that form to fill gaps in local needs. Taking on the various levels of expertise and advice from agencies and individuals alike is important, and working together to truly achieve recovery for affected households is at the heart of what an LTRG aims to do. Yet, the necessary involvement of a community that has experienced a traumatic and disruptive disaster can put further burden on the impacted population. A board member who assists from outside of the community shared the following: And like, I know just [a female resident] takes on so much of the labor because she's like the expert within the community for what's going on, you know, but it's just like, you feel bad too because it's like, you shouldn't have to run everything, but also like, I'm not there. When forming LTRGs, it is essential to include community members, but the shared labor, both emotional and administrative, can differ depending on one’s proximity to the disaster itself. Insiders of the community expressed a desire to participate in the LTRG, but shared about the pressures to recover within their own lives following the storm. A community member shared the following: Yeah, because I'm, I work full time like I said I'm a mom, wife, I work full time and so do like a lot of the other committee members also have, you know, other jobs so this is voluntary we also don't get paid for this. So let me reiterate, none of us get paid for this… Despite the difficulties faced by board members within the community, they have persevered to create an organization that assists others when their own lives are impacted by disasters– something which takes a particular kind of empathetic, compassionate, and giving person to do. Throughout our interviews, we heard remarks regarding one’s own call to help others through the LTRG and disaster services. An insider to the community stated the following when asked how she was able to give when her own needs were unaddressed at the time: Um, that would probably just kind of be… that's probably who I am. That's kind of just who I am . Board members from outside of the community were also instrumental in developing the LTRG through hours spent on coordinating calls, days mucking out homes and providing volunteer labor, and beginning the process of gathering the contact information of impacted households. Many people involved with the LTRG are retired, but continue to serve through volunteer positions at disaster-related agencies across the state. One participant who fits this very description shared the following: I saw a need. They were struggling, I was retired. I figured, well, I can give them, you know, maybe by sticking around, maybe some guidance could be offered . Overall, whether from inside or outside of the community, the board members all shared a commitment and devotion to helping the Eleventh Street Bridge Community. As the following quote speaks to, many agencies have come and gone since Ida, often to no fault of their own, but this has led to a small core group that has had to lean on one another for support, and has led to a closeness and trust over the years. You know, it's caring people [like you] who donate, who will not get paid for what you deserve, but give that time and energy. You're like emotional support and just understanding and that someone even cares is like so meaningful, because lots of people just can't stick around. Different agencies, that's not in their scope, so they just move on. But there's a very significant need for people to stick around and help you know. Challenges– Insider v. Outsider Perspectives The next theme is challenges, of which there are many within long-term recovery. These challenges are exemplified through the reflection of both insiders and outsiders of the community. As the first LTRG established in Delaware, the ESBC-LTRG faced challenges as it sought to navigate LTRG processes that had never been done in the state before. Further, the board has faced challenges in recruiting volunteers to serve on the Board of Directors. With any volunteer work, recruiting and sustaining volunteers can be a challenge, especially when the ideal volunteer for the board (in this case, a community resident) may have been impacted by the flood and is dealing with loss themselves. Board members who have been involved with long-term recovery efforts in other regions also spoke to difficulties in obtaining funding and the conflict that can arise when it comes to collaborating with multiple other groups on recovery work. A LTRG needs to be connected to other agencies, as the populations a LTRG serves may also need support beyond home repair, such as mental health services; nonetheless, cross-organizational collaboration can be challenging. A board member who is an insider of the community spoke to this in the following quote: ... You're kind of in a stupor, like kind of in this fog as you're going through this process. I mean, it was very traumatic. Additionally, long processes such as becoming a 501(c)(3) nonprofit meant that it was difficult for the board to hire staff and begin operations to repair homes as intended. Since disasters impact every facet of one’s life, it is no surprise that the challenges to recovery are similarly multifaceted. Board members suggested that further education on disasters and projects for mitigation, response, and recovery should be pursued to ensure that the complex problems faced following disasters can be addressed. This is illustrated in the following quote: That's a weakness of our Delaware volunteer base… When you talk to people, they don't understand disasters… you know, a disaster is not what you think it is, because you didn't experience this… Here, an outsider board member is detailing how limited exposures to disasters in Delaware, especially among wealthier, more privileged individuals who live in less vulnerable regions of the state, may not understand the experiences of people who have had to cope with the long-term effects of disasters [ 38 , 39 ]. Additionally, it can be difficult to maintain volunteer involvement and interest years after a disaster has occurred, despite the continued need for assistance [ 40 , 41 ]. The time that it has taken for the ESBC-LTRG to begin recovery operations was a frustration noted by various board members, as reflected in the quote here: So, he gave us $ 175,000 to basically hire the staff, get rolling, get an inventory of houses to be rebuilt and then estimate what it would take, and then come back to them… that was three years ago. Well, it's been slow, as you know, it's been slow, slow, slow. It's been frustrating, but I'm just glad it still exists. Whether board members were insiders or outsiders of the community, they shared an overall disdain for the amount of time that it took for the LTRG to get off the ground and begin hiring staff and attaining 501 (c)(3) status– yet the frustration could not necessarily be aimed at one person or problem alone. The overall trajectory of the LTRG’s slow progress can be attributed to the burden of the capacity needed to advocate for the group throughout recovery. It is only through sustained faith and determination that the ESBC-LTRG has been able to become a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, hire staff, and begin essential work on homes years later. On-Your-Own Recovery A sub-theme of the challenges section is On-Your-Own Recovery – a theme defined by narratives relating to the trajectory of recovery for disaster-affected populations. As the current state of emergency management and response funding at the federal level is being diminished [ 42 ], aspects of On-Your-Own-Recovery are likely to become more relevant to various populations across the country. Funding for disaster response and recovery has always been a tenuous issue across the country on state and federal levels. At the time that the interviews were conducted, we hadn’t seen the proposed federal cuts to spending yet– and still, the issue of funding emerged for participants. People think that FEMA [is] coming in and going to save the day and rebuild their house and like, that's just not how it works. So everything FEMA puts out is to do with individual assistance to support. It's not to make you completely whole again… we can't do that. If we did that for every disaster, we would be broke. We were already broke, but we would be even more broke. Outside board members hold jobs in local emergency management offices and spoke not only about funding, but also the capacity of non-federal agencies that deal with disasters on the front lines, both in response and especially in long-term recovery. They continued to say that: I really could use two more of me here at [job position]. I'm in so many projects right now. It's hard to be able to give as much as I would like to the long-term recovery group. And I think that's just been probably at least the last few years or we'll say since COVID, it's kind of been that way. The limited capacity and funding of emergency management agencies at every level lead to further challenges for disaster survivors. Therefore, survivors who sustain significant damage are often tasked with addressing the administrative burden of applying for FEMA assistance and deciphering insurance policies. This process is lengthy and can require a proficient understanding of legal jargon, as well as the resources to apply and sort through possible assistance programs. An insider of the community shared that: “I read my policy… but I didn’t know what to do now. You know, I did not read my policy coupled with the FEMA manual. And now that I've done that, I'm like, wow, wow, wow– because you've got your policy that you're reading, which comes with a booklet, but then there's the FEMA manual... I was reading the FEMA manual, and that's not my background, and trying to navigate that and understand okay, what is this really saying... And in my own trauma, the way that I process things, you know, I was seeking understanding… I don't know many people who are having a sleepless night, and they're going to read a FEMA manual, but I'm just trying to process the reality of it.” A sense of constant discouragement and a “pick yourself up by your own bootstraps” mentality can easily become pervasive in long-term recovery, especially when residents feel as though the capabilities of government agencies are limited. Outsiders also grappled with the feelings of abandonment and a lack of the ability to make major changes for disaster-affected communities themselves: I mean, am I discouraged? No. Am I sad? Yeah. Because I feel like they still need help. But at some, at some point, you have to move on. And that's, that's the tough thing. You know, you have to. I, as going into the field, need to manage my expectations of what we can do. Therein lies the juxtaposition of the strength and challenge of a long-term recovery group– outsiders can provide essential support, but without the buy-in and participation of the local community, it is nearly impossible to facilitate meaningful recovery. An outsider to the community spoke to this very issue: Yeah, you do take the risk of people saying, well, I thought we were going to come to this meeting and you were going to give us immediate help. Like, well, now that kind of has to come from you. You have to get this organized. So it's kind of a chicken and egg type thing. So I think you have to take that risk, take that chance that people will have expectations, calling together and say, this is what a long-term recovery group is. You guys need to help with this…It's really up to you guys on what you want to do for your community. Slow and Taxing Recovery The next sub-theme is Slow and Taxing Recovery , which entails narratives that focus on the difficulty and length of time it has taken for the LTRG to pursue recovery. At the time of writing this paper, major work has begun for home rebuilding and recovery efforts five years past the anniversary of Hurricane Ida. At the time of the interviews, the ESBC-LTRG had hired a staff member, but they were an outsider to the community and expressed difficulties they had been having with connecting with impacted residents years after the flood: Yeah, and I think it's interesting too, because like we're finally getting things in order and whatnot, but you're reaching out to people who are impacted like almost like two going on three years ago, like it's been a while… So right away, people might be thinking I'm a telemarketer calling them. But yeah, I still don't get people calling me back. Challenges in contacting residents who need assistance proved to be a difficulty for months, especially as some residents had since moved or sold their homes since the flood, and even some residents did not own cellphones or have a reliable means of communication. Additionally, part of the recovery work becomes sorting through a large list of households and damages and assessing the continued need, as well as priority on the sequence of repairs. An outsider on the board shared the following about the status of the structural damages years later: “When you have so many homes with structural damage, you're on a long list… So that [waiting] cuts down on someone we could be helping.” It is difficult to maintain sustained involvement from volunteers, board members, and residents alike. Disasters like the flooding from Hurricane Ida are a life-altering event for residents, and one simply cannot understand the challenge they are up against until they are already deep in the long-term recovery process. This is exemplified by an insider in the following quote: And I think just really hoping to get to that end and wanting to get to recovery is probably what kept us going because there was nothing different offered… You know, I think if I knew what I was getting into, honestly, I probably wouldn't have done it because it's a lot of work… You know, you just don't know what it all entails. We're still recovering. And it'll be three years in September next month. The difficulties associated with long-term recovery can be psychologically, physically, and spiritually taxing for all involved parties, especially when there is a severe impact on one’s own community and home. Therefore, these narratives of challenges identify gaps in the long-term recovery process, especially associated with the burden of labor, time, emotional impact, coordination, and the capacity of groups and individuals. Many of the issues presented in the previous quotes have been addressed in some ways throughout the past year, such as contacting impacted residents, but the message of the “stagnant” phase of organizing remains. Impacted communities need greater support monetarily, from volunteers, experts, and community organizers alike, and yet, there needs to be a sustainable way to support communities in leading their own recovery efforts throughout the journey of long-term recovery. Successes When it came to discussing successes with the ESBC-LTRG, board members shared their stories of hope and faith within the group to accomplish their goals, despite setbacks. This included deep gratitude for volunteers, as there is currently only one paid staff member at the LTRG. Primarily, the foundational work of developing the board was entirely voluntary and has included assistance from people inside and outside of the community. But, being able to assist as a non-profit has allowed the board to see the fruits of their labor, making many of the struggles worthwhile. Additionally, it has allowed the board to truly understand the power of the resources that can be compiled and utilized when needed. The board members reflected on these successes in the following ways: You know one thing that I've learned is that it really does take a committed group of people… I just can't say enough how that's been instrumental to this process. If you don't have the right people to kind of make it happen, it doesn't work. Yeah, it's about being there for the whole person and all their needs… there's a lot of good people out there that are willing to donate their time. Their time can be more valuable than money. These quotes truly speak to the value of commitment and devotion to the LTRG process. One issue that the ESBC-LTRG was blessed to not face is the issue of funds to complete work to rebuild homes due to generous donors, but having the money to get a job done is trivial without the capacity of volunteers and staff to complete the necessary tasks to pursue recovery integrally. Truly attending to the whole person who is a disaster survivor is paramount, as the ESBC-LTRG seeks to return one’s home to the way that it was before the flooding event– not only for the safety and practicality of a rebuild, but also for the emotional and psychological comfort that can come from a sense of home and security being restored years after the flooding event. This can only be accomplished through respect and dignity among the board members towards one another, as continued work on long-term recovery should require positive and uplifting energy within the board, which the ESBC-LTRG seeks to foster through honesty and care. Finally, the following quote speaks to the ultimate success of an LTRG: It's rewarding to see someone smile again when they've been through such a disaster. Ultimately, restoring communities to pre-disaster conditions is the goal, but with a newfound sense of resilience, responsibility, and connection at the forefront of the work. Many impactful outcomes have arisen from the ESBC-LTRG, such as a local CERT (community emergency response team), which is composed of local members of northeast Wilmington who are trained in first aid and the basics of emergency preparedness. Additional connections to environmental justice groups, such as Northeast Rising, have allowed ESBC-LRTG members to continue to advocate for best practices in rebuilding infrastructure in their communities, especially pushing for mitigation solutions that are responsive to the flooding from Hurricane Ida. Generally speaking, residents of the Eleventh Street Bridge Community are much more aware of the risks of the area in which they live, as well as empowering solutions for managing these risks together through stronger social bonds and networks. Reflections When completing the interviews, board members had varying reflections on what they had learned throughout their involvement with the ESBC-LTRG. Notably, an outsider identified the need for greater communication among state and community agencies when it comes to housing and other pressing issues. Often, the multi-level communication across agencies is not as well-established as it should be before disasters. Because of the scope and severity of Hurricane Ida, there have been newly ignited conversations on these important topics, such as housing, following the disaster. A lot of these agencies are coming together now and starting to realize like, hey, we got to talk with each other better. One insider emphasized that although it has taken a long time to get to the phase where the LTRG is conducting repairs on homes, it is worth it, and the quality of work is unparalleled. If you can have patience for the process, that's really what it is. You know, and even the quality of their work… they're professionals, it’s pretty amazing. Additionally, a board member reflected on conflict within the board and how it was an opportunity for learning that encouraged growth: In fact, you don't want to resolve the conflict, you want to use the conflict as an energy, create a positive energy out of the conflict for the good of the community and the committee that's forming. These perspectives exemplify how there has been growth on individual, board, and state-wide levels when it comes to understanding disaster risk and recovery, especially throughout the arduous process that is long-term recovery. Board members identified varying challenges due to their own background, roles, or psychological closeness to the disaster, as well as ways in which they felt that the group had been successful. There is extremely limited literature on the experiences of LTRGs, especially in states such as Delaware, which experience fewer large-impact disasters compared to more hazardous areas. Despite this, the ever-changing scope of disasters in the United States suggests that more unprecedented times lie ahead, whether through governmental and funding changes or climate change-induced catastrophes. However, wherever a disaster occurs, there will need to be recovery for impacted populations, and simply put, it can take a long time. Discussion The findings of this study exemplify ways in which future LTRGs in the state of Delaware and beyond could learn from some of the struggles faced by the board of the ESBC-LTRG. These hardships mainly included the complexities that come with legal incorporation as a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization, beginning repair work, finding flexible funding sources, and collaborating with other community organizations to meet the needs of impacted populations. Since the ESBC-LTRG was the first LTRG for disasters in the state of Delaware, there was no “playbook” to look to for advice or necessary steps to take. The ESBC-LTRG had to look to neighboring states’ LTRGs and consult VOAD organizations for essential information on the formation and success of the ESBC-LTRG, as these connections were necessary for its existence. Further allyship was found with local climate change advocacy groups and CERT groups, who provide different, although necessary, resources to Wilmington’s residents. These groups have allowed for connections to wider communities concerned with environmental impacts in Wilmington, Delaware, and have shaped the scope of the ESBC-LTRG as it exists today and moving into the future. ESBC-LTRG Chair Reflection As a resident whose family was directly impacted by the flooding, and having served on the long-term recovery group since its inception, I can now reflect and confirm that forming this organization was one of the best decisions that I made. It has been an incredible and rapid learning process, and not for the weak-minded. While I, myself, was undergoing the recovery process, I had to continue to be present for my family as well as show up for my work as an educator in a local school district. Nevertheless, the LTRG was a unique opportunity to help my family, my neighborhood, and my community. Because there were no other long-term recovery groups within our state, I found myself reaching out to Chairs of LTRG’s from other cities with similar demographics, but the nuances of my community still posed challenges to navigate. So part of me knew that, by moving forward with this endeavor, once our community recovered, we would also be able to help other communities who may be impacted by future disasters. Throughout this process, it’s been bittersweet. The fact is that many of us own our homes, we were going about our lives, normally, and then disaster struck. A disaster for which we were not prepared. While some of us had homeowners' insurance, flood insurance, auto insurance, savings, and the like, when this disaster struck, nothing prepared us for what we would endure. That is not to say that having those insurances in place is not imperative; it is! It’s just that nothing can prepare us for the emotional, physical, and mental impact that can result. There were so many different lessons learned - policies that we thought we understood, but we didn’t. We were faced with so many decisions that had to be made at one time or consecutively. It’s a whirlwind! Yet, life still expected us to show up - whether it was for our families, or for our jobs, even for our own selves, we had to still be present while in a survival mindset, trying to cope with disaster, trauma, loss, grief, and so many other emotions, including fear of what could’ve happened, but didn’t. I never disclosed my feelings of guilt until now. Guilt because my home wasn’t impacted as badly as someone else’s. My family wasn’t displaced. I could still live in my home, but other people had to go to a hotel. There’s the guilt that no one really speaks to. Then, to observe how we were inundated with “help” in the first few weeks, and then, every month to watch that number grossly decline, I just can’t find the words for that… maybe abandonment, anger, frustration. In order to have a voice and ensure that we were not forgotten, I participated in a number of committees at different levels of government and with various agencies, and I learned a lot about processes; even ones that had to be either revised or created as a result of this disaster. One of the caveats that resonated then and still does now is that I know I have to always manage my expectations. I’d learned this early on, but it certainly applied now. People in the community expected one thing to happen and, when it didn’t happen, there was discouragement. There was anger. There was a myriad of emotions and, for some, it delayed or arrested their abilities to move forward in expected ways. When someone’s on the outside, looking in, not everybody is going to take the time to try to understand these emotions and explore why a person reacts a certain way. Many times, they just move on. It’s unfortunate because, when we think of community, we think about the whole group, and I believe the resilience of a community is impacted by these factors. Sometimes it can become more stable, and other times more fluid. It’s 2026, and this coming September, it will have been five years since the flood, and we are still helping people to recover. At our last Board meeting, my mentor, who has done this type of work for years, had a look on his face. I recognized the look. It was what he explained from day one; it’s a long process to recovery. I recall him sharing so many different stories and, literally, I looked at his face, and I could see he was not surprised that people were still showing up saying they needed help. I must admit, there was solace in that moment. I felt like he could identify with how we feel. Overall, I cannot impress how important it is to have a long-term recovery group when there is a disaster. For my community, if and when disaster strikes again, we will definitely be better prepared. We have a better understanding of emergency preparedness, resiliency resources, emergency response, etc. We have different systems that are in place, so once this event is finished, the LTRG will be in an inactive state. Should another disaster arise, we will reactivate the Board and get to work to bring the community back to recovery. What’s even better, we are prepared to assist another community in their effort to form an LTRG. That’s empowerment! Conclusion The ESBC-LTRG has faced significant challenges but has succeeded despite setbacks and bureaucratic holdups, such as becoming a non-profit organization and getting to work on repairing homes. Overall, the importance of volunteers cannot be emphasized enough: they are the reason why the ESBC-LTRG is still here today and exists in the first place. The brave residents of the Eleventh Street Bridge Community, who had faced catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Ida, had to be the ones to put their hands up and volunteer for a labor-intensive commitment. This is a doubly stressful role, given the fact that resident participants on the board had also lost various possessions in the flood and had severe damage to their homes. Every day that they show up for the LTRG and their neighbors, they have to reckon with the emotional turmoil that comes along with it, therefore further emphasizing the need for organizational support from outside organizations to empower disaster-impacted communities and residents who are survivors. The interviews also highlighted a need for education of the general public on disasters and preparedness within Delaware. Even social service agencies had to learn how to assist in a disaster of this scale, which was a challenge and ultimately a learning opportunity for all people who were involved. For residents of Wilmington and across Delaware alike, interviewees resoundingly expressed the message that a disaster like this could happen at any time, and with climate change, there is an ever-increasing likelihood that it could happen again. Therefore, across the state, it is more important now than ever to understand the risks that come along with disasters and how to respond, as well as having tools for empowerment, like joining a CERT group or educating your neighbors about what should be in a go-bag. Collaboration with other agencies, such as the Brandywine Flood Mitigation and Preparedness Study, which is ongoing, will hopefully bring more findings and eventually structural mitigation to Northeast Wilmington and other vulnerable areas. The lived experience of flood survivors from the ESBC-LTRG has been involved with this study and directly relayed to government representatives, which encompasses the advocacy and mitigation efforts of an LTRG in the future beyond immediate repair and reconstruction. Since the ESBC-LTRG is the first LTRG in Delaware, there is knowledge to pass on through studies such as this one. If another LTRG has to form in Delaware, the ESBC-LTRG will be able to share its knowledge and lessons learned, and hopefully, it’ll be a smoother process for future organizations. Governmental agencies in Delaware will likely also be more aware of what an LTRG is and how they can support it going forward. Therefore, while the ESBC-LTRG has faced multiple challenges and uphill battles, recovery for residents is strongly underway, and this organization has set the stage for future LTRGs and environmental advocacy organizations within the state. Declarations Funding Statement This paper declares funding through the University of Delaware’s 2024 Summer Scholars Community Engagement Program. Ethics Statement This project was approved by the University of Delaware’s Institutional Review Board under project number 2190943-1. Informed consent for participation and publication was obtained for each participant in this study, and was freely given. Author Contribution Statement Each author contributed directly to the formation of this manuscript. Sydney Dyck performed all of the data collection through interviews, Julie Elliott and Sydney Dyck both performed coding, analysis, and synthesis of the data, and Julie Elliott, Sydney Dyck, and Tamika Collick all contributed to the writing and proofreading of this manuscript for clarity and accuracy. Competing interests policy The authors declare no competing interests. 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Journal of Clinical Psychology, 72(12), 1348–1363. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22336 The White House. (2025, January 26). Council to assess the Federal Emergency Management Agency. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/council-to-assess-the-federal-emergency-management-agency/ Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviewers agreed at journal 13 Apr, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 07 Apr, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 21 Mar, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 19 Mar, 2026 First submitted to journal 19 Mar, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9052724","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Case Report","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":619235294,"identity":"1c98b84b-75fd-4618-b888-d4d7c9138966","order_by":0,"name":"Sydney Dyck","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAuElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYFCCBAbGhgogZgeyeYjXcgaImUnS0thGihb59hzDjzPnHZbtZ2ZgfPC2jQgtBmfeGEtu3HbYeGYzA7PhXKK0SOSYMT7cdjhxw2EGNmleYrTIzwBpmXM4cf9hBvbfRGlhuAHUsrEBaAszAxszUVoMzjwrlpxxLN14xmHGZsk554hxWHvyxo89Nday/e3NBz+8KSPGYQwcBlAGYwNR6oGA/QGxKkfBKBgFo2CkAgBEjzh16hKVlQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"University of Delaware","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sydney","middleName":"","lastName":"Dyck","suffix":""},{"id":619235295,"identity":"a5ab9431-f0ae-48d5-b8f4-0d761e44ed67","order_by":1,"name":"Julie Elliott","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of North Texas","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Julie","middleName":"","lastName":"Elliott","suffix":""},{"id":619235296,"identity":"f4a4604d-4981-4eea-bfaf-5d8930d07877","order_by":2,"name":"Tamika Brooks Collick","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Tamika","middleName":"Brooks","lastName":"Collick","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-03-06 16:53:47","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9052724/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9052724/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":106787071,"identity":"054f56c7-12bd-4651-aab3-968c5b7286ba","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-13 12:43:36","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":576554,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9052724/v1/fbb94323-d481-49a7-acf7-d8164d5203f2.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"An Exploratory Analysis of the First Long-Term Recovery Group in Delaware","fulltext":[{"header":"Plain English Summary","content":"\u003cp\u003eDisaster events cause vast destruction across the globe every year, and a rising number of long-term recovery groups have been created in their wake. Long-term recovery groups, or LTRGs, are led by citizens affected by disaster events in order to facilitate recovery efforts that may take a longer amount of time to address than immediate needs, such as housing repair. LTRGs are often supported by other organizations, such as nonprofits, government agencies, and members of their local Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters chapters in the U.S.A. This paper uses qualitative interviews to capture the experience of board members of the Eleventh Street Bridge Community Long-Term Recovery Group (ESBC-LTRG) in Wilmington, Delaware, which was formed after Hurricane Ida flooded the Eleventh Street Bridge neighborhood, causing widespread damage. The ESBC-LTRG was the first LTRG in the state of Delaware, which caused varying challenges to navigate throughout the group\u0026rsquo;s formation and recovery. The authors of this paper have been volunteers with the LTRG for over three years, and describe the challenges and successes of the group through interviews and analysis of shared experiences among the board members. Additionally, this paper provides lessons learned for future LTRGs in Delaware and beyond.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eIn September of 2021, the City of Wilmington, Delaware, experienced historic flooding as the remnants of Hurricane Ida passed through the region. This was the largest flooding event ever experienced by the City of Wilmington, and within the state\u0026rsquo;s recent history [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e]. The flooding caused significant damage in the Eleventh Street Bridge Community of Wilmington\u0026rsquo;s Third District, where residents were impacted by high water, with some homes in the Thirteenth and Heald Street areas suffering catastrophic damage [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e]. Some homes suffered smaller damages, such as warped fences and decks, downed trees, and impacts to drywall on lower levels [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e]. Regardless of the size of the damage caused to the Eleventh Street Bridge Community, the impacts affected aspects of everyday life, mental health, and a sense of security.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmergency services from city, state, and federal agencies responded to the event, with significant support from voluntary organizations coordinated by the Delaware Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (DEVOAD) chapter. Organizations such as the Red Cross, Salvation Army, and Team Rubicon responded to the needs of those impacted by the flooding. But, as the response work wound down, it became clear that some damage would require an extended rebuild and response effort.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDrawing on the expertise of community organizations in Maryland, members of the Eleventh Street Bridge Community came together to learn about creating a Long-Term Recovery Group (LTRG). An LTRG is usually composed of local members of a disaster-affected community working together to unite recovery resources to assist individuals with unmet needs following the immediate recovery stage of a disaster [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e]. Some LTRGs also participate in mitigation activities to protect the community from future disaster events and to create resiliency and self-sufficiency among members and neighbors [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e]. The goals of an LTRG are determined by the members themselves and are shaped by the local knowledge of members of the disaster response and recovery community, such as organizations involved with the state\u0026rsquo;s VOAD. The Maryland and Delaware VOADs were integral to the formation of the Eleventh Street Bridge Community\u0026rsquo;s LTRG, as they provided training sessions on what the path ahead would look like, while encouraging community members to contribute to the scope and vision of what they needed and wanted from an LTRG [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e]. Throughout a few training sessions, individuals volunteered for roles within the LTRG to address the pressing disaster-induced needs of over 200 residents.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis resulted in the formation of the Eleventh Street Bridge Community Long-Term Recovery Group (ESBC-LTRG), which is the first long-term recovery group in the state of Delaware. This paper explores the challenges and successes of the ESBC-LTRG through qualitative interviews with board members of the organization, which included community members, outside volunteer members, and members of government agencies. This exploratory study engaged with challenges related to the ESBC-LTRG\u0026rsquo;s management and structure, funding, coordination, and wellness of individuals participating in the organization.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Literature Review","content":"\u003cp\u003eDisaster scholars view emergency management as a cyclical process composed of four phases: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e]. When a disaster occurs, the community is immediately thrown into response operations, where the priority is bringing stability to the event. Once the threat to life, property, and the environment is over, the community begins transitioning into recovery. Recovery may be conceptualized in many ways; it is difficult, if not impossible, to identify its endpoint. Recovery may involve the restoration of services, replacement and reconstruction of structures, development and betterment/improvement of the community, and commemoration of the disaster event [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e]. As a community transitions into recovery, responding organizations that deployed to the community will begin to deactivate, leaving the remainder of the recovery to community-based organizations and citizens in a particular area. With this in mind, the success of recovery operations will heavily depend on access to community-based assets [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e], whether that be nonprofits, public and private institutions, faith-based congregations, community members, and so on [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e]. Because community-based organizations do not typically leave communities (and are familiar to communities pre-response), these organizations may exhibit task emergence well beyond \u0026ldquo;response\u0026rdquo; [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e]; likewise, they may be particularly prone to capacity challenges [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThroughout many events, nonprofits have demonstrated that they play important roles in their communities both before and during disasters [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e]. Nonprofits provide a wide range of services, from operating shelters to feeding disaster survivors [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e]. Nonprofits can have a focus specifically on disasters, or may include disaster operations as a secondary focus; meanwhile, some nonprofits have no explicit focus on disasters. Such nonprofit organizations may exhibit task emergence and adapt their services to disaster-induced demands [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e]. Murphy \u0026amp; Pudlo [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e] note that organizations without a primary focus on disaster-related work may struggle to collaborate with formal response agencies.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOne way communities prepare for community-based response and recovery is through Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) networks [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e]. The literature on VOADs is relatively sparse, but we know that VOAD networks can vary in size and scope. National VOAD is a national coalition of nonprofit organizations that work within the disaster management space. The organization was founded in 1970, following the impacts of Hurricane Camille in Louisiana [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e]. The purpose of National VOAD is to support the cooperation, communication, coordination, and collaboration of disaster-focused, non-governmental organizations after a disaster event, ultimately reducing redundancy and increasing effectiveness. This model for disaster response and recovery efforts has been adopted by states (with all 50 states and territories having state/territory-level VOAD organizations) and by many local jurisdictions (region, county, city, or community-level VOADs).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eVOADs are known to serve many roles in response and recovery, often spanning both phases [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e]. Some scholarship calls for increased utilization of VOAD networks [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e]. Eller et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e] emphasize the \u0026ldquo;robust and extensive\u0026rdquo; capacity of the nonprofit sector, and note that VOAD member organizations are more likely to be successfully integrated into collaborative response activities. Sutter \u0026amp; Smith [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e] highlight National VOAD as a \u0026ldquo;primary mechanism for assembling [disaster-related] lessons\u0026rdquo; (p. 481), drawing attention to the committees and task forces it convenes, such as the Emotional and Spiritual Care Committee [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLong-Term Recovery Groups (or LTRGs) are a growing phenomenon tied to VOAD networks (Meyer et al., 2022). LTRGs are associations of local nonprofits addressing specific disaster-produced needs in communities impacted by disasters (Meyer et al., 2022; NVOAD, 2012). LTRGs are similar to local VOADs, but are focused on disaster case management activities [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e]; likewise, these groups may dissolve, go dormant, or transform into a local VOAD after recovery efforts have ended. Meyer et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e] found that counties with higher disaster damages were more likely to have an LTRG; though LTRGs are different from local VOADs, it seems possible that local VOADs are more likely to form in jurisdictions that have experienced disaster damage. This hypothesis is supported by Peacock \u0026amp; Ragsdale [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e29\u003c/span\u003e], who observed the formation of a local VOAD in Miami-Dade County from a recovery-focused network established after Hurricane Andrew. Peacock \u0026amp; Ragsdale [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e29\u003c/span\u003e] mention the organization\u0026rsquo;s success and call for more research on the structure and effectiveness of such networks, noting that such organizations \u0026ldquo;can lessen conflict, negotiate competition, and facilitate coordination\u0026rdquo; (p. 34) during recovery.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe work of an LTRG is deeply dependent on an organization\u0026rsquo;s ability to collaborate. Collaboration, however, is not easy [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e30\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e31\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e32\u003c/span\u003e]. Collaboration may be easier when organizations are similar to one another [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e33\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e] or there has been a history of successful collaboration in the past [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e], but without a pre-existing relationship \u0026ndash; or perhaps pre-existing strain on relationships \u0026ndash; may hinder collaborative efforts. Further, scholars have noted that successful collaboration is heavily reliant on strong leadership [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e30\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e37\u003c/span\u003e]. Questions remain, however, of how to practically increase community-level capacity while enabling disaster-focused organizations to better collaborate and facilitate efficient disaster management.\u003c/p\u003e "},{"header":"Methods","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study was conducted in the summer of 2024 through a research program for graduate students at the University of Delaware. I (Sydney Dyck) had been volunteering with the ESBC-LTRG for two and a half years at the time of the interviews, and have continued to serve in a voluntary role as the ESBC-LTRG secretary. This formal and friendly connection with the board of the ESBC-LTRG allowed me to engage in this community-based research project in a way that prioritized the needs of the ESBC-LTRG, a process that I took very seriously to ensure that this work was not conducted in an extractive manner. Participation was voluntary and non-incentivized and open only to board members, and informed consent was obtained for both data collection and publication. This project was approved by the board of the ESBC-LTRG by vote, as well as the University of Delaware\u0026rsquo;s Institutional Review Board. Research was carried out following the guidelines of the Institutional Review Board at the University of Delaware under the study number 2190943-1 in accordance with their policies on exempt studies involving human subjects, in June of 2024. The co-author on this work, Julie Elliott, has also been volunteering with the ESBC-LTRG for a year and a half, representing the University of Delaware during board meetings.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eI interviewed six of the ten eligible board members, with three men and three women participants. The participants spanned across the resident, faith-based, voluntary, and state organization categories of the ESBC-LTRG\u0026rsquo;s board; therefore, all members represented unique perspectives. The interviews were 30 to 90 minutes long and were conducted online via Zoom. I recorded the calls and created transcripts, from which I conducted qualitative open-coding based on themes from the open-ended questions I asked during the interviews. Julie, my co-author, later re-coded the data to make more finite and descriptive categories. She did this by cross-referencing between my codes and the ones she observed, and where quotes could be moved or overlapped with the goal of our categories. This served as a rigorous analysis of the data separately and collaboratively, as we compared our findings in shared spreadsheets, agreeing upon the themes and processes that would be used in the written documentation of the data going forward.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSix distinct themes arose from the interviews following Julie\u0026rsquo;s secondary data analysis, with each one encapsulating diverse points of view of the participants. Additionally, Julie\u0026rsquo;s re-coding includes the distinction of insider vs. outsider perspectives, which adds a layer of rigor and comparison within the data. Insiders are defined as individuals who are part of the ESBC-LTRG and are residents of the community themselves, while outsiders are members of the ESBC-LTRG board, but are not members of the community directly.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFollowing the interviews, the interviewees and any other members of the group, regardless of whether they had been interviewed, were invited to join a meeting where we discussed the findings. Group members had precedence and veto over what was shared, with the betterment of the LTRG being at the forefront of the project\u0026rsquo;s purpose. Board members agreed on the findings that would be shared with the general public for the best interest of the group, as well as for the protection of the participants and their viewpoints; this was to ensure that the group could be publicly represented in a way that they agreed on and consented to, while keeping exact participants\u0026rsquo; identified concealed and representing only what the members felt would be beneficial to be shared. Additionally, participants are not differentiated alongside their quotes in order to add an additional dimension of identity protection. The authors ensured that each participant received an evenly distributed amount of quotes throughout this paper.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe results of this study highlight a diverse range of opinions and perspectives within the ESBC-LTRG. This is exemplified by the different roles that each member played in the formation of the group, as well as their affiliation as government employees, non-profit workers, or residents of the affected community. This includes the level to which there was an emotional connection to the LTRG itself, as well as the deeply personal and arduous process of recovery. These differences in responses highlight how personal ties to the disaster event itself impact the stake one has in the success of an LTRG \u0026ndash; that losing one\u0026rsquo;s sense of security within one's own home or neighborhood can be deeply disrupting \u0026ndash; but empowerment and agency can be cultivated within an organization such as an LTRG.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe major themes that emerged from this work can be placed into the following categorizations:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eCollaboration and Running a LTRG\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eChallenges (Insider v. Outsider Perspective)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eOn-Your-Own Recovery\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eSlow and Taxing Recovery\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eSuccesses\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eReflections\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEach of these themes will be discussed in greater detail below, highlighting direct quotes from participants that exemplify the emergent themes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCollaboration and Running a LTRG\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first theme discussed by participants was the importance of community collaboration in the formation and continued existence of the LTRG. Board members spoke to the importance of the LTRG being formed by community members in partnership with members of local organizations that have disaster response and recovery expertise and experience. Overall, the interviews shared a sense of the importance of community collaboration within the board itself, as it is composed of members of varying backgrounds, from residents to faith leaders, to NGOs and local emergency management offices. Continued community collaboration outside of the board itself has also emerged as an important aspect of the ESBC-LTRG\u0026rsquo;s purpose, as the board often participates in community meetings held by other organizations, resource fairs, and city-wide community safety calls. This collaboration also served the purpose of directing residents of the Eleventh Street Bridge community to additional resources provided by other community groups, such as those that assist with food security or mental health support, which is beyond the ESBC-LTRG\u0026rsquo;s main purpose of focusing on housing repair from Ida.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe following quote is from a board member who is not a resident, but speaks to the importance of identifying community stakeholders when forming LTRGs to achieve goals:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;...And then I begin to help them make decisions about who should be sitting at the table. You know, that's sort of the important question is, you know, who are the stakeholders? Who are we at the table making decisions about the long-term recovery? About how to spend whatever money we have? And you know, that's by far the, for me, the most critical thing is that the community is deciding who the stakeholders are. And who should be sitting at the table.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis quote exemplifies how differing levels of community can be involved with and interact within an LTRG \u0026ndash; there are state VOAD involvements, local government assistance from emergency management offices at city, regional and state levels, as well as other pre-existing or new community organizations that form to fill gaps in local needs. Taking on the various levels of expertise and advice from agencies and individuals alike is important, and working together to truly achieve recovery for affected households is at the heart of what an LTRG aims to do.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eYet, the necessary involvement of a community that has experienced a traumatic and disruptive disaster can put further burden on the impacted population. A board member who assists from outside of the community shared the following:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eAnd like, I know just [a female resident] takes on so much of the labor because she's like the expert within the community for what's going on, you know, but it's just like, you feel bad too because it's like, you shouldn't have to run everything, but also like, I'm not there.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhen forming LTRGs, it is essential to include community members, but the shared labor, both emotional and administrative, can differ depending on one\u0026rsquo;s proximity to the disaster itself. Insiders of the community expressed a desire to participate in the LTRG, but shared about the pressures to recover within their own lives following the storm. A community member shared the following:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eYeah, because I'm, I work full time like I said I'm a mom, wife, I work full time and so do like a lot of the other committee members also have, you know, other jobs so this is voluntary we also don't get paid for this. So let me reiterate, none of us get paid for this\u0026hellip;\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDespite the difficulties faced by board members within the community, they have persevered to create an organization that assists others when their own lives are impacted by disasters\u0026ndash; something which takes a particular kind of empathetic, compassionate, and giving person to do. Throughout our interviews, we heard remarks regarding one\u0026rsquo;s own call to help others through the LTRG and disaster services. An insider to the community stated the following when asked how she was able to give when her own needs were unaddressed at the time:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eUm, that would probably just kind of be\u0026hellip; that's probably who I am. That's kind of just who I am\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBoard members from outside of the community were also instrumental in developing the LTRG through hours spent on coordinating calls, days mucking out homes and providing volunteer labor, and beginning the process of gathering the contact information of impacted households. Many people involved with the LTRG are retired, but continue to serve through volunteer positions at disaster-related agencies across the state. One participant who fits this very description shared the following:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eI saw a need. They were struggling, I was retired. I figured, well, I can give them, you know, maybe by sticking around, maybe some guidance could be offered\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOverall, whether from inside or outside of the community, the board members all shared a commitment and devotion to helping the Eleventh Street Bridge Community. As the following quote speaks to, many agencies have come and gone since Ida, often to no fault of their own, but this has led to a small core group that has had to lean on one another for support, and has led to a closeness and trust over the years.\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eYou know, it's caring people [like you] who donate, who will not get paid for what you deserve, but give that time and energy. You're like emotional support and just understanding and that someone even cares is like so meaningful, because lots of people just can't stick around. Different agencies, that's not in their scope, so they just move on. But there's a very significant need for people to stick around and help you know.\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eChallenges– Insider v. Outsider Perspectives\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe next theme is challenges, of which there are many within long-term recovery. These challenges are exemplified through the reflection of both insiders and outsiders of the community. As the first LTRG established in Delaware, the ESBC-LTRG faced challenges as it sought to navigate LTRG processes that had never been done in the state before. Further, the board has faced challenges in recruiting volunteers to serve on the Board of Directors. With any volunteer work, recruiting and sustaining volunteers can be a challenge, especially when the ideal volunteer for the board (in this case, a community resident) may have been impacted by the flood and is dealing with loss themselves. Board members who have been involved with long-term recovery efforts in other regions also spoke to difficulties in obtaining funding and the conflict that can arise when it comes to collaborating with multiple other groups on recovery work. A LTRG needs to be connected to other agencies, as the populations a LTRG serves may also need support beyond home repair, such as mental health services; nonetheless, cross-organizational collaboration can be challenging. A board member who is an insider of the community spoke to this in the following quote:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e... You're kind of in a stupor, like kind of in this fog as you're going through this process. I mean, it was very traumatic.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAdditionally, long processes such as becoming a 501(c)(3) nonprofit meant that it was difficult for the board to hire staff and begin operations to repair homes as intended.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSince disasters impact every facet of one\u0026rsquo;s life, it is no surprise that the challenges to recovery are similarly multifaceted. Board members suggested that further education on disasters and projects for mitigation, response, and recovery should be pursued to ensure that the complex problems faced following disasters can be addressed. This is illustrated in the following quote:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat's a weakness of our Delaware volunteer base\u0026hellip; When you talk to people, they don't understand disasters\u0026hellip; you know, a disaster is not what you think it is, because you didn't experience this\u0026hellip;\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eHere, an outsider board member is detailing how limited exposures to disasters in Delaware, especially among wealthier, more privileged individuals who live in less vulnerable regions of the state, may not understand the experiences of people who have had to cope with the long-term effects of disasters [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e39\u003c/span\u003e]. Additionally, it can be difficult to maintain volunteer involvement and interest years after a disaster has occurred, despite the continued need for assistance [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e40\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e41\u003c/span\u003e]. The time that it has taken for the ESBC-LTRG to begin recovery operations was a frustration noted by various board members, as reflected in the quote here:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSo, he gave us \u003cspan\u003e$\u003c/span\u003e175,000 to basically hire the staff, get rolling, get an inventory of houses to be rebuilt and then estimate what it would take, and then come back to them\u0026hellip; that was three years ago. Well, it's been slow, as you know, it's been slow, slow, slow. It's been frustrating, but I'm just glad it still exists.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhether board members were insiders or outsiders of the community, they shared an overall disdain for the amount of time that it took for the LTRG to get off the ground and begin hiring staff and attaining 501 (c)(3) status\u0026ndash; yet the frustration could not necessarily be aimed at one person or problem alone. The overall trajectory of the LTRG\u0026rsquo;s slow progress can be attributed to the burden of the capacity needed to advocate for the group throughout recovery. It is only through sustained faith and determination that the ESBC-LTRG has been able to become a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, hire staff, and begin essential work on homes years later.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOn-Your-Own Recovery\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA sub-theme of the challenges section is \u003cem\u003eOn-Your-Own Recovery\u003c/em\u003e\u0026ndash; a theme defined by narratives relating to the trajectory of recovery for disaster-affected populations. As the current state of emergency management and response funding at the federal level is being diminished [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR42\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e42\u003c/span\u003e], aspects of On-Your-Own-Recovery are likely to become more relevant to various populations across the country.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFunding for disaster response and recovery has always been a tenuous issue across the country on state and federal levels. At the time that the interviews were conducted, we hadn\u0026rsquo;t seen the proposed federal cuts to spending yet\u0026ndash; and still, the issue of funding emerged for participants.\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePeople think that FEMA [is] coming in and going to save the day and rebuild their house and like, that's just not how it works. So everything FEMA puts out is to do with individual assistance to support. It's not to make you completely whole again\u0026hellip; we can't do that. If we did that for every disaster, we would be broke. We were already broke, but we would be even more broke.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOutside board members hold jobs in local emergency management offices and spoke not only about funding, but also the capacity of non-federal agencies that deal with disasters on the front lines, both in response and especially in long-term recovery. They continued to say that:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI really could use two more of me here at [job position]. I'm in so many projects right now. It's hard to be able to give as much as I would like to the long-term recovery group. And I think that's just been probably at least the last few years or we'll say since COVID, it's kind of been that way.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe limited capacity and funding of emergency management agencies at every level lead to further challenges for disaster survivors. Therefore, survivors who sustain significant damage are often tasked with addressing the administrative burden of applying for FEMA assistance and deciphering insurance policies. This process is lengthy and can require a proficient understanding of legal jargon, as well as the resources to apply and sort through possible assistance programs. An insider of the community shared that:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I read my policy\u0026hellip; but I didn\u0026rsquo;t know what to do now. You know, I did not read my policy coupled with the FEMA manual. And now that I've done that, I'm like, wow, wow, wow\u0026ndash; because you've got your policy that you're reading, which comes with a booklet, but then there's the FEMA manual...\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eI was reading the FEMA manual, and that's not my background, and trying to navigate that and understand okay, what is this really saying...\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003eAnd in my own trauma, the way that I process things, you know, I was seeking understanding\u0026hellip; I don't know many people who are having a sleepless night, and they're going to read a FEMA manual, but I'm just trying to process the reality of it.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA sense of constant discouragement and a \u0026ldquo;pick yourself up by your own bootstraps\u0026rdquo; mentality can easily become pervasive in long-term recovery, especially when residents feel as though the capabilities of government agencies are limited. Outsiders also grappled with the feelings of abandonment and a lack of the ability to make major changes for disaster-affected communities themselves:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eI mean, am I discouraged? No. Am I sad? Yeah. Because I feel like they still need help. But at some, at some point, you have to move on. And that's, that's the tough thing. You know, you have to. I, as going into the field, need to manage my expectations of what we can do.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTherein lies the juxtaposition of the strength and challenge of a long-term recovery group\u0026ndash; outsiders can provide essential support, but without the buy-in and participation of the local community, it is nearly impossible to facilitate meaningful recovery. An outsider to the community spoke to this very issue:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYeah, you do take the risk of people saying, well, I thought we were going to come to this meeting and you were going to give us immediate help. Like, well, now that kind of has to come from you. You have to get this organized. So it's kind of a chicken and egg type thing. So I think you have to take that risk, take that chance that people will have expectations, calling together and say, this is what a long-term recovery group is. You guys need to help with this\u0026hellip;It's really up to you guys on what you want to do for your community.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eSlow and Taxing Recovery\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe next sub-theme is \u003cem\u003eSlow and Taxing Recovery\u003c/em\u003e, which entails narratives that focus on the difficulty and length of time it has taken for the LTRG to pursue recovery. At the time of writing this paper, major work has begun for home rebuilding and recovery efforts five years past the anniversary of Hurricane Ida. At the time of the interviews, the ESBC-LTRG had hired a staff member, but they were an outsider to the community and expressed difficulties they had been having with connecting with impacted residents years after the flood:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYeah, and I think it's interesting too, because like we're finally getting things in order and whatnot, but you're reaching out to people who are impacted like almost like two going on three years ago, like it's been a while\u0026hellip; So right away, people might be thinking I'm a telemarketer calling them. But yeah, I still don't get people calling me back.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eChallenges in contacting residents who need assistance proved to be a difficulty for months, especially as some residents had since moved or sold their homes since the flood, and even some residents did not own cellphones or have a reliable means of communication. Additionally, part of the recovery work becomes sorting through a large list of households and damages and assessing the continued need, as well as priority on the sequence of repairs. An outsider on the board shared the following about the status of the structural damages years later:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;When you have so many homes with structural damage, you're on a long list\u0026hellip;\u003c/em\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSo that [waiting] cuts down on someone we could be helping.”\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is difficult to maintain sustained involvement from volunteers, board members, and residents alike. Disasters like the flooding from Hurricane Ida are a life-altering event for residents, and one simply cannot understand the challenge they are up against until they are already deep in the long-term recovery process. This is exemplified by an insider in the following quote:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnd I think just really hoping to get to that end and wanting to get to recovery is probably what kept us going because there was nothing different offered\u0026hellip; You know, I think if I knew what I was getting into, honestly, I probably wouldn't have done it because it's a lot of work\u0026hellip; You know, you just don't know what it all entails. We're still recovering. And it'll be three years in September next month.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe difficulties associated with long-term recovery can be psychologically, physically, and spiritually taxing for all involved parties, especially when there is a severe impact on one\u0026rsquo;s own community and home. Therefore, these narratives of challenges identify gaps in the long-term recovery process, especially associated with the burden of labor, time, emotional impact, coordination, and the capacity of groups and individuals. Many of the issues presented in the previous quotes have been addressed in some ways throughout the past year, such as contacting impacted residents, but the message of the \u0026ldquo;stagnant\u0026rdquo; phase of organizing remains. Impacted communities need greater support monetarily, from volunteers, experts, and community organizers alike, and yet, there needs to be a sustainable way to support communities in leading their own recovery efforts throughout the journey of long-term recovery.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSuccesses\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen it came to discussing successes with the ESBC-LTRG, board members shared their stories of hope and faith within the group to accomplish their goals, despite setbacks. This included deep gratitude for volunteers, as there is currently only one paid staff member at the LTRG. Primarily, the foundational work of developing the board was entirely voluntary and has included assistance from people inside and outside of the community.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBut, being able to assist as a non-profit has allowed the board to see the fruits of their labor, making many of the struggles worthwhile. Additionally, it has allowed the board to truly understand the power of the resources that can be compiled and utilized when needed. The board members reflected on these successes in the following ways:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eYou know one thing that I've learned is that it really does take a committed group of people\u0026hellip; I just can't say enough how that's been instrumental to this process. If you don't have the right people to kind of make it happen, it doesn't work.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYeah, it's about being there for the whole person and all their needs\u0026hellip; there's a lot of good people out there that are willing to donate their time. Their time can be more valuable than money.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThese quotes truly speak to the value of commitment and devotion to the LTRG process. One issue that the ESBC-LTRG was blessed to not face is the issue of funds to complete work to rebuild homes due to generous donors, but having the money to get a job done is trivial without the capacity of volunteers and staff to complete the necessary tasks to pursue recovery integrally. Truly attending to the whole person who is a disaster survivor is paramount, as the ESBC-LTRG seeks to return one\u0026rsquo;s home to the way that it was before the flooding event\u0026ndash; not only for the safety and practicality of a rebuild, but also for the emotional and psychological comfort that can come from a sense of home and security being restored years after the flooding event. This can only be accomplished through respect and dignity among the board members towards one another, as continued work on long-term recovery should require positive and uplifting energy within the board, which the ESBC-LTRG seeks to foster through honesty and care.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFinally, the following quote speaks to the ultimate success of an LTRG:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt's rewarding to see someone smile again when they've been through such a disaster.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eUltimately, restoring communities to pre-disaster conditions is the goal, but with a newfound sense of resilience, responsibility, and connection at the forefront of the work. Many impactful outcomes have arisen from the ESBC-LTRG, such as a local CERT (community emergency response team), which is composed of local members of northeast Wilmington who are trained in first aid and the basics of emergency preparedness. Additional connections to environmental justice groups, such as Northeast Rising, have allowed ESBC-LRTG members to continue to advocate for best practices in rebuilding infrastructure in their communities, especially pushing for mitigation solutions that are responsive to the flooding from Hurricane Ida. Generally speaking, residents of the Eleventh Street Bridge Community are much more aware of the risks of the area in which they live, as well as empowering solutions for managing these risks together through stronger social bonds and networks.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eReflections\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhen completing the interviews, board members had varying reflections on what they had learned throughout their involvement with the ESBC-LTRG. Notably, an outsider identified the need for greater communication among state and community agencies when it comes to housing and other pressing issues. Often, the multi-level communication across agencies is not as well-established as it should be before disasters. Because of the scope and severity of Hurricane Ida, there have been newly ignited conversations on these important topics, such as housing, following the disaster.\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eA lot of these agencies are coming together now and starting to realize like, hey, we got to talk with each other better.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOne insider emphasized that although it has taken a long time to get to the phase where the LTRG is conducting repairs on homes, it is worth it, and the quality of work is unparalleled.\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf you can have patience for the process, that's really what it is. You know, and even the quality of their work\u0026hellip; they're professionals, it\u0026rsquo;s pretty amazing.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAdditionally, a board member reflected on conflict within the board and how it was an opportunity for learning that encouraged growth:\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn fact, you don't want to resolve the conflict, you want to use the conflict as an energy, create a positive energy out of the conflict for the good of the community and the committee that's forming.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThese perspectives exemplify how there has been growth on individual, board, and state-wide levels when it comes to understanding disaster risk and recovery, especially throughout the arduous process that is long-term recovery. Board members identified varying challenges due to their own background, roles, or psychological closeness to the disaster, as well as ways in which they felt that the group had been successful. There is extremely limited literature on the experiences of LTRGs, especially in states such as Delaware, which experience fewer large-impact disasters compared to more hazardous areas. Despite this, the ever-changing scope of disasters in the United States suggests that more unprecedented times lie ahead, whether through governmental and funding changes or climate change-induced catastrophes. However, wherever a disaster occurs, there will need to be recovery for impacted populations, and simply put, it can take a \u003cem\u003elong\u003c/em\u003e time.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe findings of this study exemplify ways in which future LTRGs in the state of Delaware and beyond could learn from some of the struggles faced by the board of the ESBC-LTRG. These hardships mainly included the complexities that come with legal incorporation as a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization, beginning repair work, finding flexible funding sources, and collaborating with other community organizations to meet the needs of impacted populations. Since the ESBC-LTRG was the first LTRG for disasters in the state of Delaware, there was no \u0026ldquo;playbook\u0026rdquo; to look to for advice or necessary steps to take. The ESBC-LTRG had to look to neighboring states\u0026rsquo; LTRGs and consult VOAD organizations for essential information on the formation and success of the ESBC-LTRG, as these connections were necessary for its existence. Further allyship was found with local climate change advocacy groups and CERT groups, who provide different, although necessary, resources to Wilmington\u0026rsquo;s residents. These groups have allowed for connections to wider communities concerned with environmental impacts in Wilmington, Delaware, and have shaped the scope of the ESBC-LTRG as it exists today and moving into the future.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eESBC-LTRG Chair Reflection\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs a resident whose family was directly impacted by the flooding, and having served on the long-term recovery group since its inception, I can now reflect and confirm that forming this organization was one of the best decisions that I made. It has been an incredible and rapid learning process, and not for the weak-minded. While I, myself, was undergoing the recovery process, I had to continue to be present for my family as well as show up for my work as an educator in a local school district. Nevertheless, the LTRG was a unique opportunity to help my family, my neighborhood, and my community. Because there were no other long-term recovery groups within our state, I found myself reaching out to Chairs of LTRG\u0026rsquo;s from other cities with similar demographics, but the nuances of my community still posed challenges to navigate. So part of me knew that, by moving forward with this endeavor, once our community recovered, we would also be able to help other communities who may be impacted by future disasters.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThroughout this process, it\u0026rsquo;s been bittersweet. The fact is that many of us own our homes, we were going about our lives, normally, and then disaster struck. A disaster for which we were not prepared. While some of us had homeowners' insurance, flood insurance, auto insurance, savings, and the like, when this disaster struck, nothing prepared us for what we would endure. That is not to say that having those insurances in place is not imperative; it is! It\u0026rsquo;s just that nothing can prepare us for the emotional, physical, and mental impact that can result.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThere were so many different lessons learned - policies that we thought we understood, but we didn\u0026rsquo;t. We were faced with so many decisions that had to be made at one time or consecutively. It\u0026rsquo;s a whirlwind! Yet, life still expected us to show up - whether it was for our families, or for our jobs, even for our own selves, we had to still be present while in a survival mindset, trying to cope with disaster, trauma, loss, grief, and so many other emotions, including fear of what could\u0026rsquo;ve happened, but didn\u0026rsquo;t.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eI never disclosed my feelings of guilt until now. Guilt because my home wasn\u0026rsquo;t impacted as badly as someone else\u0026rsquo;s. My family wasn\u0026rsquo;t displaced. I could still live in my home, but other people had to go to a hotel. There\u0026rsquo;s the guilt that no one really speaks to. Then, to observe how we were inundated with \u0026ldquo;help\u0026rdquo; in the first few weeks, and then, every month to watch that number grossly decline, I just can\u0026rsquo;t find the words for that\u0026hellip; maybe abandonment, anger, frustration.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn order to have a voice and ensure that we were not forgotten, I participated in a number of committees at different levels of government and with various agencies, and I learned a lot about processes; even ones that had to be either revised or created as a result of this disaster. One of the caveats that resonated then and still does now is that I know I have to always manage my expectations. I\u0026rsquo;d learned this early on, but it certainly applied now. People in the community expected one thing to happen and, when it didn\u0026rsquo;t happen, there was discouragement. There was anger. There was a myriad of emotions and, for some, it delayed or arrested their abilities to move forward in expected ways. When someone\u0026rsquo;s on the outside, looking in, not everybody is going to take the time to try to understand these emotions and explore why a person reacts a certain way. Many times, they just move on. It\u0026rsquo;s unfortunate because, when we think of community, we think about the whole group, and I believe the resilience of a community is impacted by these factors. Sometimes it can become more stable, and other times more fluid.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;s 2026, and this coming September, it will have been five years since the flood, and we are still helping people to recover. At our last Board meeting, my mentor, who has done this type of work for years, had a look on his face. I recognized the look. It was what he explained from day one; it\u0026rsquo;s a long process to recovery. I recall him sharing so many different stories and, literally, I looked at his face, and I could see he was not surprised that people were still showing up saying they needed help. I must admit, there was solace in that moment. I felt like he could identify with how we feel.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOverall, I cannot impress how important it is to have a long-term recovery group when there is a disaster. For my community, if and when disaster strikes again, we will definitely be better prepared. We have a better understanding of emergency preparedness, resiliency resources, emergency response, etc. We have different systems that are in place, so once this event is finished, the LTRG will be in an inactive state. Should another disaster arise, we will reactivate the Board and get to work to bring the community back to recovery. What\u0026rsquo;s even better, we are prepared to assist another community in their effort to form an LTRG. That\u0026rsquo;s empowerment!\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe ESBC-LTRG has faced significant challenges but has succeeded despite setbacks and bureaucratic holdups, such as becoming a non-profit organization and getting to work on repairing homes. Overall, the importance of volunteers cannot be emphasized enough: they are the reason why the ESBC-LTRG is still here today and exists in the first place. The brave residents of the Eleventh Street Bridge Community, who had faced catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Ida, had to be the ones to put their hands up and volunteer for a labor-intensive commitment. This is a doubly stressful role, given the fact that resident participants on the board had also lost various possessions in the flood and had severe damage to their homes. Every day that they show up for the LTRG and their neighbors, they have to reckon with the emotional turmoil that comes along with it, therefore further emphasizing the need for organizational support from outside organizations to empower disaster-impacted communities and residents who are survivors.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe interviews also highlighted a need for education of the general public on disasters and preparedness within Delaware. Even social service agencies had to learn how to assist in a disaster of this scale, which was a challenge and ultimately a learning opportunity for all people who were involved. For residents of Wilmington and across Delaware alike, interviewees resoundingly expressed the message that a disaster like this could happen at any time, and with climate change, there is an ever-increasing likelihood that it could happen again. Therefore, across the state, it is more important now than ever to understand the risks that come along with disasters and how to respond, as well as having tools for empowerment, like joining a CERT group or educating your neighbors about what should be in a go-bag.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCollaboration with other agencies, such as the Brandywine Flood Mitigation and Preparedness Study, which is ongoing, will hopefully bring more findings and eventually structural mitigation to Northeast Wilmington and other vulnerable areas. The lived experience of flood survivors from the ESBC-LTRG has been involved with this study and directly relayed to government representatives, which encompasses the advocacy and mitigation efforts of an LTRG in the future beyond immediate repair and reconstruction.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSince the ESBC-LTRG is the first LTRG in Delaware, there is knowledge to pass on through studies such as this one. If another LTRG has to form in Delaware, the ESBC-LTRG will be able to share its knowledge and lessons learned, and hopefully, it\u0026rsquo;ll be a smoother process for future organizations. Governmental agencies in Delaware will likely also be more aware of what an LTRG is and how they can support it going forward. Therefore, while the ESBC-LTRG has faced multiple challenges and uphill battles, recovery for residents is strongly underway, and this organization has set the stage for future LTRGs and environmental advocacy organizations within the state.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding Statement\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis paper declares funding through the University of Delaware\u0026rsquo;s 2024 Summer Scholars Community Engagement Program.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics Statement\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis project was approved by the University of Delaware\u0026rsquo;s Institutional Review Board under project number 2190943-1. Informed consent for participation and publication was obtained for each participant in this study, and was freely given.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor Contribution Statement\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach author contributed directly to the formation of this manuscript. Sydney Dyck performed all of the data collection through interviews, Julie Elliott and Sydney Dyck both performed coding, analysis, and synthesis of the data, and Julie Elliott, Sydney Dyck, and Tamika Collick all contributed to the writing and proofreading of this manuscript for clarity and accuracy.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting interests policy\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare no competing interests.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Availability\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are not publicly available due to the sensitivity of the material and the need to protect participants\u0026rsquo; identities, but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIngram, J. 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Council to assess the Federal Emergency Management Agency. \u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/council-to-assess-the-federal-emergency-management-agency/\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/council-to-assess-the-federal-emergency-management-agency/\" targettype=\"URL\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-hazards","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Hazards](https://link.springer.com/journal/44475)","snPcode":"44475","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/44475/3","title":"Discover Hazards","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9052724/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9052724/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis paper focuses on the experiences, complexities, resiliency, and accomplishments of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Eleventh Street Bridge Community Long-Term Recovery Group (ESBC-LTRG), which is Delaware's first long-term recovery group (LTRG). The ESBC-LTRG was founded in the fall of 2021 in Wilmington, Delaware, following the monumental destruction and flooding caused by Hurricane Ida. Headed by a resident whose home was impacted, the ESBC-LTRG has been incorporated as a non-profit organization since the summer of 2022 to bring over 250 residents who were affected or displaced by the storm back to a safe and secure means of daily living. There is a significant emphasis on preparation and response within emergency management, leaving much to be desired regarding recovery, especially long-term recovery [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, we conducted a community-based research project through qualitative interviews with board members of the ESBC-LTRG. Additionally, the chair of the ESBC-LTRG, who is a coauthor on this paper, has provided a written reflection to highlight her lived experience of the flooding event, and the formation of the LTRG. This paper sheds light on the impacts of designating long-term recovery to community members with a severe lack of resources, funding, and assistance to their success. Despite these challenges, this paper also seeks to share knowledge that has been foundational to the ESBC-LTRG\u0026rsquo;s success, potentially lessening the burden for future LTRGs to come.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"An Exploratory Analysis of the First Long-Term Recovery Group in Delaware","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-04-13 12:42:37","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9052724/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"133222934678199600563725266578764008823","date":"2026-04-13T16:40:55+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-04-07T06:25:54+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-03-21T08:19:45+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-03-19T19:56:17+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Discover Hazards","date":"2026-03-19T19:50:22+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-hazards","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Hazards](https://link.springer.com/journal/44475)","snPcode":"44475","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/44475/3","title":"Discover Hazards","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"b0fce10e-c1e9-428f-bab3-28750c857e53","owner":[],"postedDate":"April 13th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-04-13T12:42:38+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-04-13 12:42:37","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9052724","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9052724","identity":"rs-9052724","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}