Lessons Learned from the 2019 Nebraska Floods: Implications for Emergency Management, Mass Care, and Food Security
Abstract
:1. Introduction
1.1. Introduction to Flooding Disasters and Response
1.2. Background on the 2019 Floods in Nebraska
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Overview
2.2. Sampling and Perspective
2.3. Procedure
3. Results
3.1. Overview of Disaster Response, Emergency Management Activities
3.1.1. Preparedness Activities
3.1.2. Response Activities
3.1.3. Recovery Activities
3.2. Disaster Response Challenges
3.2.1. Preparedness Challenges
3.2.2. Response Challenges
3.2.3. Recovery Challenges
3.3. Mitigation Recommendations
3.3.1. Prepare for Large-Impact, Low-Frequency Disasters
3.3.2. Enhance Local-Level Capacity to Plan, Respond, and Recover
3.3.3. Build Inter-Organizational Relationships and Communication Channels
3.3.4. Enhance Mass-Communication Capacity among Responders and to the Public
3.3.5. Leverage Technology to Coordinate Large-Scale Influx of Disjointed Donations
3.3.6. Raise Public Awareness and Individual Capacity through Inclusive Outreach
3.3.7. Considerations around Setting Up Shelters and Resource Sites
3.3.8. Considerations around Providing Food and Water
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Phrase | Dates | Event |
---|---|---|
Preparedness | July 2018–June 2019 | Nebraska experiences the most precipitation on state record in a 12-month period. |
Late November 2018 | Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) predicts problems with ice jams on Nebraska’s waterways. | |
January–March 2019 | Excessive cold weather and record snowfall accumulates across Nebraska. | |
11 March 2019 | Winter storm Ulmer is named; moves eastward from Colorado. | |
12 March 2019 | Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts declares a statewide emergency. | |
Response | 12–14 March 2019 | A bomb cyclone, a massive low-pressure system with blizzard conditions, torrential rain, and flooding, engulfs Nebraska. |
13–23 March 2019 | Historic flooding impacts most of Nebraska. Initial flood waters arrive and recede at varying times across communities. Immediate response activities occur, including establishing community shelters, conducting grocery store inventory/shelf assessments, and delivering and receiving donations. | |
14 March 2019 | Several roads and bridges are washed away; 41 levees are breached with 350 miles of damage; Spencer Dam collapses. | |
15 March 2019 | Offutt Air Force Base floods, sustaining over USD 600 million in damage. | |
15 March 2019 | Twenty-five communities across Nebraska have full or partial evacuations. | |
20 March 2019 | National Guard units airdrop and truck in hay to sustain cattle during the critical calving season. | |
21 March 2019 | Federal disaster declaration is made (DR-4420-NE). | |
Recovery and Mitigation | 23 March 2019 | Several multi-agency resource centers open across the state during the time period from March 23rd through late April. |
19 April 2019 | Disaster recovery centers (DRCs) open across Nebraska for affected residents to apply for FEMA assistance. | |
8 May 2019 | Crop damage and standing floodwaters stall planting season; 420,000 acres remain unplanted. | |
8 July 2019 | Heavy rains bring another round of major floods, resulting in property damage and evacuations for hundreds of central and southern Nebraska residents. | |
20 January 2020 | First recorded coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case in the United States. | |
1 August 2020 | Hundreds of community members still reside in temporary housing. |
Preparedness | A. What was your/your organization’s role in planning and preparation for food and water relief efforts to prepare for disasters? |
B. What were some barriers that affected planning and preparation for food and water? | |
C. What was especially helpful to planning and preparation for food and water? | |
D. Based on your experiences with the 2019 Nebraska floods, what advice would you give your counterparts in other states related to preparing and planning for food and water relief during disasters? | |
Response | E. What was your/your organization’s role in responding to food and water needs during the flooding? |
F. How are food and water shipments processed and distributed? | |
G. How was food and water provided to hard-to-reach groups? | |
H. What were some barriers that affected the food and water relief efforts? | |
I. What was especially helpful to the food and water relief efforts? | |
J. What are some considerations regarding the type of food (and water) that was distributed in mass care relief? | |
K. Based on your experiences, what advice would you give your counterparts in other states related to food and water relief during floods? | |
Recovery | L. What kind of work are you still doing to assist those affected by flooding? |
M. Would you describe how people were impacted long-term by the flooding in terms of their ability to provide food and water for themselves/their household? | |
N. Could you describe differences in how various groups have coped with the flooding? | |
O. Specifically related to food security and water provision, what factors are most important for long-term recovery for community members? | |
P. What were some barriers that are affecting the long-term recovery efforts related to food security and water provision? | |
Q. What has been especially helpful to the long-term recovery efforts? | |
R. Based on your experiences with the 2019 Nebraska floods, what advice would you give your counterparts in other states related to long-term recovery efforts? |
Phase and Theme Type | Section in Text | Theme |
---|---|---|
Preparedness Activities | 3.1.1. | Pre-planned, pre-communicated, and/or trained for disaster response. |
Monitored weather trends. | ||
Response Activities | 3.1.2. | State level: the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) worked to coordinate disaster response. |
Local-level: informal disaster response committees assembled ad hoc. | ||
Organizations and social service agencies worked to procure and organize food and water donations. | ||
Food banks, restaurants, corporate manufacturers and retailers, and individuals provided food and water donations. | ||
Donations were collected and stored at community sites. | ||
Community leaders informed community members about available resources and requested additional donations. | ||
Congregate meals were provided to those impacted by the floods and to the volunteers assisting with recovery efforts. | ||
Unprepared and shelf-stable food donations were provided at community hubs and local food pantries and via mobile pantries. | ||
Recovery Activities | 3.1.3. | Multi-agency resource centers (MARCs) were established throughout affected areas to serve as resource hubs to provide assistance. |
501c3 non-profit long-term recovery groups were established to serve as receiving hubs for donated funds and other resources needed for long-term recovery efforts. | ||
Preparedness Challenges | 3.2.1. | General apathy among those meant to be involved in preparedness activities inhibited robust preparedness activities in some locales. |
Response Challenges | 3.2.2. | Large scope of impact and infrastructure damage from the floods limited access to some areas in need of resources. |
Difficulty managing the large influx of donations of food, water, and other resources that sometimes did not match local needs. | ||
Language barriers and immigration concerns inhibited some affected households from receiving assistance. | ||
Recovery Challenges | 3.2.3. | Difficulty establishing long-term recovery groups and maintaining recovery momentum. |
Stigma, fear, and limited awareness impacted community members’ assistance utilization. | ||
Administrative barriers inhibited access to federal recovery funds. | ||
Mitigation Recommendations | 3.3.1. | Prepare for large-impact, low-frequency disasters. |
3.3.2. | Enhance local-level capacity to plan, respond, and recover. | |
3.3.3. | Build inter-organizational relationships and communication channels. | |
3.3.4. | Enhance mass-communication capacity among responders and to the public. | |
3.3.5. | Leverage technology to coordinate large-scale influx of disjointed donations. | |
3.3.6. | Raise public awareness and individual capacity for disaster response through inclusive outreach. | |
3.3.7. | Utilize local knowledge to set up shelters and resource sites in ways that promote access and reduce stigma. | |
3.3.8. | Food and water needs are situationally dependent (e.g., timing, location, availability of equipment, preferences, etc.). Ensure provisions match need. |
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Share and Cite
Calloway, E.E.; Nugent, N.B.; Stern, K.L.; Mueller, A.; Yaroch, A.L. Lessons Learned from the 2019 Nebraska Floods: Implications for Emergency Management, Mass Care, and Food Security. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 11345. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811345
Calloway EE, Nugent NB, Stern KL, Mueller A, Yaroch AL. Lessons Learned from the 2019 Nebraska Floods: Implications for Emergency Management, Mass Care, and Food Security. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022; 19(18):11345. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811345
Chicago/Turabian StyleCalloway, Eric E., Nadine B. Nugent, Katie L. Stern, Ashley Mueller, and Amy L. Yaroch. 2022. "Lessons Learned from the 2019 Nebraska Floods: Implications for Emergency Management, Mass Care, and Food Security" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 18: 11345. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811345