New Methods for Measuring, Monitoring and Evaluating Post-Disaster Recovery

测量、监测和评估灾后恢复的新方法布法罗大学、ImageCat、不列颠哥伦比亚省大学、特拉华州大学和孟菲斯大学之间的研究合作灾后恢复是灾害管理周期的一个阶段，是一个复杂的物理、社会、经济、环境和政治过程。它持续数年，需要大量的财政和其他资源，并能确定受影响社区今后几年的特点。这些文献包括一些复苏的理论框架，以及许多历史事件的实证案例研究。实证研究往往侧重于复苏的一个方面，如家庭和住房，它们通常依靠访谈、焦点小组和一次性调查来收集数据。这些文献提供了丰富的横截面的见解恢复在一个给定的时间点，但有限的意见，随着时间的推移或系统的，定量的经验描述恢复在大面积的变化。现在有一个很好的机会来解决这些限制，使用新提供的高分辨率卫星图像;以前未充分利用的统计数据，以及先进的实地调查技术，通过照片，视频和观察来捕获详细的地理参考恢复记录。鉴于恢复的重要性、以前关于恢复的研究的局限性以及新的技术机会，本研究将制定创新方法，以便系统地、定量地衡量和监测灾后恢复。 以卡特里娜飓风为案例研究，拟议的项目将实现以下目标：（1）制定处理和解释遥感数据的方法，以描述灾后恢复的物理和社会经济表现;（2）从遥感、实地侦察调查、二级统计来源、访谈和调查中获取和汇编定量和定性恢复数据;（3）开发方法来分析和综合回收数据，以全面衡量和监测回收情况;（4）在案例研究区域内演示新方法的应用。 改进对恢复的跟踪将作为今后努力更好地解释和评估恢复的关键第一步，解决以下问题：-对于刚刚发生的灾难，恢复可能在什么时间范围内以什么方式展开？-为什么要以特定的方式进行恢复？恢复速度和特性如何与灾前和灾后的各种决策和行动相关联？提高我们解决这些问题的能力将带来许多实际的社会效益。政府、决策者和地方组织可以应用调查结果来检查其决策的影响，并最终改进支持未来恢复工作的计划和行动。利用多来源数据从质量和数量两方面对复原情况进行系统审查，可以增强社区的权能，并为它们提供证据，支持它们在复原过程中的经验。它可以开辟一个新的对话和讨论的来源，对建立有抗灾能力的社区、分配援助和资源以及对根据灾后的初始条件和关键决定确定不同类型的恢复的可能性进行理论讨论产生实际影响。此外，该项目还将通过扩大现有的以经验衡量恢复情况的方法，推动灾后恢复研究的最新发展。它将通过核实或修改现有的理论，支持灾后恢复理论的继续发展。

NEW METHODS FOR MEASURING, MONITORING AND EVALUATING POST-DISASTER RECOVERYA Research Collaboration between the University at Buffalo, ImageCat, University of British Columbia, University of Delaware and University of MemphisPost-disaster recovery - one of the phases of the disaster management cycle - is a complex physical, social, economic, environmental, and political process. It lasts years, requires enormous financial and other resources, and can define the character of the affected communities for years to come. The literature includes a number of theoretical frameworks of recovery, and many empirical case studies of historic events. The empirical studies have often focused on a single dimension of recovery, such as households and housing, and they have typically relied on interviews, focus groups, and one-time surveys for data gathering. This literature offers rich cross-sectional insights into recovery at a given point in time, but limited views of changes over time or systematic, quantitative empirical descriptions of recovery over large areas. An excellent opportunity exists now to address some of these limitations using newly available high-resolution satellite imagery; previously underutilized statistical data, and advanced field survey techniques that capture a detailed geographically-referenced record of recovery through photographs, video, and observations. Given the importance of recovery, limitations of previous research on it, and new technological opportunities, this study will develop innovative methods for systematically and quantitatively measuring and monitoring post-disaster recovery. Using Hurricane Katrina as a case study, the proposed project will achieve the following objectives: (1) Develop methods to process and interpret remote-sensing data to describe the physical and socio-economic manifestations of post-disaster recovery; (2) Obtain and compile quantitative and qualitative recovery data from: remote-sensing, field reconnaissance surveys, secondary statistical sources, interviews, and surveys; (3) Develop methods to analyze and synthesize the recovery data to comprehensively measure and monitor recovery; and (4) Demonstrate application of the new methods within the case study area. Improved tracking of recovery will serve as a critical first step for future efforts to better explain and evaluate recovery by addressing questions such as:- For a disaster that has just occurred, over what timeframes and in what ways is recovery likely to unfold?- Why is recovery proceeding in a particular way?- How are recovery speed and character correlated with various pre- and post-disaster decisions and actions?Enhancing our ability to address such questions will bring many practical societal benefits. Governments, policy makers, and local organizations can apply findings to examine the impact of their decisions and ultimately to improve plans for and actions supporting future recovery efforts. The systematic examination of recovery in both a qualitative and quantitative way using multi-source data can empower communities and give them evidence to support their experiences of the recovery process. It can open a new source of dialogue and discourse that could have practical repercussions for the creation of resilient communities, for the distribution of aid and resources, as well as theoretical discussions on the potential identification of different types of recovery, dependent on their initial conditions and key decisions post-disaster. Further, by augmenting existing ways of empirically measuring recovery, the project will advance the state-of-the-art in post-disaster recovery studies. It will support the continuing development of a theory of post-disaster recovery through verifying or modifying existing theories.