What is meant by "disaster recovery"?

Disaster recovery refers to the long-term restoration of a community's infrastructure and services following a disaster. This phase occurs after the immediate response activities have taken place and typically involves rebuilding facilities, restoring public services, and providing support to affected individuals and businesses to return to normalcy. The focus is on ensuring that the community can recover economically and socially, which may include rebuilding homes, schools, hospitals, and transportation systems.

This recovery process can span months or even years, depending on the severity of the disaster, and emphasizes not only the physical rebuilding but also the psychological and social healing of the community.

In contrast, other options emphasize different aspects of disaster management. The immediate response to a disaster is a critical phase, but it is focused on urgent needs and stabilizing the situation rather than long-term recovery. Evaluating prior preparedness measures is a vital step in strengthening future responses but does not directly pertain to recovery itself. Gathering data post-disaster is essential for understanding impacts and effectiveness of the response, but it is more about analysis rather than recovery.