The research team will conduct a combination of critical review of existing policies and procedures and primary data gathering to document the effectiveness of specific activities undertaken to foster and facilitate timely and productive disaster recovery in the state of North Carolina. More specifically, we propose to focus on NCDOT recovery efforts in response to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster declarations and fire management assistance declarations issued in the state of North Carolina between 2016 and 2018. The declarations covered hurricanes Matthew and Florence which affected mainly eastern and central North Carolina counties, a major tornado that affected Guilford and Rockingham counties, and the Party Rock and Chestnut Nob fires in western North Carolina.
