Disaster recovery consists of the actions taken by a community to return to normal or near-normal conditions. It often includes the restoring of basic services and repairing of physical, social, and economic damages. Typical recovery actions will include debris cleanup, financial assistance to individuals and to city governments, and sustaining mass care for human and animal populations that are displaced because of the disaster.
Disaster recovery typically occurs in phases beginning with efforts to help those affected meet immediate needs for housing, food, and water. As those needs are met and people continue to repair their homes and businesses and return to work, long term recovery begins to take place. Long term recovery consists of the continuance of cleanup and rebuilding efforts of roads, bridges, and key facilities with the help and support of government agencies, voluntary organizations, and the private sector. Due to how severe the impacts of the disaster, considerable interagency coordination and technical support may be required.