Disaster Recovery Plan

Purpose: To improve communication, interprofessional collaboration, and equitable disaster recovery outcomes for individuals, families, disaster relief teams, and community aggregates in Detroit, Michigan.

IMPROVING DISASTER RECOVERY

COMMUNICATION IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN

Using the CDC Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC)

Framework

MEASURING RECOVERY COMMUNICATION

References Reach: Are affected residents receiving information through multiple

channels? Understanding: Can residents identify

where and how to obtain assistance?

Trust: Do residents report confidence in recovery information?

Collaboration: Are healthcare, public health, emergency management, and community partners sharing

information consistently? Equity: Are vulnerable neighborhoods and

populations receiving appropriate outreach and resources?

Response time: How quickly are reported

SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE Timely information

↓ Greater trust

↓ Better collaboration

↓ Equitable access

↓ Stronger community recovery

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Crisis and emergency risk communication (CERC) manual. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dick, L., Moodie, J., & Greiner, A. L. (2022). Are we ready? Operationalising risk communication and community engagement programming for public health emergencies. BMJ Global Health, 7(3), e008486. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2022-008486 Khan, S., Mishra, J., Ahmed, N., Onyige, C. D., Lin, K. E., Siew, R., & Lim, B. H. (2022). Risk communication and community engagement during COVID-19. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 74, 102903. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.102903 Wieland, M. L., Asiedu, G. B., Njeru, J. W., et al. (2022). Community-engaged bidirectional crisis and emergency risk communication with immigrant and refugee populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public Health Reports, 137(2), 344–353. https://doi.org/10.1177/00333549211065514 U.S. Census Bureau. (2025). QuickFacts: Detroit city, Michigan.

The journal sources are peer-reviewed and published within the past five years. Prepared by: Lukas Date: 15th August 2026

DETROIT: WHY COMMUNICATION MATTERS INTERPROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION

Misinformation and conflicting messages • Mistrust of institutions • Digital access gaps • Language and cultural differences • Complex or unclear instructions • Fragmented interagency communication Community needs and demographic mapping can help recovery teams dentify where focused outreach and resources are most

needed.

COMMON COMMUNICATION BARRIERS

Detroit's estimated 2024 population was 645,705. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that 32.7% of residents were living in poverty, 15.8% of people under age 65 had a disability, and 12.0% of residents age 5 and older spoke a language other than English at home (U.S. Census Bureau, 2025). These characteristics can affect access to information, transportation, healthcare, housing, and other recovery resources. PRIORITY POPULATIONS • Older adults • People with disabilities • Low-income households • Residents with chronic health needs • People with limited health literacy • Residents facing transportation or technology barriers

Create a shared recovery communication network: Public Health → Healthcare → Emergency Management → Community Organizations → Community Health Workers → Residents & Families FIVE PRACTICAL STRATEGIES 1. Shared communication system Use a common information-sharing process, standardized messages, and regular briefings. 2. Clear roles Assign responsibility for collecting, verifying, translating, and distributing information. 3. Trusted community partners Engage neighborhood, faith-based, school, and community organizations. 4. Bidirectional communication Let residents ask questions, report unmet needs, and influence message refinement. 5. Multiple channels Combine text, phone, social media, radio, print, in-person outreach, and accessible digital tools. IMPACT ON STAKEHOLDERS Relief teams: clearer roles, less duplication, faster coordination. Individuals: better access to accurate information and services. Families: clearer guidance for healthcare, housing, food, and financial assistance. Community aggregates: greater trust, equity, participation, and resilience. The goal is not simply to send more information—it is to create a coordinated, trusted, two-way recovery communication system.

BE FIRST — Release timely, coordinated updates through multiple channels. BE RIGHT — Verify information and use consistent, evidence- based messages. BE CREDIBLE — Be transparent and partner with trusted community organizations. EXPRESS EMPATHY — Acknowledge loss, uncertainty, and stress; use trauma-informed communication. PROMOTE ACTION — Give residents simple steps for accessing healthcare, housing, food, and financial assistance. SHOW RESPECT — Include residents and community partners in recovery planning and feedback.

APPLY THE CDC CERC FRAMEWORK

Risk communication is more effective when it is inclusive and engages communities as active stakeholders in disaster planning and response (Khan et al., 2022). A community-engaged CERC intervention showed that bidirectional communication, culturally tailored messages, and frequent coordination with community partners helped connect people to resources and refine messages in real time (Wieland et al., 2022). Effective risk communication and community engagement require organized partnerships, defined processes, and attention to community needs (Dick et al., 2022).

EVIDENCE IN PRACTICE