FEMA’s fall and redemption—applied narrative analysis

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to recover the narratives constructed by the disaster management policy network in Washington, DC, about the management of Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy. Recovering and analysing these narratives provides an opportunity to understand the stories constructed about these events and consider the implications of this framing for post-event learning and adaptation of government policy. Design/methodology/approach This research was conducted through an extended ethnographic study in Washington, DC, that incorporated field observation, qualitative interviews and desktop research. Findings The meta-narratives recovered through this research point to a collective tendency to fit the experiences of Hurricane Katrina and Sandy into a neatly constructed redemption arc. This narrative framing poses significant risk to policy learning and highlights the importance of exploring counter-narratives as part of the policy analysis process. Research limitations/implications The narratives in this paper reflect the stories and beliefs of the participants interviewed. As such, it is inherently subjective and should not be generalised. Nonetheless, it is illustrative of how narrative framing can obscure important learnings from disasters. Originality/value The paper represents a valuable addition to the field of disaster management policy analysis. It extends the tools of narrative analysis and administrative ethnography into the disaster management policy domain and demonstrates how these techniques can be used to analyse complex historical events.

Local news sentiment towards FEMA recovery efforts after Hurricane Florence in North Carolina

“…For Hurricane Florence in North Carolina, FEMA approved more than USD 685 million for the Public Assistance Program, which provides grants to state and local governments for recovery, and more than USD 133 million in grants to individuals and households (FEMA, 2020). Although FEMA is the main entity responsible for post‐disaster funding and recovery assistance, public sentiment towards the agency varies, and the success of its programmatic efforts after disasters like hurricanes is often disputed (Sobel and Leeson, 2006; Drennan, 2018).…”

The dynamics of power in disaster response networks

“…Various reports made clear that prior response capacities had failed because of a lack of a comprehensive framework for disaster preparedness, response, and relief. Indeed, the intense criticism of the government response to Hurricane Katrina led to a fundamental debate about the network governance by local, state, and federal response agencies (Drennan, 2018).…”

Discrepancies between Postdisaster Relocation Policy and Implementation in the Philippines

“…There is a strong tradition of narrative analysis in disaster recovery and resilience research, but largely (and importantly) from the perspective of affected communities, such as Chamlee-Wright and Storr's (2011) account of collective narratives of resiliency in a Louisiana parish post-Katrina. Less abundant are narratives through the lens of implementors (Drennan 2018), those with the access and agency needed to create realistic and actionable recommendations for improved relocation policy formation in the future.…”