Recovery work is in full swing in Eagle, Alaska, where volunteers from local communities and faith-based organizations are all pitching in to make sure families are in homes before winter hits (Recovery, 2009, ¶1).
Mennonite Disaster Services have provided a construction manager and 12 additional volunteers to work 10 to 12-hours per day for the next eight weeks. Samaritan’s Purse is providing $10,000 per destroyed primary residence, a tent camp for the volunteer labor, tools and equipment to accomplish the work. Latter Day Saint volunteers already provided assistance with site preparation and debris removal. Additional volunteers have provided support from Dawson, our Canadian neighbors. Even more volunteers have been involved in this effort. Eagle community leaders and members have taken the lead in the strong local-volunteer-State-FEMA commitment to rebuild Eagle (Recovery, 2009, ¶2).
Site preparation and foundation work should be completed this week as construction crews are start to rebuild the destroyed homes in Eagle and the new Native Village of Eagle. The first home will be constructed as volunteers are trained in log cabin construction. Two homes per week are expected to be completed until all of the homes are finished. The goal is to put people back in permanent housing before winter hits (Recovery, 2009, ¶3).
“The logistics to build a home in Eagle are incredible and this disaster recovery is happening in record time,” Governor Sarah Palin said. “I’m very proud of all of the volunteers supporting these efforts and their commitment to help those in need” (Recovery, 2009, ¶4)
As the homes in Eagle are being rebuilt, supplies and equipment are being barged to Tanana and Stevens Village, with additional air freight as necessary. Then volunteers will move to those villages to help complete permanent shelters for families to complete the rebuilding efforts in the Interior. Additional volunteer groups will support rebuilding in communities where only a few homes were destroyed (Recovery, 2009, ¶5).
Commentary
This release is testament to the extraordinary self-reliance of Alaskans. We see from the foregoing that aside from state and federal aid, which Governor Palin secured, rebuilding is already under way by volunteer groups. History has proven time and time again that public-private partnerships and empowered local governments work.
Anyone who has been following the ice jam flooding stories that came out since early May knows the meticulous step-by-step approach Governor Palin took to handling this disaster, including multiple site surveys and field visits to affected locations.
References
Spring flood disaster recovery is in full swing. (2009, July 16). State of Alaska, Department of Military & Veterans Affairs. Retrieved July 17, 2009 from: http://www.dmva.alaska.gov/content/Press_Releases/2009/09_July/Home%20Construction%20Begins%20in%20Eagle.pdf
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