The recovery process

The recovery process starts as soon as possible after the emergency has taken place. It is normally led by the Council in which the emergency took place.

Recovery is the co-ordinated process of supporting affected communities in the reconstruction of the physical infrastructure and restoration of emotional, social, economic and physical well-being.

It is in this context, with the requirement for physical, psychological and economic restoration, that recovery is conducted.

Recovery and the community

Emergencies can cause major disruption to the communities affected. They may cause failure of essential services or technological failures, damage to properties and therefore major disruption to people’s lives.

Recovery is, however, more than simply the replacement of what has been destroyed and the rehabilitation of those affected. It is a complex social and developmental process rather than just a remedial process. The manner in which recovery processes are undertaken is critical to their success.  Recovery is best achieved when the affected community is able to exercise a high degree of self-determination.

In many scenarios, the response phase to an emergency can be relatively short in contrast to the recovery phase.  Recovery often takes years rather than months to complete as it seeks to address the enduring human, physical, environmental, and economic consequences of emergencies.

Recovery plan

A Thames Valley Local Resilience Forum Recovery Plan is in place which aims to support the recovery processes across the Thames Valley and within Wokingham the borough.

Like the response, recovery is normally a multi-agency process including the community affected.