Disaster response accountability group
| 10.17.2008 | 09:04:35 | Views: 14009 |

October 17 '08: Thanks to John Solomon over at Incaseofemergencyblog.com for the tip regarding the Disaster Accountability Project and its article in the Natural Hazards Observer which appeared in last month's edition. DAP, begun in August 2007, was established to help improve the national disaster response framework through citizen oversight, research, whistle-blower engagement, and policy research, the website read.

DAP founder Ben Smilowitz, said in the Natural Hazards Observer of the impetus to start the organization, "if an organization did not exist to receive information about gaps in disaster relief services from whistleblowers [sic] during disasters, and provide public oversight to the organizations that comprise US disaster prevention, response, relief, and recovery systems" then he needed to start that organization.

According to the group's site, DAP "monitors the public accountability of US disaster prevention, response, relief, and recovery systems, engages a community of stakeholders in tracking recommendations for their improvement, and uses a website and hotline for survivors and disaster response volunteers and workers to raise concerns and publicize critical service gaps."

DAP focuses on short-term and immediate accountability as well as long-term accountability. For short-term and immediate accountability DAP has created a toll-free hotline and national network of citizen monitors. For longer-term accountability, DAP has created an online database of post-Katrina recommendations/clearinghouse that can track changes. The recommendation clearinghouse also allows users to research and create more effective policy measures for disaster and response management.

National Blueprint Tags: Citizen and Community.