On Tuesday, May 5, Gov. Jared Polis announced the new Colorado Disaster Recovery Navigation Tool to help Coloradans navigate recovery and rebuild after natural disasters.
This new tool provides a step-by-step guide for what to do in the aftermath, immediate and long-term, of a natural disaster.
“Coloradans have seen more than our fair share of natural disasters, and this tool will help families in the darkest hours recover faster and stronger. By providing a step-by-step guide and connecting people with resources, Coloradans, families, communities and businesses can get back on their feet as soon as possible. Navigating a natural disaster is challenging, and this tool will put resources and guidance at Coloradans’ fingertips 24/7,” Polis said.
Climate change is increasing the risks Colorado communities face —especially in years with very hot and dry winter conditions.
Colorado is committed to addressing these risks through a broad range of actions and investments such as Colorado Strategic Wildfire Action Programs and grants through the Natural Disaster Mitigation Enterprise.
To build upon this, the Governor’s Office of Climate Preparedness and Disaster Recovery has built a centralized tool to help Coloradans access guidance, best practices and resources all in one place. This collaborative initiative draws from state agencies, federal partners, nonprofits and other assistance providers that support Coloradans after a disaster.
This tool will help Coloradans navigate the recovery process after disasters and to start moving toward recovery.
This tool is organized into three main components:
• “My Journey” — provides guidance on the common steps in the disaster recovery process tailored specifically to different people, including homeowners, renters, landlords, small business owners and agricultural producers. There are simple, corresponding checklists based on chronological recovery stages and user types, which Coloradans can download and use as a roadmap to recovery and to track their progress.
• “Resources” — provides a database of disaster recovery resources that can be filtered by users to find the information they need, linking to a wide range of services and support, from meeting urgent needs to planning for long-term rebuilding. Information spans financial assistance to document replacement, debris removal to rebuilding. This information includes resources that are always available regardless of disaster declarations and can be filtered to see disaster-specific resources (e.g. if Federal Emergency Management Agency approves individual assistance for a specific disaster).
• “Best Practices” — provides simple guidance and advice to help people through recovery, from how to avoid getting scammed to tracking and documenting recovery expenses.
“We will see an increase in the frequency and severity of natural disasters in Colorado. This tool provides a path for survivors to start the steps faster, and shares resources and key connections that survivors may not be aware of,” shared Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Director Kevin Klein. “I am proud of the work put in by our State Recovery Task Force to make this tool possible and to support the tool into the future.”
Colorado is proactively setting up systems to help combat the impact from natural disasters, and provide more information and resources when disasters do strike.
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