Post-Hurricane Recovery Process: Analysis of the Public and Subject Matter Experts' Perspectives Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM)

The increase in the number of hurricanes in recent years has impacted the affected communities in various ways, and the delays so often experienced by governors and federal authorities continue to be a significant issue. The direct impacts of the post-hurricane barriers on the recovery's duration are frequently exacerbated by the impacts that some of the barriers have on each other, which can intensify their negative effects and lead to further delays. The aims of this study were to (1) investigate the relationships among the barriers to timely post-hurricane recovery, and (2) identify the extent to which the barriers and their interactions affect the timeliness of the recovery process according to experts' and the public's perspectives. A survey was developed to determine the impacts of 62 barriers that were identified as hindering timely post-hurricane recovery. Based on the collected data, two interrelated networks of the post-hurricane recovery barriers were developed, using the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. The impacts of potential barriers on the duration of the recovery after hurricanes were analyzed, and the model based on the experts' perspectives showed that coordination-related post-hurricane recovery barriers have the most major impacts on the length of the recovery. The model based upon the public's perspectives indicated that social-related post-hurricane recovery barriers have the most impact on the duration of the restoration. This study will help post-disaster recovery planners understand the differences between the public's and experts' perspectives so that they can develop recommendations and strategies to prevent unnecessary delays.