Standing on the promises: Community-level impacts of a natural disaster

Background/Purpose: For many people in rural North Carolina, their sense of community and identity is intimately linked to the area where they reside. After a natural disaster, how does a community maintain its identity while still recovering from the loss of place? The purpose of this paper is to explore the ways two particular African American communities responded to flooding after Hurricane Floyd, both in terms of rebuilding and reclaiming their identity. Methods: An Action-Oriented Community Diagnosis (AOCD) was conducted with the African American communities in two towns in eastern North Carolina over a seven-month period. Three qualitative data collection methods were used to assess the strengths and challenges facing these communities. These methods were participant observation field notes; semi-structured interviews with community residents and service providers; and secondary data sources such as historical archives and technical documents. Data were analyzed using a transcript-based analysis approach to determine patterns of meaning related to community and identity. Results/Implications: Preliminary findings indicate striking differences in the impacts of a natural disaster on these communities based on age, race, class, and health status. The paper identifies implications for disaster planning, specifically in a rural context, indicating a need for long-term commitment to economic recovery as well as inclusion of mental health services in disaster preparedness plans. By gaining an understanding of the various impacts of a disaster on the identity of these communities, public health officials will be better equipped to respond to future community needs on both local and national levels.