The First 30 Days of Recovery: What Actually Matters
The cameras leave.
The response team starts winding down.
The adrenaline fades.
And then it hits you:
This recovery thing is going to be way harder than anyone’s letting on.
If you’re leading a local government, nonprofit, or recovery-focused agency, the first month after a disaster is one of the most disorienting stretches you’ll face. You’re expected to look confident while flying blind. You’re being asked for plans when you still don’t know what you’re dealing with. And no one is coming to just take it off your plate.
So what actually matters in those first 30 days?
What should you be focused on when there’s too much to do, not enough clarity, and no time to waste?
Here’s what we’ve learned from working in disaster recovery across the country: you don’t need to have all the answers—you need to start building the system that will carry you through.
Stop Trying to Look Like You Have It All Figured Out
Let’s get this out of the way:
No one has it all figured out in the first month. Not FEMA. Not the state. Not your peers. And definitely not your recovery lead—especially if they just got handed the title.
Trying to “look like you’ve got it under control” often leads to bad decisions:
Overcommitting to things you can’t deliver
Focusing on visibility instead of traction
Skipping over foundational setup to get to flashy solutions
Instead, focus on clarity, coordination, and small wins.
The real goal is to start laying the groundwork for everything that comes next.
What Actually Matters in the First 30 Days
Here’s what you can and should focus on in that chaotic first month.
1. Stand Up a Basic Recovery Structure
You don’t need a fully staffed recovery office.
But you do need a small team or designated lead with the time, authority, and breathing room to start organizing recovery operations.
Give them:
A space to operate (yes, even if it’s a folding table in a back room)
The mandate to coordinate across departments
Support from leadership to start making decisions
If you wait until the “perfect team” is hired or the grant comes through, you’ll lose critical momentum.
2. Get a Working Picture of What Broke
You don’t need a 100-page assessment to start recovery.
You need a living document that captures:
What systems are down or overwhelmed (housing, infrastructure, nonprofits, permitting, communications, etc.)
What’s already underway
What’s missing
Who’s involved and who’s still needed
Keep it simple. This isn’t for public consumption—it’s your internal compass.
3. Start Tracking Needs and Gaps
Create a system—any system—that lets you track:
What residents are asking for
What partners are offering
Where the disconnects are
You’ll refine it later. But getting this tracker in place now lets you avoid duplicating services, miscommunicating needs, or missing key opportunities.
4. Set the Tone for Coordination
Hold a regular meeting. Invite local partners—nonprofits, agencies, departments, maybe a few funders.
Don’t try to solve everything.
Just ask:
What are you seeing?
What’s working?
Where are the gaps?
This single rhythm, if maintained, can become the foundation for long-term coordination. And if no one else is doing it, you can.
5. Communicate (Even When You Don’t Have All the Info)
Silence breeds frustration. Even if you don’t have updates, saying “We’re working on it, and here’s what we’re trying to figure out” builds credibility.
Pick one or two channels and stick with them—whether it’s a daily email, a town hall, or a Facebook post.
The goal is not perfection. The goal is transparency, consistency, and trust.
6. Find a Few Early Wins
You’re not going to solve housing or debris management in the first month.
But you can get people into temporary housing.
You can launch a local recovery hotline or one-stop info center.
You can start reimbursing nonprofits for emergency costs.
You can stand up a cross-agency permitting team.
Small, tangible wins matter more than perfect plans.
They give your team momentum. They show the public you’re serious. And they help you build capacity while building trust.
What Doesn’t Matter in the First 30 Days
Let’s be clear about what to set aside for now:
Comprehensive long-term plans – You’ll need one, but don’t start there. Build your system first.
High-production communications – A Canva post or spreadsheet beats a slick press release if it gets people the info they need.
Chasing every funding stream – Focus on what’s needed most now and what you can actually implement.
Trying to please everyone – You won’t. Lead anyway.
Your Job Isn’t to Solve Everything—It’s to Set the Recovery in Motion
The first month sets the tone for everything that follows.
Not because you fix everything—but because you start building the system that will carry recovery forward.
If you can:
Create a structure
Surface the biggest gaps
Begin coordinating with others
And deliver one or two visible early wins
…you’re doing your job.
And you’re doing it well.
Final Thought: Start Small. Stay Honest. Build Systems That Last.
No one expects perfection in the first 30 days.
But what you do now shapes what will be possible in month six, year one, and beyond.
Start with what’s real.
Communicate what you know.
Build systems that can grow.
That’s how recovery gets traction—and how you avoid burning out before the real work even begins.
Want to go deeper?
Explore our full training catalog for tools and lessons that help you build real recovery systems—starting from day one.
