Disaster debris management and the Maine floods of December 2023

Abstract

A major disaster declaration was granted to designated areas in Maine for a severe flood that occurred in December of 2023. The purpose of this research is to examine the disaster debris management in the preparedness, response, and recovery phases of the flood. A purposive sample of emergency management personnel who worked with the debris management participated in structured interviews. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded with NVivo software. Through the two-step process of open and focused coding, four themes were identified. These include debris management planning, resource constraints, home rule, and concerns over more extreme weather events. In several instances, resource constraints inhibited debris management planning opportunities. This research recommends that partnerships be developed between state and local emergency management agencies and academics to assist with grant writing to address resource constraints. Furthermore, coalitions of stakeholders with diverse backgrounds in debris management should be formed to develop guidelines to tailor debris management plans to a given area's needs. The growth in extreme weather events emphasizes the urgency in developing such debris management planning projects.