Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Santiam Canyon Long Term Recovery Group? Why is it needed?
Disaster brings out the best of humankind in immediate response. Communities see an outpouring of donations, volunteers, and financial support. But often, soon after the cameras leave, the full ladder of recovery is forgotten by those who don’t have to climb it. Donations cease and the world moves on right when survivors need the most help. Recovering from a federally declared disaster, like the wildfires our region saw in September of 2020, is not a quick and easy process. If everything goes right, it can take 5-10 years. With a lack of support it can take closer to 30 years, or never fully happen.
The short-term relief needs of survivors of wildfires are well known: food, water and shelter. But very seldom are aware that the needs of survivor grow with time, not shrink. The onset of disaster caused trauma can push back even the smallest of recovery goals by years. The journey is complicated and stressful, so it’s very important to have an organization dedicated to meeting the needs of survivors until every family is home.
That’s where the Long Term Recovery Group comes in: we are the coordinated wildfire recovery network for the Santiam Canyon. We not only enlist our own board of directors, full-time recovery manager, and active subcommittees, but we connect organizations and individuals across all sectors in a united mission to heal our canyon.
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The LTRG ties together organizations and individuals from all sectors: from national to regional to local, from public to private to non-profit. Our strong partnerships foster a complete recovery network with diverse resources and perspectives. Visit our partners page to see who is around the table. Contact us if you are interested in joining.
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Although our website and social media platforms launched in November of 2021, the LTRG has been active in collaborations since March of 2021. It takes time to gather and organize a network of assistance, and we are honored to be serving our communities when they need it most. Check out our newsroom to see what we have been up to recently.
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There are lots of ways to you can support recovery efforts in the Santiam Canyon: donate financially, volunteer outdoors, or even join our network of organizations and individuals actively working within the LTRG.
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All disasters begin and end locally. Visit our recovery resources page to get connected with disaster recovery resources within the Santiam Canyon.