As natural hazards increase in frequency and severity, local governments play a crucial role in responding, minimizing damage, and hastening recovery. Local preparation is critical, but formal plans and real time actions do not always align. Through interviews with stakeholders and emergency management personnel in Iowa, this article explains the creativity and agility demonstrated in disaster response. Effective response requires in-the-moment innovation. When disasters strike, emergency responders regularly deviate from prepared plans and draw on unscripted networks and relationships to respond. The findings highlight the need for careful planning and the flexibility to innovate when disasters occur.
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