Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the results of food environment assessments completed after Hurricane Florence in North Carolina (2018) and Hurricane María in Puerto Rico (2017), and provide recommendations for assessing disaster food environments. Methods: Adapted structured observation protocols were used to conduct rapid assessments of the availability, price, and quality of specific foods in retail markets. Results: In both settings, unhealthful food items (soda, chips, fruit-flavored drinks) and milk were widely available and at lower prices than domestic averages. The adapted instrument in Puerto Rico allowed for documentation of greater availability of canned items compared with fresh or frozen foods. In both settings, researchers noted the inability of the instrument to document items that are important to assess postdisaster: ready-to-heat and ready-to-eat foods; food preparation facilities and supplies; hygiene supplies; and empty shelf-space. Conclusions: The instruments, despite their limitations, were able to capture food availability issues in postdisaster environments. Future instrument adaptation is necessary to capture availability of all major food groups, healthful and unhealthful options, shelf-stable, ready-to-eat, and ready-to-heat foods versus other formats (fresh, frozen), and cooking and hygiene supplies.

Many concrete masonry unit (CMU) block homes have been constructed recently in Thoman, Haiti using volunteer labor under the supervision of But God Ministries. The average cost of construction is $5,000 per home and is dependent on availability and willingness of volunteer labor. Thoman's landscape is covered in loose rocks, largely due to dried up river beds. A sustainable home design which utilizes this abundantly available resource could drive down construction cost and reduce the need for volunteer labor. Gabion walls are wirework containers filled with rock or rubble. Though they are typically used in the construction of dams and retaining walls, they have successfully been used to construct other various structures including structural foundations (Liu, 2012), commercial construction (Conti, 2016) and residential applications in developing countries (Potangaroa, 2013). This research includes the physical construction of an L-shaped wall to determine the effectiveness and feasibility of constructing gabion homes in Thoman, Haiti. The physical wall model consists of a 2-foot wide by 6-inch deep concrete foundation, 8-foot tall wall cages of 10-gauge concrete reinforcing mesh with 6-inch by 6-inch openings, No. 1 aggregate wall infill, and stucco finish on both sides. The total length of wall is 16-feet, with one 10-foot leg and one 6-foot leg. Scaled models of three different roof structures were constructed and analyzed to determine which material systems would best serve the intended purpose for the gabion home design. The roof systems tested include wood frame, angle iron frame, and PVC frame, each of which was topped with corrugated metal roof panels. Two methods were tested for airflow which include corrugated plastic panels and mesh screens. The research findings suggest that chicken wire should be added to the proposed design to serve as a liner for the gabion baskets. The added wire helps secure smaller river rock and provides additional surface area for stucco adherence. The recommended cement to sand mixture for stucco was found to be 1:1. The angle iron framed roof proved to be the most effective of the three roof systems tested because of its availability, strength, and durability. Finally, the mesh screens were chosen to be the most effective roof ventilation method as it was shown to provide more airflow through the structure. Future research should analyze the strength and lifecycle of the final proposed design and evaluate alternate roof systems.