For Mental Health and Human Services Workers
in Major Disasters

SURVIVORS' NEEDS AND REACTIONS

Floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, hazardous materials accidents, terrorist acts, and transportation accidents cause many similar and predictable reactions. While there may be specific disaster-related stressors, underlying concerns and needs are consistent. These are:

A concern for basic survival

Grief over loss of loved ones and loss of valued and meaningful possessions

Fear and anxiety about personal safety and the physical safety of loved ones

Sleep disturbances, often including nightmares and imagery from the disaster

Concerns about relocation and the related isolation or crowded living conditions

A need to talk about events and feelings associated with the disaster, often repeatedly

A need to feel one is a part of the community and its recovery efforts

In the days and weeks after a disaster, the most common types of problems encountered are problems in living. These might include transportation problems, unemployment, loss of child care, inadequate temporary accommodations, inability to locate a missing loved one, filling prescriptions, lost eyeglasses, difficulty applying for disaster relief loans, or public health concerns. Disaster workers often find that as they assist a survivor with the immediate problems at hand, they earn the survivor's trust and are told about his or her unique struggles and emotions.

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