In a natural disaster situation the predominent experience is confusion. It occurs because disastrous events, by their very nature, disrupt the expected familiar pattern of life. The physical environment is usually drastically altered; sometimes it is almost unrecognizable. Death, injury or the threat of them, introduce new and powerful experiences of danger. Evacuation and the influx of combatant and relief workers, replace ordered and familiar community life with a disoriented, emotional mass of people.

In this, as in any situation of confusion, people fall back on what is familiar, to orient themselves. This means they may not immediately recognise what is new and unique to the disaster. They tend to focus on definite, tangible problems. The ovewhelming physical needs are quite rightly the first to be addressed. Many physical requirements have to be met in a matter of hours. When concentrating on providing necessary services, it is difficult to be understanding of the new personal and community responses that take place.

The fires of Ash Wednesday, 1983 have been a significant turning-point in the history of disaster management concepts and practices in Australia. Disaster recovery management has been identified as an important area of management in its own right, containing complex and prolonged programs and activities and requiring the participation of the affected community and involvement from the wide community.

Recovery from disaster is no longer seen merely in terms of response and relief activities, or as a physical process of reconstruction. It is an enabling and supportive process, which allows individuals, families and communities to attain a proper level of functioning through the provision of information, resources and specialist services.

Understanding of what constitutes a disaster has altered over time in accordance with changing notions of cause and effects. The “Black Death” which swept Europe was then regarded as inevitable, with some religious groups descibing it as “An Act of God”. Perception of disaster has moved from an emphasis on the physical effects of an event, such as cyclone, fire or chemical explosion, to a perception that the extent of deleterious effects is predominately a social issue.

“Sociologically, a disaster is an event, located in time and space, that produces conditions whereby the continuity of the structure and processes of social units becomes problematic. Disaster agents may differ as to their cause, frequency, controllability, speed and onset, length of forewarning, duration, scope of impact and destructive potential” (Dynes, 1975).

The disruption of disasters and the protracted recovery period following, can cause a variety of problems in the longer term. The authors identify a number of problems from clinical work with bushfire-affected families, including deterioration in the general fabric of family life, disruption of children's developmental pathways, reactivation of past traumatic experiences, and changes in self-concept and identity. The community context of assistance is emphasised.

Following the Ash Wednesday bushfires of 1983 it became apparent that communities affected by the fires would require additional resources and support at a local level in the task of helping people recover from disaster. Since experience has shown that communities recover best when they are able to plan and manage their own recovery, the State Government accepted a recommendation of the Department of Community Services, to fund through Local Government the short -term appointment of Community Development Officers, who would be responsible to the Area Co-ordinationg Committee. These individuals would be members of the affected communities with particular skils in helping people, families and the community to gain access to the information, resources, services and supports they would need.

In New South Wales, the State Disaster Welfare Plan provides the structure for disaster relief and the co-ordination of both government and non-government bodies. The plan provides for a Personal Services and Welfare Information subcommittee in each regional or local area, responsible for assistance to individuals, groups and communities. This can be of a personal (e.g. counselling, referral) and information (e.g. dissemination, publicity, meetings) nature. Separate subcommittees are responsible for accommodation, clothing, catering and registration in the immediate post-disaster phase.

The New South Wales Government also provides assistance to families who have suffered material losses in bushfires or floods, though a Relief Scheme, administered by the Department of Youth and Community Services and the Bushfire/Flood Relief Committee. The department is divided into ten regions throughout the state.

This article first appreared in “The Macedon Digest”, Volume 1, No. 3, September 1986. Published by the Australian Counter Disaster College, Mt. Macedon, Victoria.