Eliza Binns

Annotated Bibliography

Drury, J., Cocking, C., Reicher, S. (2008, August 26). Everyone for themselves? A comparative

study of crowd solidarity among emergency survivors. The British Psychological Society.

Retrieved from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/4c52/8ddeccef61d8408c

4a33f976019f496f0181.pdf

This study analyzes the possibility of “mass panic” as well as the “strength of pre-
existing social bonds” in crowd behavior following emergencies. By examining case studies of
previous disasters and interviews with 21 disaster survivors, this study is able to determine the
impact that a shared identity in an emergency crowd enhances solidarity among them, as well as
reduced the panic behavior that follows catastrophes. Additionally, it goes into detail about how
a shared identity can arise from the shared experience of the emergency itself, helping to both
those affected so that they can heal more adequately in a unified manner. Through the use of
qualitative descriptions of such occurrences, quantitative analyses, 21 interviews with survivors,
and 11 case studies of previous emergencies, this article can be used to examine the effect of
unity among a suffering community in order to best heal them, as well as examining the “mass
panic” that may often be the cause of post-disaster stress and emotional unrest. This can be
helpful for determining the best way for a community to recover, as well as tips and strategies for
avoiding the catastrophe that often follows disasters and brings about further chaos.

FEMA (n.d.) Coping with disaster. Retrieved from https://www.fema.gov/coping-disaster#

This article goes into detail about symptoms and signs of post-disaster stress. While
acknowledging the emotional toll that disasters may bring to victims, it also confirms the idea
that this stress is often “more devastating than the financial strains of damage and loss of home,
business, or personal property.” Additionally, it gives basic information on what one that is
suffering from post-disaster stress may be feeling emotionally, while giving various examples of
symptoms and signs of those that are suffering. These signs range from behavioral (poor work
performance, difficulty concentrating, low threshold of frustration, insomnia), to biological
(headaches, stomach problems, depression/sadness, colds or flu-like symptoms). While these
signs vary across a broad spectrum, this article also gives information on how to handle such
stress to relieve these symptoms. The advice given in this article is more along the lines of self-
help, however. Though there may be links to resources such as a FEMA hotline for disaster
victims, most of the ways listed for easing post-disaster stress consists of advice for the victim to
improve their quality of life by staying active, and not placing any guilt on themselves. This
source may be used to understand the full effects of post-disaster stress, as well as examining the
emotional support that FEMA offers to disaster victims. However, while there are tips for what
these victims can do for themselves, there is little information available about what FEMA does
directly for those victims to support them emotionally.

FEMA (2014). FEMA strategic plan 2014-2018 [PDF]. Retrieved from

https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/14057164547953abe60aec989ecce

518c4cdba67722b8/July18FEMAStratPlanDigital508HiResFINALh.pdf

This document can be used to analyze the strategic plan for all natural disasters. Every
detail from how FEMA will organize the recovery, to their participation with local communities
has been outlines in this document. It mentions what is required of employees to ensure that the
organization remains as effective and safety oriented as possible. There are also several key
priorities that are mentioned and gone into to detail in the document. These strategies are also
used to plan every detail that must be thought over when planning catastrophe recovery. All of
the tactical necessities that are required for disaster management are gone into in this document.
However, it mentions specific catastrophes very little. Other than the brief mention of flood
insurance, everything is very vague as to how they will handle each disaster differently.
However, despite the limited debriefing on specific disasters, this document proves to be very
useful in understanding how emergency organizations function and what is required of them.
While describing their emergency efforts, FEMA’s strategic plan also emphasizes how other
organizations assist in recovery efforts. This is helpful to understand how the community as a
whole is supported through disaster. FEMA repeatedly does so to emphasize their efforts in
working side-by-side local and community leaders and organizations. Ultimately, this is the
perfect source for discovering the anatomy of a true relief effort.

Ford, J. (2012, November 02). How to recover from disaster. Psychology Today. Retrieved from

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/hijacked-your-brain/201211/how-recover-

disaster

This source outlines 3 helpful tips for reducing stress following the event of a natural
disaster or some other sort of traumatic experience. The first step being the process of identifying
the swarm of emotions that one is experiencing. By ignoring one’s stress and fear, it will only
prolong the healing process and make it more difficult to navigate back towards one’s everyday
life. The second step to recovery, is being able to pause and think. By examining what “is most
important to you in your life right now,” people that are suffering from emotional trauma
following a disaster can find a way to divert their focus by concentrating on things they have
control over. This feeling of control often ceases the alarm signals in the brain to calm their
nerves and allow them to reevaluate their purpose in their life. This action also helps to divert
one’s attention away from the most pressing problems that are more than likely the cause of this
post-disaster stress. The third step is to keep track of one’s levels of stress reactions over the next
days and weeks. By doing this, it is helpful for one to recognize when their stress levels rise even
when they know they are safe. If this occurs, one can actively identify the signs of their stress
and work back towards a calmer and more relaxed state. The steps mentioned in this article are
helpful for both those that are suffering, as well as those they know someone who may be
struggling. By identifying the signs of post-disaster stress, one can actively work their way back
towards their previous life by working to reduce their stress.

Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkley (2018). Compassion Definition. Retrieved from

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/compassion/definition#what-is

This article goes into detail about the definition of compassion and why it is important for
human connection. It is described as literally meaning “to suffer together.” This applies to the
recovery of a struggling community following the wrath of a natural disaster. The term that many
may consider to be “touchy-feeling or irrational” has recently been researched through its “deep
evolutionary purpose.” The links embedded into the page allow the reader to go into more detail
about the different biological and emotional aspects of compassion and their importance.
However, Greater Good Magazine does not simply stop at the definition of the emotion. There
are separate tabs on the website that provides details on why it is important to practice the idea of
compassion and further explanations into how to cultivate in one’s life. Additionally, the article
provides more information about compassion through the several videos that are included of
professionals expressing the evolutionary roots of it as well as how it can be useful. This article
will be helpful for one studying the force compassion and empathy play in natural disasters by
understanding what they really are. The information provided by Greater Good Science Center at
UC Berkley offers the strong foundation needed to be able to accurately discuss the role of
compassion in creating an emotional connect necessary to more holistically heal a suffering
community.

Harwood, A. (2017, November 7). The trauma after the storm. Scientific American. Retrieved

from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-trauma-after-the-storm/

This article acknowledges the emotional trauma that may come about from the wreckage
caused by natural disasters. Though these communities are often in need of physical relief
following such a catastrophe, it is also important to not neglect the emotional relief that they
require as well. Additionally, this article confirms the fact that the solidarity that community
members experience as they collectively work together to rebuild their homes has the potential to
improve their lives following the disaster as it helps to diffuse the PTSD that may be affecting
them. This source goes on to refer to how PTSD comes about through a natural disaster whether
it is due to an increased economic burden, the loss of loved ones, or even the physical damage
evident in their home towns. The necessity for mental health clean up to begin following the
administration of relief to the most urgent needs such as housing and emergency medical care is
also mentioned, confirming the importance of relief efforts in that they holistically heal their
communities. This article also goes into detail about the levels of psychological support that is
administered to PTSD Disaster victims throughout time. These levels of emotional support can
be used to identify the effectiveness of current disaster relief efforts in providing the adequate
mental health care necessary to disaster victims.

Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) (2007). IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and

Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings. Geneva: IASC. Retrieved from

http://www.who.int/mental_health/emergencies/guidelines_iasc_mental_health_psychoso

cial_june_2007.pdf

This document sets the foundation for the how the Inter-Agency Standing Committee will
protect and improve the mental health and psychosocial well-being of those affected by an
emergency with detrimental effects. In a time full of turmoil and catastrophe, coordination
between citizens and organizations may lack causing anything other than immediate physical
repairs to go unnoticed. This document outlines different approaches to improving mental health
in disaster victims and provides the psychosocial support to assist in the recovery of those with
PTSD from the damage of their community. Throughout these guidelines, there are tips for
creating effective communication, discovering useful practices, identifying harmful practices as
well as clarifying various approached to mental health and psychosocial support that complement
each other. By reviewing these tactics, one can search for them in the current tactics used by the
Red Cross and FEMA to establish their efficiency and productivity in their ability to provide
adequate emotional support to those that may be suffering.

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (n.d.). Disaster and crisis

management. Retrieved from http://www.ifrc.org/en/what-we-do/disaster-management/

This article may be very useful in understanding the actual anatomy of a disaster relief
effort. The Red Cross provides information on all stages of a relief effort, from risk reduction
and mitigation to recovery and shelter. In fact, included in this article is the more official aspects
of a relief effort including disaster law, and humanitarian logistics. Though it is not all included
into one article, and navigation proves to be difficult in order to find all of the information, the
level of complexity of the information provided within the site is very useful. There are even
examples of past operations that can be used to understand what works and what doesn’t. This
will be helpful when analyzing the role that empathy plays in successful recovery operations. In
addition, provided in this article is more nitty-gritty details about recovery operations that will be
purposeful when dissecting what parts of a relief effort are more successful than others, and why.
Overall, this may be the most useful article in understanding what goes into disaster management
and how successful it is.

Strauss, C. (2018). When to give: the four phases of disaster relief. Retrieved from

https://www.fidelitycharitable.org/giving-strategies/disaster-relief/disaster-relief.shtml

This source focuses a lot on how to give to an organization supporting a community that
recently encountered a natural disaster of some sort, and where to focus those donations.
However, despite the details it goes into about donations and monetary support, the article also
goes into great detail about the different stages of a relief effort. Included in the article there is a
chart describing each stage of recovery. Out of these 4 stages, they start immediately following
the disaster and continue into the far future for the community. It also goes over everything from
time frame, goal, services provided, as well as the media coverage for each stage. This article can
be used to understand the foundation of how a relief effort is operated and how they change
overtime as the situation of the recovering community changes as well. For the most imperative
stages, 1 and 2, there is even more detail as to how they operate and where the money comes
from to implement these stages. This can be useful when examining the financial aspects of such
relief efforts and how they get immediate money to provide support right away. Overall, this
article and especially the chart provided within it serve as a good foundation to understanding the
mechanics of a relief effort and what is needed throughout each stage of recovery.
The IFRC Psychosocial Programme (2016). Psychosocial Support 2016-2020 Strategic

Operational Framework [PDF]. Retrieved from http://pscentre.org/wp-content/uploads

/Psychosocial-Support-SOF-2016-2020-FINAL.pdf.

This document provides all information on how exactly the IFRC handles the need for
emotional support both within the victims of various natural disasters, as well as the staff and
volunteers. Included within are outlines for handling emotional distress and the relief those
suffering may be provided. Just as many other documents from various organizations contain
strategic priorities, this too has its priorities listed out including their plan for reaching their
goals, as well as measurable ways to determine if their organization has been successful. This
document may be useful to determine exactly how the Red Cross views the need for emotional
support and what services are offered to provide such support. Additionally, it outlines their
interpretation of Psychosocial Support and what it entails and the toll it takes on those being
affect by it. With having this information, one can continue to search for other signs of
psychosocial support in various other organizations to understand the full effect of the support
being offered. Additionally, by analyzing the Psychosocial Center to look for its pros and cons,
one can determine how successful this organization is in holistically healing various
communities through providing this emotional support.