Emergencies, whether natural (such as bushfires, floods, storms or earthquakes) or non-natural (such as chemical incidents, transport accidents or major criminal acts of violence), can occur in any community without warning.
When emergencies occur, people mobilise quickly to assist those affected. A range of government agencies, as well as municipalities and community groups, are always quick to respond to the hazard, rescue people, treat the injured and control the immediate consequences of the event.
Afterwards, people affected by the emergency may face complex issues that require advice and assistance. Many people will recover from the effects of an emergency with little assistance. Others will turn to friends and family for advice and assistance, and some may need formal services.
Travelling the road to recovery – video series
In this series, disaster psychologist, Dr Rob Gordon discusses some of the emotions and emotional stages you may experience after an emergency, and suggests strategies to manage these feelings throughout your recovery. See the Travelling the road recovery page to view the videos.
Emergency management training program
We offer a range of training courses for people working in the health and human services sector.
You can view course profiles and register for courses online from our Emergency management training page.
Responding to the media – a guide for affected people
There is enormous public and media interest in any major disaster or emergency. The media focus particular attention on the personal experiences of those affected. Many people will be happy to share their experiences with the media but other people would prefer not to discuss their experiences.
The Responding to media guide has a number of suggestions for your consideration. This guide provides some useful tips in responding to the media for those affected by trauma.