ABSTRACT
Children and their families confront a changed world after a disaster. The child's world becomes a mass of confusion, possibly filled with destruction and the loss of objects that have served as a primary source of stability. Often the child's first sight of this changed world is the presence of emergency services personnel engaged in rescue operations, digging out the rubble, barricading damaged areas, searching for injured and deceased victims, and locating and reuniting family members . The children also see police and firefighters carrying out immediate rescue and safety tasks, and utility personnel working at reestablishing services . The presence of these strangers is both frightening and reassuring. For days or weeks after a disaster, the family's world remains disorganized, with the disruption of normal daily routines such work and school and uncertain mail delivery, telecommunications, and television reception.
