ABSTRACT
Disasters, often being sudden-onset and destructive events, produce unpredictable consequences that frequently lead to the separation of family members. People mention that separation from family members is one of the most stressful aspects of such events. Hazards may restrict physical access to an area, both during the threat period and afterwards due to the loss of transport infrastructure (e.g., roads), and communications may be disrupted directly or indirectly through loss of power. As a result of this disruption to people’s ability to communicate with each other, many emergency management systems recognize the importance of reuniting families separated by disaster, and therefore provide a means for people to reunite (e.g., Safe and Well operated by the American Red Cross). 2 The term “reunification” is commonly used in the emergency sector. In this chapter, it refers to the point when someone becomes aware of their family member’s status and whereabouts (e.g., through phone contact, word of mouth, Internet, face-to-face, or through the Red Cross); it does not necessarily involve being brought together in the same physical location. Despite the rationale for reunification services being supportive for people’s wellbeing, there is little empirical evidence relating to the short-and longer-term psychosocial impact of separation from family members during and immediately after a disaster event.
