Introduction: Human Service Organizations and Disasters

Abstract

Disasters affect human societies at a profound level. Whether “natural” or more clearly anthropogenic (human-caused), disasters tend to involve a sudden event and a long-lasting devastating aftermath that interferes with the everyday functioning of large groups of people. Large environmental disasters frequently disrupt access to basic resources and utilities, such as water and food supplies, power networks, wastewater systems, roading (transport), communication technologies, and housing. The efforts of workers from civil defense, police, fire brigade, armed forces, urban search and rescue teams, Red Cross and Red Crescent, and other local and international emergency services are very visible following disasters.