One of the best things we can do immediately after a disaster is to provide support strategies that promote safety, comfort and help. The Australian Psychological Society (APS) identifies five key elements in providing immediate support for disaster victims including:

1.promoting a sense of safety and control
2.helping people contact friends and loved ones, and connecting families
3.assisting people to get the help they need while encouraging them to get involved in their own recovery
4.allowing survivors to have their own reaction, and
5.instilling hope.

Psychologists at the APS acknowledge that the devastating bush fires that swept across Victoria on the weekend were a highly traumatic experience, and that this experience can lead to a sense of disbelief and disconnection from normal everyday life.

APS President, Professor Bob Montgomery, says "Large numbers of people have had their lives totally disrupted by the fires over the weekend…