Trauma-Informed Disaster & Emergency Response
Trauma-Informed Disaster & Emergency Response
A substantial portion of the population carries a history of direct or indirect trauma—events and
circumstances that leave lasting marks on physical, emotional, and cognitive functioning. Trauma
fundamentally alters how individuals perceive risk, process authority, and navigate crises,
frequently manifesting as heightened emotional reactivity, hypervigilance, and deep-seated
mistrust toward emergency responders and public health officials.