After the fires:  looking to the future using the lessons from the past

McFarlane, Alexander C; Raphael, Beverley

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2009.tb02413.x

Topics

Victims of previous disasters have helped us learn much that can help those suffering now

The horror and tragedy of the recent Victorian bushfires have affected all Australians, evoking both compassionate response and practical support. Alongside other members of their communities, doctors, nurses and other health professionals have all been directly affected, experiencing horrendous threats to life, loss, grief, and dislocation from their homes and way of life.

1 Centre for Military and Veterans’ Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA.
2 Academic Unit of Psychological Medicine, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT.

Correspondence: alexander.mcfarlane@adelaide.edu.au

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