Crises in Rural America: Critical Incidents, Trauma and Disasters.

Abstract

Crises in the form of individual events, critical incidents and disasters occur in rural and frontier areas of America just as they do elsewhere. They do have effects on people, and events elsewhere have effects as well. These may occur vicariously (e.g. video reports and pictures from September 11 or hostages in Iraq) and/or they may happen to family, friends or colleagues. This paper outlines some of the crises that can, and do, occur in rural areas. It discusses the crises of war, suicide, school problems, domestic violence, vicarious trauma and disasters (e.g., fires, floods, earthquakes, technological disasters, hurricanes and tornadoes and their effects in rural environments. The roles and activities of different rural responders are briefly addressed.

Sojourners in a New Land: Hope and Adaptive Traditions

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