Adequate responses to disasters and emergency situations rely, among other factors, on coping abilities in disaster workers and emergency personnel. In this study, different aspects of disaster-related stressors and training/experience were investigated in Norwegian personnel (n = 581) mobilised for the 2004 tsunami disaster. The level of stress reactions, measured nine to ten months after the tsunami, was relatively low in this sample, indicating that the personnel coped well with the challenges of the disaster. The level of intrusive memories was higher in disaster-area personnel (n = 335) than in home-base personnel (n = 246). Stress reactions were significantly associated with witnessing experiences (disaster-area group) and with having to reject victims in need of help (both groups). Specific preparation for the mission was associated with a lower level of stress reactions in disaster-area personnel. Such factors may be considered in training and preparation programmes for disaster workers.

This study examines parents' perceptions of how the 2004 SouthEast Asia tsunami has affected themselves and their families. The families were all on vacation in an area affected by the tsunami. Parents traveling with children aged 6-18 were first interviewed approximately 10 months after the tsunami and again 2.5 years after. The results indicate that experiencing the tsunami influenced family relations (sense of cohesion was strengthened many families, and family members showed each other increased care), family values (families had become less materialistic and were more oriented toward enhancing human relations), and daily routines and activities (families made practical changes in their daily lives to accommodate the needs of individual family members after the tsunami). A few parents experienced an elevation of conflict, indicating the importance of communicating about the experience. For the most part, these changes remained stable at 2.5 years.