How people really behave in disasters
This weekend’s light reading: Principles of Emergency Planning and Management, by one David Alexander of the University of Massachussetts. Amid chapters covering such recondite matters as emergency cartography, how many people can be carried lying down by a range of transport helicopters and what a triage tag looks like (this), there’s an intriguing section about myths and misassumptions about disasters, often perpetuated by the news media. For example:
Myth – When disaster strikes, panic is a common reaction.
Reality – Most people behave rationally in disaster. Although panic is not to be ruled out entirely, it is of such limited importance that some leading disaster sociologists regard is as insignificant or unlikely.
Myth – Looting is a common and serious problem after disasters.
Reality – The phenomenon of looting is rare and limited in scope. It mainly occurs when there are strong preconditions (i.e. a disaster is hardly necessary to start it off), as when a community is already deeply divided.
Myth – Disasters usually give rise to spontaneous manifestations of antisocial behaviour.
Reality – Generally, they are characterized by great social solidarity, generosity and self-sacrifice, perhaps even heroism.