Learning from Historic Disaster Response: Reviewing Old Lessons on Disaster Mental Health

Abstract

This paper reanalyzes the 1974 Xenia, OH (U.S.) tornado in comparison to the 2013 Moore tornado in light of current theories of disaster mental health and emergency planning and operation. It argues that prior conclusions can be reinterpreted as theoretical perspectives shift. Utilizing archival materials from the 1974 Xenia tornado and original fieldwork following the 2013 Moore, OK (U.S.) tornado, researchers examined 23 boxes of primary documents and interview material and corroborated their understanding of the archival data with the original research report on the 1974 recovery study to test for internal consistency. They then compared those findings to what was observed in the 2013 Moore tornado. While contemporary analysis tended to be critical of the mental health response, owing to a lack of planning, we found that mental health and faith‐based participants repurposed a faltering system to provide a variety of services. An approach similar to what we know today as Psychological First Aid was the preferred approach by community groups responding to disaster in 1974 over the initial medically oriented model of counseling and in Moore in 2013. This shift may point to the efficacy of the approach in meeting community needs.