Disaster may be defined as an unexpected and sudden occurrence of a natural catastrophe or an accident that destroys property, injury, or loss of life. Such events trigger the psychological and social responses and in turn, open the door for many misconceptions. There has been a debate on whether the victims and people involved in disaster response should believe them or not. The first myth in a disaster is mass panic (Heide, 2004). This misconception involves widespread fear that is irrational and exaggerated which makes a large number of people escape or engage in unrestrained behaviours. However, the crowd must not always experience mass panic as there are a number of people who can face the disaster without much fear. It is also possible to control people and make them act or respond in a more organized manner.
The second myth about disaster response is civil disorder. The misconception spread is that as several people are gripped by fear and confusion, they may engage in unlawful activities like looting and riots thus worsening the situation. This is not always the case as the majority of people respond to such emergencies out of goodwill (Nogami, 2018). For instance, well-wishers salvaging properties may be thought to be looters which might not be the case. Lastly, people have a misconception of external assistance as the only option during emergencies. In reality, the first source of help should be among the victims who are mildly affected by the disaster. They can carry out the evacuation, donate blood and other forms of assistance to those severely affected. The internal response also ensures that the situation is contained as fast as possible as compared to waiting for external assistance. In conclusion, there exist several misconceptions common among them being mass panic, civil disorder, and state of helplessness during emergencies. Such myths may worsen the situation and hinder the proper response.
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References
Heide, E. A. Der. (2004). Common Misconceptions about disasters: Panic, the “Disaster Syndrome,” and Looting. In The First 72 Hours: A Community Approach to Disaster Preparedness .
Nogami, T. (2018). Disaster myths among disaster response professionals and the source of such misconceptions. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management . https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-5973.12218
