Coping With Emergencies and Disasters

Emergencies, disasters and infectious diseases, like any life stressor, challenge the way people cope. Whether one learns about them on television or experiences them personally, one can feel upset, fearful and anxious as a result, both for one’s own personal safety as well as that of one’s family, friends and community. Stressful events can also bring up feelings and memories of previous traumatic events thereby compounding the distress that people feel.

In light of this, the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) and its Executive Staff have been involved in the development of various emergency preparedness resources, as well as engaged in various emergency preparedness planning activities (see links on the right).

News!

(Click here to view all archived news postings)

NEW Shooting in Orlando, Florida (June, 2016)

The President of the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA), Dr. David Dozois, and the Chair of the CPA's Section on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, Dr. Karen Blair, offer their profound sympathies to the Orlando community on the recent shootings. Violence and discrimination against people of any culture, religion, ethnicity or sexual identity and orientation are intolerable. As a community of caring and compassionate citizens of the world, we must work together to ensure such acts do not continue to take place. Our thoughts go out to the Florida community of LGBTQ persons, their friends and families as they cope with these tremendous losses. The LGBTQ community, and indeed every community, is diminished. The following resources may be of help in managing distress and coping as relates to the shootings.

CPA resources on coping with natural disasters and emergencies: http://www.cpa.ca/public/emergencies/Resources.

Resources Provided by the American Psychological Association (APA)

Responding to Stressful Events

Additional CPA Resources

Wildfires in Fort McMurray, Alberta (May, 2016)

CPA's thoughts go out to Albertans as they battle the fires in Fort McMurray. Disasters and emergencies, such as the wildfires in Alberta, like any life stressor, challenge the way people cope. Learning about them through media can also be upsetting. Living through events like these can lead one to feel upset, fearful and anxious, both for one’s own personal safety and security, as well as that of one’s family, friends and community. Stressful events can also bring up feelings and memories of previous traumatic events thereby compounding the distress that people feel. The following resources may be of help in managing distress and coping as relates to the fires in Fort McMurray.

CPA resources on coping with natural disasters and emergencies: http://www.cpa.ca/public/emergencies/Resources.

Resources Provided by the American Psychological Association (APA)

Responding to Stressful Events

Violence in Brussels (March 22, 2016)

Members and staff of the Canadian Psychological Association are deeply saddened by the violence that took place in Brussels on March 22, 2016. CPA extends its thoughts to all those impacted by the tragic event.

The following resources may be of help in managing distress and coping with the aftermath of the violence. CPA resources on coping with natural disasters and emergencies: http://www.cpa.ca/public/emergencies/Resources.

Responding to Stressful Events

Shooting in La Loche, Saskatchewan (January 22, 2016)

Members and staff of the Canadian Psychological Association are deeply saddened by the shooting that took place in La Loche, Saskatchewan on January 22, 2016. CPA extends its thoughts to all those impacted by the tragic event.

The following resources may be of help in managing distress and coping with the aftermath of the shooting. CPA resources on coping with natural disasters and emergencies: http://www.cpa.ca/public/emergencies/Resources.

Responding to Stressful Events

Find more information via the CPA's Section on Traumatic Stress.

Shootings in Paris, France (November 13, 2015)

In the aftermath of todays’ shootings in Paris, France, the Canadian Psychological Association extends its thoughts to those impacted by today’s tragic events.

Shooting on Parliament Hill, Ottawa (October 22, 2014)

In the aftermath of todays’ shooting on Parliament Hill, the Canadian Psychological Association extends its thoughts to those impacted by today’s tragic events.

Fire at Seniors Residence in Quebec. (January 2014)

The following resources may be of help in managing distress and coping with the aftermath of the recent fire at a Seniors Residence in Quebec. CPA resources on coping with natural disasters and emergencies: http://www.cpa.ca/public/emergencies/Resources

Other Resources

Train-Bus Collision in Ottawa, ON. (September 2013)

The following resources may be of help in managing distress and coping with the aftermath of the recent train-bus collision in Ottawa, ON. The Canadian Psychological Association extends its thoughts and condolences to those affected by the collision. CPA resources on coping with natural disasters and emergencies: http://www.cpa.ca/public/emergencies/Resources

Train Derailment and Explosion in Lac-Megantic, Quebec. (July 2013)

The following resources may be of help in managing distress and coping with the aftermath of the recent train derailment and explosion in Lac-Megantic, Quebec. CPA resources on coping with natural disasters and emergencies: http://www.cpa.ca/public/emergencies/Resources

Floods in Toronto: Coping with the aftermath. (July 2013)

The following resources may be of help in managing flood-related distress and coping with the aftermath.

CPA resource on coping with natural disasters and emergencies Coping with Concerns in the Aftermath of a Flood: Information for Canadians.

Resources Provided by the American Psychological Association (APA)

Floods in Alberta: coping with the aftermath.(June 2013)

The following resources may be of help in managing flood-related distress and coping with the aftermath. CPA resource on coping with natural disasters and emergencies Coping with Concerns in the Aftermath of a Flood: Information for Canadians.

Resources Provided by the American Psychological Association (APA)