Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Role Of The Media And Communication In Recovery From Natural Disasters: A Case Study Of The Canberra 'Firestorm' And Its Aftermath 2003-2007, Susan Nicholls, Jolyon Sykes, Peter J. Camilleri

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The enormous tragedy of bushfires with significant loss of life, destruction of property, and differential recovery resulting in community division-that is, 'cleavage planes'-has become an all too common feature of the Australian experience. Research on the communication aspects of emergencies has tended to focus on preparedness and response with little in-depth analysis of the role of the media and communication strategies relating to the recovery process. In this paper, focusing on the Canberra 'firestorm' of 2003 and the aftermath recovery process, we report on a study seeking survivors' views on the functions of communication in the recovery process. The key …