Easing the mental load

Disorganised thoughts are a normal response to stress and trauma. Flood survivors who experienced this say it led to poor decision-making. Some delayed evacuation or had difficulty managing volunteers during clean up. In the first weeks after a flood, most people only have capacity for very specific questions with ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers. “Would you like lunch? Can I clean out the chook house? Can I get you a trailer or generator?”

Mel Taylor & Barbara Ryan “Would you like lunch? Can I clean out the chook house?’: what flood survivors actually need after disaster strikes” The Conversation October 16, 2022

Helen Wallace (2011) A Flood of Suggestions Report

Image: Hoogley Street, West End, 2011. Credit: Dean Saffron. SLQ.