A Plan for Minimizing Psychiatric Casualties in a Disaster

South Carolina's Columbia Area Mental Health Center, in cooperation with the local office of civil defense, has developed a detailed plan for dealing with psychiatric casualties in the event of disaster. The plan calls for the center to operate as an information and communications center on disaster casualties, to provide a site for reuniting families and a haven for Uninjured survivors, and to give immediate counseling or treatment to those in distress or shock. The center's involvement has stimulated requests for consultation and training from other agencies, and the extensive publicity has increased awareness among agency personnel and the general public of the concept of prevention in mental health.