NDIN Tip Sheet: Disaster Basics for Faith Communities

After a disaster, the needs of your congregants will grow dramatically. Some who have neglected their spiritual lives will return to their faith, while others will seek meaning for the first time. Boundaries of separate faith traditions will be blurred as the whole community seeks not only solace, but also concrete services. As a religious leader, responding to these complex issues in a truly meaningful and helpful way requires knowledge. This tip sheet presents the basic concepts and terms, as well as the structure of the disaster lifecycle.