SELECTED SPECIFICS OF CRISIS AND DISASTER PSYCHOLOGY

Abstract

The present study uses the terms disaster, crisis, and emergency, these situations cause threats to life, health, and property. Disasters, crisis, and crisis phenomena, trauma, PTSD are briefly characterised in the study. It also studies vulnerability of intervening rescuers, emphasising post-traumatic care, and crisis intervention as an effective psychosocial support tool for the victims and IRS professionals after the disaster. Based on the content and comparative analysis of relevant information, regulations, available literature, and other sources, the present comprehensive study is prepared for scientific research; other research methods are also used in the study.

The goal of the study was to map the trends in disaster occurrence, analyse the most common form of the disaster, and disaster management techniques relevant to Slovak Republic. In addition, the study presents selected crisis intervention techniques used by rescue professionals during a disaster.

The study mapped the disasters in Presov region in the Slovak Republic in 2020. It was found that the number of floods during the period increased from 147 to 389 compared to 2019. The Presov region in the territory of Slovakia is a disaster-prone area, frequently hit by disasters. The most common disaster affecting the region is the flood. In further studies, the authors are interested in analysing the occupational hazards of firefighters and police officers. The "Guidelines: psychosocial support for uniformed workers," the first European directive for providing effective psychosocial support to the rescuing paramedics after disasters, terrorism, and other emergencies, are considered important for the study. Psychologists from the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic actively provide crisis intervention, "post-traumatic intervention teams" have been established in the Slovak Republic using CISM (Critical Incident Stress Management) baseline methodology.