Civil Defense and bad news

DOI:10.15343/0104-7809.20123617174

Abstract

Civil Defense is a set of preventive and reconstructive actions, in addition to rescuing and caring efforts to minimize natural
disasters and technological incidents, to preserve the morale of the population and restore social normality. These actions
have become more known due to natural disasters, where the major focus in Brazil is related to rains that cause flooding,
overflows, inundations, landslides and destroy the homes of many people, mostly residents of affected areas. The main
objective of Civil Defense is to save lives by reducing the intensity and frequency of disasters, increasing the resilience
of the affected community. Civil Defense, when mobilize due to these events often have to request the removal of families,
the demolition of properties located in these areas, and report deaths to the families. Telling bad news about buried
corpses resulting from landslides or collapsing homes require preparation and specific techniques. There are other events
that also cause many deaths at a time, such as road accidents involving buses. When these happen, there is the need for
Civil Defense to act, especially in contacting the victims’ families. Examples of actions of helping relatives of victims of
these disasters are also approached at the end of the work, because it is characterized as a comprehensive care involving
professionals from different areas.