**2.3 The disaster cycle**

Together with the disasters themselves, institutions and societal response to disasters is predicable. This predictability has two patterns: the disaster cycle, and the social perception of disasters.

The disaster cycle refers to a pattern of institutional behavior surrounding disasters [3]. Since this is a cycle, one must appreciate the continuum and the interconnectedness of the elements. While the terms used change, the basic concepts of event, movement back to normal function, analysis of the event, mitigation, and preparedness remain the same through the fields of disaster medicine and disaster management.
