AbstractThis report examines the case for implementing preventive mental health strategies after disasters based on an analysis of the patterns of post‐traumatic morbidity identified after the “Ash Wednesday” bushfires in Australia. While a significant increase number of problems were identified which would tend to hinder the acceptance and implementation of any such preventive service. Also, the available objective evidence about the effectiveness of crisis intervention services following traumatic events remains tentative. Based on this experience, a series of recommendations are made about the future management of similar e