The study of disasters has become a new, applied science. The increasing global population is dependent on fragile links of communication and transportation, and the modern technology of weaponry has led to new forms of armed conflict. These combined factors have made our need to understand the process of disaster research ever more pressing. Similarly, workers and researchers in the field must reappraise their methodologies and their contributions to the literature of catastrophe. The end result of good research and its promulgation in journals, articles, and even press conferences should lead to the saving of lives, the protection of property, and the stability of our communities. Hastily performed research and misleading reporting can and does lead to unnecessary death and injury, and to the wasteful expenditure of scarce resources.