A nurse's experience on a disaster-preparedness team.

Taking steps to coordinate international, regional and national efforts to minimize damages caused by natural disasters, the United Nations has declared the 1990s the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction. To make nurses aware of how they can join these efforts, INR has dedicated this special issue on the subject, an issue that would not be complete without a description of the invaluable work contributed by Marie Farrell and other members of the EURO disaster-preparedness team who are often the first persons on the scene after a disaster in the European Region.