--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Having worked in disasters, I have seen…" description: "\"Having worked in disasters, I have seen that, in those critical first few hours, those first few days - so much ends up riding on you and your neighbor..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ca/sheri-fink-14785_always_having-worked-in-disasters-i-have-seen-t_1716137.jpg" --- # Having worked in disasters, I have seen that, in those… ![“Having worked in disasters, I have seen that, in those critical first few hours, those first few days - so much ends up riding on you and your neighbor and whoever is around. The official response always comes later, and it always feels like it comes too slow.” quote by Sheri Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ca/sheri-fink-14785_always_having-worked-in-disasters-i-have-seen-t_1716137.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ca/sheri-fink-14785_always_having-worked-in-disasters-i-have-seen-t_1716137.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ca/sheri-fink-14785_always_having-worked-in-disasters-i-have-seen-t_1716137.jpg) > “Having worked in disasters, I have seen that, in those critical first few hours, those first few days - so much ends up riding on you and your neighbor and whoever is around. The official response always comes later, and it always feels like it comes too slow.” [Sheri Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-fink/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In crises, the earliest hours and days are should by immediate personal actions and community support, while formal aid arrives later and often too slowly. **In simple terms:** Early response relies on neighbors and personal effort before official help arrives. Key Takeaway Act quickly and support each other in the first critical hours. Themes community crisis response urgency solidarity Mood anxious determined hopeful Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - emergency shelter - first aid - resource sharing - neighborhood watch Key Concepts disaster management human behavior social networks Questions to Reflect On - How can communities prepare to act before official help arrives? - What structures can speed up official response? A Different Perspective Official aid may be delayed, leaving gaps that can worsen outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Around](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around/) [Critical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critical/) [Days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/days/) [Disasters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disasters/) [Disasters Seen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disasters-seen-1293708/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Few](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/few/) [First](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first/) [Having](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having/) [Hours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hours/) [Later](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/later/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/much/) [Neighbor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighbor/) [Official](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/official/) [Response](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/response/) [Response Comes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/response-comes-1293710/) [Riding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/riding/) [Seen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seen/) [Slow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slow/) [Those](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/those/) [Too](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Whoever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whoever/) [Worked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worked/) [Worked Disasters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worked-disasters-1293706/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) ## Related quotes > [“History, largely experienced previously as a series of natural disasters, could now be seen as a movement in which everyone could potentially enlist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-mishra/history-largely-experienced-previously-as-a-series-of-natural/) [Pankaj Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-mishra/) > [Significant things often happen when you are present. 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It is hard to imagine having a government more secretive than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/i-think-dianne-feinstein-may-be-the-most-orwellian-political-official/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [She call me the referee cause I be so official. My shirt aint got no stripes but I can make that pussy whistle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/she-call-me-the-referee-cause-i-be-so-official-my-shirt-aint-got-no/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [The official Hamas charter calls for the murder of Jews and destruction of the Jewish state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-klein/the-official-hamas-charter-calls-for-the-murder-of-jews-and/) [Aaron Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-klein/) > [I condemn all statements - made in sincerity or jest - that threaten or suggest the use of violence against the president of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-broun/i-condemn-all-statements-made-in-sincerity-or-jest-that-threaten-or/) [Paul Broun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-broun/) > [Letters actually work. Even the top dog himself takes time every day to read 10 letters that are picked out by staff. I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-ahmad/letters-actually-work-even-the-top-dog-himself-takes-time-every-day/) [Omar Ahmad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-ahmad/) > [I was Tea Party years before there was an official Tea Party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niger-innis/i-was-tea-party-years-before-there-was-an-official-tea-party/) [Niger Innis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niger-innis/) > [There's nothing worse - I don't like listening to actors talk about the process, especially when - I mean, for me I've played a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-speedman/there-s-nothing-worse-i-don-t-like-listening-to-actors-talk-about-the/) [Scott Speedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-speedman/) > [When an accident or a crime happens, there's a period of time before the yellow tape goes up, before the official response becomes formalized.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gilroy/when-an-accident-or-a-crime-happens-there-s-a-period-of-time-before/) [Dan Gilroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gilroy/) > [In 1887, Oregon became the first state to make Labor Day an official holiday, with Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York quickly following suit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-i-koerner/in-1887-oregon-became-the-first-state-to-make-labor-day-an-official/) [Brendan I. Koerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-i-koerner/) ## More by Sheri Fink > [Also, and this may sound naïve, but since my early days in journalism, I've felt that getting as close as possible to truth, revealing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-fink/also-and-this-may-sound-na-ve-but-since-my-early-days-in-journalism-i/) [Sheri Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-fink/) > [“They made a beautiful couple, with personalities as different as their heights.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-fink/they-made-a-beautiful-couple-with-personalities-as-different-as-their/) [Sheri Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-fink/) > [But we have gone so far in the direction of over treating terminal patients that we've failed to recognize when we're doing more harm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-fink/but-we-have-gone-so-far-in-the-direction-of-over-treating-terminal/) [Sheri Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-fink/) > [If you ever face a significant disaster, do your best to keep up the spirits of those around you, act flexibly and creatively to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-fink/if-you-ever-face-a-significant-disaster-do-your-best-to-keep-up-the/) [Sheri Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-fink/) > [“When I made my mother a DNR, I did not know it meant "do not rescue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-fink/when-i-made-my-mother-a-dnr-i-did-not-know-it-meant-do-not-rescue/) [Sheri Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-fink/) > [It remains to be seen the extent to which the critical needs of seniors in low income high rises, people with home medical needs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-fink/it-remains-to-be-seen-the-extent-to-which-the-critical-needs-of/) [Sheri Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-fink/) > [“Rather than thinking about exceptional moral rules for exceptional moral situations,” Harvard’s Dr. Lachlan Forrow, who is also a palliative care specialist, wrote, “we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-fink/rather-than-thinking-about-exceptional-moral-rules-for-exceptional/) [Sheri Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-fink/) > [There are places in the world that the power goes out in hospitals, and there isn't clean water, and it's horrific.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-fink/there-are-places-in-the-world-that-the-power-goes-out-in-hospitals/) [Sheri Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-fink/) > [The journalistic code of ethics governing the broadcasts requires that opposing views be presented, and that journalists' personal opinions or judgments be left out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-fink/the-journalistic-code-of-ethics-governing-the-broadcasts-requires/) [Sheri Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-fink/) > [“A day later, a fax came into the unit from an attorney for LifeCare Hospitals of New Orleans. It reported that nine LifeCare patients…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-fink/a-day-later-a-fax-came-into-the-unit-from-an-attorney-for-lifecare/) [Sheri Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-fink/) > [Our dreams are expressions of our inner beauty. I've learned that it's completely okay to want whatever you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-fink/our-dreams-are-expressions-of-our-inner-beauty-i-ve-learned-that-it-s/) [Sheri Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-fink/) > [“We do not wish to capitalize the sufferings of human beings, but to relieve them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-fink/we-do-not-wish-to-capitalize-the-sufferings-of-human-beings-but-to/) [Sheri Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-fink/) > [Being your authentic self is the ultimate secret to happiness in life!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-fink/being-your-authentic-self-is-the-ultimate-secret-to-happiness-in-life/) [Sheri Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-fink/) > [Often in life, the most important question we can ask ourselves is: do we really have the problem we think we have?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-fink/often-in-life-the-most-important-question-we-can-ask-ourselves-is-do/) [Sheri Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-fink/) > [Is the care of the dying man truly robbing care from the poor man? How reliably can we know when someone is in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-fink/is-the-care-of-the-dying-man-truly-robbing-care-from-the-poor-man-how/) [Sheri Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-fink/) [Explore all 45 Sheri Fink quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-fink/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Having worked in disasters, I have seen that, in those critical first few hours, those first few days - so much ends up riding on you and your neighbor and whoever is around. 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