Watching the Maui wildfires break out on the local news last August, Elizabeth Hartline realized there was something she could do to help: write.
The preschool director had for years written “social stories,” explaining in simple terms the changes a toddler might go through in early life — from going to school for the first time to learning to use the potty. The same type of story, she thought, could help when disaster strikes.
“I just thought, this is what I can contribute, this is what I can do to help people process the trauma of what has happened,” said Hartline, who is director of Honolulu Community College’s Alani Children’s Center.
Hartline’s story, “There Was A Fire,” is now posted on the Hawaii Department of Health’s website for easy access by wildfire victims. It’s not the only story deployed in the wake of a disaster: The United Way, government agencies and other organizations have distributed tens of thousands of books to children after hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires and extreme weather.
