Lake Elsinore disaster: The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.

A case study of a flood which occurred at Lake Elsinore, California, February, 1980, focuses upon the assistance which the community received during both the flood and recovery periods. Relevant literature on disaster research is examined, including a model of disaster recovery, and the study places the events which occurred din Lake Elsinore within that recovery model. Implications for policy include the recommendation that decision-makers consider the pre-disaster growth of the community indecisions to support recovery assistance.