The goal of a public health response to disasters is to respond rapidly, minimize the impact on health, and facilitate activities that can be sustained throughout the recovery period. While numerous resources and personnel in response to a large scale disaster come from international aid organizations and volunteers, it is important to note that immediately following a sudden disaster such as a tsunami or earthquake, most lives are saved by the courage and resourcefulness of friends and neighbors. Preparedness efforts need to take into account the capacity of community resilience and develop ways to strengthen the ability to recover from the full spectrum of the adversities and build on this to ensure a return to an even better life than before. We are hopeful for continued recovery towards a better future for the communities affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster and for communities recovering from disasters that occurred prior to December 26, 2004 or afterwards.