Charles E. Fritz; Sociologist, Disaster Expert

Charles Edward Fritz, 79, a sociologist and authority in human and organizational behavior in times of disaster who had worked for the government and private industry, died May 5 at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital after a stroke. He lived in Montgomery Village.

Mr. Fritz came to the Washington area in 1954. He was a staff scientist with the National Academy of Sciences from 1954 to 1959, and again from 1971 to 1982. During those years, he worked on projects involving emergency planning and disaster response issues.

From 1959 to 1962, he served on the faculty of the University…