| A
week before the TWA Flight 800 crash I had been
speaking with the coordinator for the New York
State Psychological Association Disaster/Crisis
Response Network. We were scheduling a second
training session for First Aid and CPR for the
following Saturday, July 20. I had been telling
her that although I had received the training
for disaster response, I had never participated
in an actual response, due to my work schedule.
I mentioned to her that I was more readily available
during the summer months. The next Thursday morning
she called, advising me that TWA Flight 800 had
crashed off the Long Island coast. She asked me
to go out to the East Moriches Command Center
where recovery efforts were underway.
I drove into East
Moriches at 9:30 A.M. on a clear but hot Thursday
morning. The weather was in stark contrast to
the morbid scene I was anticipating. I had heard
that bodies were being brought into the East Moriches
Coast Guard station which was designated as the
Command Center. As I approached this small Long
Island town, I could feel the tension and apprehension
within me mounting. On Atlantic Avenue, I made
a right turn and was immediately stopped and requested
to show identification. This occurred at almost
every intersection for the remainder of the trip
down to the shore line. As I approached the beach
area, there were numerous T.V. news crews setting
up their communication systems in a field. I passed
the last identification site, parked my car and
reported to the Red Cross team leader.
My directions
were to work with the Red Cross staff as well
as the Civil Defense members. On the site there
were numerous agencies present ie. FBI, ATF, as
well as local police agencies. Surprisingly things
were relatively calm at the site. People mulled
around waiting for their assignments; people rested
on cots which were set up on the porch; Red Cross
workers served beverages and food. In addition
to the numerous police agencies, there were also
divers, Coast Guard crews, helicopter pilots and
government officials.
As a mental health
worker, it was my job to speak to the Red Cross
and Civil Defense workers in order to assess their
stress levels and to enable them to express their
feelings. If someone seemed particularly in need
of a break, I would encourage them to take a few
minutes for themselves. In mingling with the people
on site, I had the opportunity to talk to Coast
Guard and Merchant Marine crewmen who were retrieving
victims. We sat on the porch and discussed their
experience. The Coast Guard worker was very young,
and appeared physically and emotionally exhausted.
This experience was not one he had anticipated
when he had joined. The Merchant Marine crewman
was older and appeared resigned to performing
the task at hand. I told him that I would be speaking
with family members of the victims the next day.
He said "Tell them that we're treating their
loved ones with dignity and respect."
That evening,
I received a call to report to the Ramada Plaza
at JFK at 8:00 A.M. There was to be an orientation
meeting followed by work with family members of
the victims. I arrived early. People sat at tables
in a large conference room, drinking coffee, juice
and talking. The mood was somber. People spoke
very quietly. Later in the morning the families
were addressed by members of the National Traffic
and Safety Bureau, as well as by the Medical Examiner's
Office. The families' moods ranged from strong
anger to deep despair. All wanted to know how
and when the remains of their loved ones would
be recovered. I spoke with a number of family
members about their losses. The ability of these
people to cope under such tragic circumstances
was truly amazing. I spent two days at the Ramada.
One of the major problems I encountered was the
issue of how to approach family members without
being intrusive to them in this time of despair
and suffering.
As a result of
this experience, I have learned that, for a mental
health worker, a successful response to a disaster
is very much influenced by the support of those
in leadership positions. An appropriate orientation
dealing with methods of approaching family members
and opening discussion with them is critical.
Being quickly assigned to specific and clearly
defined tasks is essential. Having the opportunity
to discuss your experiences with other mental
health workers and with supervisory staff is an
important aspect of disaster work. Keeping activities
scheduled as close to their designated times is
essential in maintaining a feeling of control
and purpose. Letting family members know that
you are available to them and advising them as
to how they can arrange to speak with you can
decrease the possibility of too many workers approaching
the same family members. Keeping worker's daily
time shifts in line with their normal working
day prevents excessive exhaustion and emotional
drain.
As a member of
the Mental Health Team that responded to this
disaster, I had the opportunity to provide support
for people who were suffering severe emotional
pain. An experience of this type enables the mental
health worker to truly connect with that which
is good in the human spirit, helping those in
need at a time of crisis. The fulfillment that
one can experience from such an opportunity is
immense.
Dr. Joseph
Abraham is a clinical and school psychologist
in Long Island, New York and a member of The American
Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. In his
private practice, located in Hauppauge, he has
had a great deal of experience treating individuals
suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.
Dr. Abraham received his doctorate from Yeshiva
University and post-doctoral training at the Advanced
Institute for Analytic Psychotherapy.
©1996
by The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic
Stress, Inc.
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