 |
Search : | ||
|
|||
News
|
News stories
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 September 2001 As the trading bell of the New York stock exchange rang out today for the first time since last Tuesday's attacks on New York city and Washington DC, for many it signalled another step on the road to the nation's recovery. Like the pealing bells during memorial services over the last days, it was another example of a country and its people moving forward. The American Red Cross is playing a key role in assisting in the nation's healing as grief counselling becomes an increasingly critical component in the ongoing relief efforts. The organisation is developing a model to organise and provide expert counselling across the nation and is working with partners to increase their capacity to reach as many people as possible. "This terrible tragedy has touched all of us in a permanent way," Dr. Bernadine Healy, president of the American Red Cross said. "Unfair and inexplicable, it has created an extraordinary imprint on the mind, the body and the spirit of a family, a community and a nation." Psychological support will be a vital focus in the weeks ahead. That is why licensed mental health professionals trained by the American Red Cross are offering disaster mental health services to families struggling to come to terms with what happened to their loved ones before the hijackers completed their deadly mission. They are based across the country in government family assistance centres in New York, Boston and Washington; in subways, train stations and feeding centres in New York city; and in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Dallas airports. The majority of mental health volunteers are working close to the disaster site in New York city. Ninety from Boston recently joined over 300 fellow volunteers in New York city. "When New York gave us a call for disaster mental health volunteers, we were ready" said Mary Thang, associate director of public relations at the Red Cross chapter in Boston. Dr. Healy visited the "Compassion Center in Midtown," in New York city last week, where family members file missing person reports. There, she met a mother whose 22-year-old daughter was among those missing beneath the twisted and torn rubble of the World Trade Center. "I told her that I had a 22-year-old daughter and that's when she started crying," Dr. Healy said wiping tears from her face. Later, Dr. Healy met New York Mayor Rudolf Guiliani and Governor George Pataki to discuss the relief effort and what additional needs should be addressed. The Mayor and the Governor were extremely supportive of the efforts of the American Red Cross in providing assistance in the city. As a result, additional facilities to provide greater comfort for grieving families are being arranged. In addition to setting up counselling centres, the Red Cross has also made disaster counselling materials available on-line. Information includes the types of emotional and physical reactions that survivors experience following a disaster with a particular emphasis on the psychological impact on children. Psychological support is an integral component of Red Cross Red Crescent disaster relief programmes across the world. Locally trained volunteers listen, inform and refer those that help beneficiaries meet their basic needs. Though critical to recovery as health and food, psychological services however take much longer to implement and the impact is less visible, requiring a long-term commitment. Related links American Red Cross web site - for up-to-date information about all American Red Cross activities, how to make a cash donations or donate blood. Other Federation stories, reports and links |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
