Articles
Helping Each Other in the Event of an Emergency
During catastrophic events, people experience not only physical pain, but overwhelming emotional pain as well. At such times, how people treat one another can
encourage hope, promote safety, create a calm environment, and offer a sense of empowerment. Below are some simple ways to help others, and ourselves, heal during a
time of crisis, and diminish the pain and fear we will all have to confront.
Comfort and Care
WHAT YOU CAN DO
■ Help people find food & shelter, and get emergency medical attention if needed. Give accurate information, simple instructions, and repeat them often.
■ Listen to people when they need to share what happened to them and how they feel. Let them talk it out.
■ Remain compassionate when people are being difficult. Be friendly.
■ Supply accurate information about the disaster or trauma and the relief efforts. Then people will understand what is happening.
■ Help people contact friends or loved ones.
■ Keep families together if possible. Keep children with parents or other close relatives whenever possible.
■ Give practical suggestions that will encourage people to rely on themselves.
■ Engage people in meeting their own needs.
■ Determine the types and locations of government and non-government services that are available and direct people to them.
■ Remind people that help is on the way (if you know this to be true) when they express fear and or hopelessness.
WHEN YOU ARE COMMUNICATING
Communicate Calmly:
• Lean forward.
• Make eye contact.
• Be relaxed.
Communicate Warmth:
• Use a soft tone of voice.
• Smile.
• Use open and welcoming gestures.
• Allow the person you are talking with to control the physical distance between you.
Establish a Relationship:
• Introduce yourself if they do not know you.
• Ask the person what they would like to be called.
• Do not shorten their name or use their first name without their permission.
• With some cultures, it is important to always address the person as Mr. or Mrs.
Use Concrete Questions to Help the Person Focus:
• Use closed-ended questions. (Closed-ended questions require a “yes” or “no” reply.)
• Explain why you are asking the question.
Come to an Agreement on Something:
• Establish a point of agreement to help solidify your relationship and gain trust.
• Active listening will help you find a point of agreement.
Speak to the Person with Respect:
• Use words like please and thank you.
• Do not make broad generalizations about the person’s character.
• Lavish praise is not believable.
• Use positive language.
• Answer the question calmly.
IF THE PERSON BECOMES AGITATED, HE OR SHE MAY —
Challenge or Question Authority:
• Answer the question calmly.
• Repeat your statement calmly.
Refuse to Follow Directions:
• Do not assert control. Let the person gain control of self.
• Remain professional.
• Restate your request in another way.
• Give the person time to think of your request.
Lose Control and Become Verbally Agitated
• Reply calmly.
• State that you may need assistance to help them.
Become Threatening:
• If the person becomes threatening or intimidating and does not respond to your attempts to calm them, seek immediate assistance.
WHAT NOT TO DO
■ Do not force people to share their stories with you, especially very personal details.
■ Do not give simple reassurances like “everything will be ok” or “at least you survived”.
■ Do not tell people what you think they should be feeling, thinking or doing now or how they should have acted earlier.
■ Do not tell people why you think they have suffered by giving reasons about their personal behaviors or beliefs.
■ Do not make promises that may not be kept.
■ Do not criticize existing services or relief activities in front of people in need of these services.
USC EMERGENCY PREPARDNESS
USC Emergency Information Phone Number: (213) 740-9233
USC Emergency Website http://emergency.usc.edu
USC Disaster Mental Health Response Team (213) 821-0800
HELPFUL WEBSITES
Mental Health and Mass Violence
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/Publicat/massviolence.pdf
Topics Page: Disasters and Emergencies
http://www.hhs.gov/emergency/index.shtml
This is excellent material for a range of incidents and for specific populations including teachers.
National Weather Service
www.nws.noaa.gov
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
www.fema.gov
Source: Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (http://www.centerforthestudyoftraumaticstress.org)
SAMHSA National Mental Health Information Center (http://www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/cmhs/)
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