DC Aircraft Mid Air Collision
Catastrophic disasters, such as the aircraft collision on the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., cause extreme disruption and can be distressful for individuals, families, and communities. Actions that promote the five essential elements of Psychological First Aid (safety, calming, connectedness, efficacy, and hope) can reduce individual distress and foster community sustainment through this event, as well as other disasters. Members of the community can help reduce adversity and chronic stressors by helping friends and neighbors impacted by this event. Below are brief and easy-to-use education fact sheets with recommended actions to protect the mental health and well-being of individuals and communities impacted by the plane crash.
RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES
- Helping Children Understand Frightening Events
- Helping Communities After Disasters
- How Families Can Help Children
- How Schools Can Help Students
RESOURCES FOR HEALTHCARE PERSONNEL
- First Responders, Emergency Workers & Volunteers and Exposure to Human Remains
- Supporting Those with Pre-Existing Mental Health Conditions
- Maintaining the Well-Being of Healthcare Providers
RESOURCES FOR LEADERS
- Grief Leadership in the Wake of Tragedies
- Leadership in Disasters & Lessons Learned
- Risk and Crisis Communication for Leaders
- Workplace and Organization Management After Disaster
Common responses immediately after disasters include distress reactions (insomnia, irritability, loss of perception of safety, social isolation, blaming and scapegoating) and health risk behaviors (increased use of alcohol and tobacco, over-dedication to tasks, and reduced self-care). For supervisors, leaders, family members, and healthcare personnel, being alert to these reactions and behaviors, promptly identifying them, and providing interventions can reduce distress and improve functioning and may decrease the likelihood of developing mental disorders. Normalizing the reactions and offering guidance about what to expect with symptoms over time, as well as when and where to get assistance if needed, helps people feel calm and increases self-reliance. Anxiety about the future is best managed through “problem solving”, and supporting people in connecting with practical help when available. The following resource(s) address this topic in further detail:
FACT SHEETS
- Fostering Hope and Recovery in Communities After Disasters
- Workplace and Organization Management After Disaster
- How Families Can Help Children after Disasters
- Teachers Helping Students after Disasters
- First Responders, Emergency Workers & Volunteers and Exposure to Human Remains
- Supporting Those with Pre-Existing Mental Health Conditions
- Maintaining the Well-Being of Healthcare Providers
Grief is a near universal experience for those impacted by disasters. In the immediate aftermath, traumatic death of family, friends, neighbors, and members of the community causes profound grief. Community leaders, those leading disaster management efforts, and healthcare providers can help by proactively and respectfully inquiring about, acknowledging, and then allowing individuals to process grief. Grief support also involves addressing feelings of loss, mourning those losses, and helping people deal with fears about the future. Be sensitive to the need for rituals, such as memorial and funerals. To support expressions of grief, allow for healing, which ultimately strengthens communities. The following resource(s) address this topic in further detail:
FACT SHEETS
Health risk and crisis communication is a critical behavioral health intervention following a community disaster. For those leading disaster management efforts, understanding what to say and what not to say, when and how to say it are important elements. Basic principles include being clear and succinct, stating what is known and unknown, indicating when you do not know the answer, committing to following up at a specific time and then doing so, and avoid misleading or efforts to be overly reassuring as these erode trust. Effective communication following a disaster can reduce distress and enhance well-being for affected communities. The following resource(s) address this topic in further detail: