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September 04, 2005

Guard ye the Police, Fire, and Rescuers

I cannot emphasize enough the toll that not only the survivors face in these tragedies, but also the aid and relief workers, first responders, police, guardsmen, troops, fire, and rescue.

CNN Reports:

[Mayor] Nagin said Sunday that his top priority was to start moving traumatized police and firefighters out of the city so that they can get medical and psychological treatment.

"They've been holding the city together for three or four days, almost by themselves -- doing everything imaginable, and the toll is just to much for them," Nagin said. "So I need to get them out, and we've been trying to figure out where to take them so they can reunite with their families."

Police Superintendent Eddie Compass said that two of his officers committed suicide, including one who had discovered his wife had died.

Compass also said that reports that 60 percent of the police force had deserted was "totally ridiculous."

In watching the coverage on the television, Mayor Nagin also went on the explain that he had requested aid and support for the rescue workers that he was going to have to replace, but was told by FEMA that they do not provide for that, to which he responded that he would pay for it himself and figure out how to budget it later. I join in the Mayor's disgust of a lack of support for those aid workers and personell that have reached a point of high emotional distress from the course of their duties. The government should indeed see to their psychological and emotional needs in getting better.

Being from a family of Paramedics that have served the community for over 25 years and have been involved in large scale disasters on the local level, I completely understand the level of frustration and hopelessness that is beginning to show in the faces of some of these aid workers. It destroys parts of yourself to be confronted with situations in which everything you can do, no matter how well you are trained, sometimes just doesn't seem to be enough. They never forget the least of the injuries, they are tortured by the worst.

Years of treating people in dire need leaves raw emotions which in times of highest stress can lead to heart attacks/strokes on the job, suicides, medication for depression, high quit rate. Post-Traumatic Stress runs rampant. The emotional and psychological strength of rescue workers is always at its highest test in these circumstances. I pray that you, as I do, stand behind not only the victims, but also the aid relief workers and first responders that will suffer from the visions and memories which Katrina will inflict upon them.

I also would like to point out that many states do not recognize nor allow on the job heart-attacks and strokes by firemen, EMTs and other first responders in determining eligibility for Police and Fire funds allowance. Please investigate the limitations of your state (Ohio currently changed their law to allow heart attack/stroke by on-duty fire to claim against Police and Fire fund). Pay back those that serve the community the most.

Posted by Ravennacht at September 4, 2005 08:38 PM Posted to The World