WTC Records Folder 0128 Disaster Information General label, 2001

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Responding to Terrorism Victims - Oklahoma City and Beyond Page 2 of 4

predict as much as 20 percent of the 12,984 rescue workers and volunteers may need help in dealing with the psychological impact (Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, May 31, 1998).

New emotional pressures arose when the pace of work with bombing victims slowed and employees returned to `normal" work and funily conditions. The difficulty of this transition is widely acknowledged by mental health experts (Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, May 31, 1998) but considerably less recognized by employers and supervisors.

With research confirming the intense psychological impact of intentional disasters on communities and individuals (Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, May 31, 1998), Oklahoma City faced a long-term need for mental health services. Mental health specialists identify four phases of recovery from a disaster. The experiences of many Oklahoma City bombing victims seemed to mirror these phases. The first phase is the "Heroic" phase. It occurs at the time of impact and is marked by courageous efforts. The second phase is the "Honeymoon" period. During this time individuals receive attention and assistance and feel somewhat optimistic. The third phase is the "Disillusionment" phase, and it is marked by the realization that things will never be the same and loved ones are not coming back. Experts say that every effort should be made to ensure victims arrive at the fourth phase, the "Reconstruction" phase, within 5 years. After 5 years, it is far more difficult for individuals to overcome the psychological impact of a criminal disaster (Faberow and Frederick, 1978)

Efforts to help with these long-term symptoms included special services for first responders, consideration of some form of restitution for the victims, and postconviction notification of victims.

Assistance to First Responders

The Critical Incident Workshops began in 1996, and OVC awarded $356,000 through a Victims of Crime Act grant in June 1998. These workshops are designed to help first responder victims address the difficulty they may feel in acknowledging their emotional needs.

Participants in the Critical Incident Workshops come from fire, police, and sheriff departments; the Highway Patrol; federal and state law enforcement; and FEMA search-and-rescue teams. Workshop participants have also included chaplains, mental health professionals, survivors, and family members of victims. For 3 days, workshop participants work through "the ravages of trauma" in small group settings. Sessions are offered in safe, supportive environments in which everybody

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/publications/infores/respterrorism/chap5.htmi 9/29/01

NYC-WTC 000137326