RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — It’s just what North Carolinians do. They always have. Our first responders are willing to drive hundreds of miles, work hundreds of hours, and help thousands of people.
“We have quite a bit of equipment in case there’s building collapses or mudslides,” Raleigh Fire Department Division Chief Patrick Marks told CBS 17 on the day he and his team deployed to the mountains.
RELATED: Wake Forest fire captain describes rescuing dozens from Helene in western NC But we cannot forget that it comes with a toll. A rescue sometimes becomes a recovery. As the days pass, it’s more likely the recoveries of the dead will become greater and greater.
“When you come home, you won’t be the same person as the person that left,” said Robin Gurwitch, a psychologist and professor at Duke University Medical Center. “Disaster relief work changes all of us.”
Gurwitch reminds first responders that it helps to talk about the tragedy they may have witnessed.
“Going to disasters can be very rewarding work, but it’s probably the hardest work we do. It is important to make sure when you are there, you find out where is the support, where are the resources, that when I am finished with my shift, there’s someone to talk to,” she said. “That’s extremely important.
RELATED: ‘Anguish and heartbreak’: Fayetteville 911 workers say about 1,100+ calls from Buncombe County as Helene floods hit “When you come home, you won’t be the same person as the person that left,” she continued. “Disaster relief work changes all of us. It can be rewarding, but we look at the world a little bit different. When you come home, make sure there will be people and services for you to reach out to, to check in with you. Don’t just say you’re fine. Truly talk to somebody after you get home. Even if you are doing pretty well, we know that it helps to make sure you connect when you get back and to let your family know you may have a little bit of a of a pause before I return to my daily routine and that’s to be expected.”
There are the children who experienced the same life threatening conditions, held on for dear life, and witnessed the unthinkable just as their parents did.
RELATED: ‘It’s incredibly bad’ Apex officers deployed to help in Helene’s aftermath give update from Biltmore Village “Anytime a disaster strikes, we know that our stress levels go up,” Gurwitch said. “It’s true for adults and it’s true for children. What children are looking for right now is a sense of safety and security. That means they are looking at the adults in their lives.
“First and foremost, we need to make sure that the adults that are interacting with our children are staying calm as they help children cope with what’s just happened,” she continued. “Schools are going to be closed for a while, recognize that schools may begin to reopen before there are school buildings to return to after disasters. Communities are incredible in terms of finding ways to help children return to a learning environment. That’s because one of the things we know is having that routine on a school day helps return and increase our sense of safety and security.
“Children and adults have been through probably one of the most devastating and traumatic events they may have experienced. One of the things that becomes so important is adults are willing to talk to their children about what happened. To listen to what they understand and to answer any questions at a level their child can understand, knowing there’s someone you can talk to is critical.
“For adults, this may be a really stressful, anxious, upsetting, and traumatic time for you as well,” Gurwitch said. “Take a breath. Think about who are your people, who are your touch points that you can go to. It should not be your children to help you stay calm. Be calm. I think the biggest thing children want to know is that they will be okay, that you are going to do everything you can to make sure they are safe.”
Retired Raleigh police officer sends aid to his community in western NC The National Child Traumatic Stress Network has resources to help children, families, and communities navigate the impacts of a Hurricane Helene:
Resources on Traumatic Grief
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