First responders offered help dealing with deadly home explosion

ELLSWORTH, Ohio (WKBN) – A State Fire Marshal investigator has completed work at the scene of the house explosion in Ellsworth, but a cause hasn’t been released yet.

Meanwhile, first responders are dealing with an emotional aftershock from being on the scene where four people were killed. Debris from the explosion was scattered for miles. On Wednesday, people were still wanting to get a look.

“It’s mind-blowing to see the frequency with which people are driving by and taking pictures,” said Ellsworth Assistant Fire Chief Jillian Smith.

The gawkers are not helping the neighbors.

Smith describes the scene on Saturday morning as chaos at the beginning. Ten of the department’s 34 active members helped with emergency response, coordinating with numerous other departments that also answered the call for help.

This week, those responders can be part of a discussion with a trained counselor or peer support group member.

“We are used to dealing with it, but that doesn’t mean we don’t need a little extra help, or a safe place and some tools to appropriately deal with what is a uniquely stressful event,” Smith said.

First responders can sometimes shield themselves after emergencies and put their own needs at the bottom of the list. The department likes to provide a private meeting like this as soon as possible.

“This briefing is a tool and a space for these first responders to come together,” Smith said.

It’s important to let them share their feelings after such a difficult emergency response. They still want answers about the situation, too, but they have to be ready for the next call which can come at any time.

“While it does seem as though we have a lot of disasters happening at the same time, I think that’s where you see our first responders perform their best,” Smith said.

That teamwork was a big positive from Saturday’s situation, and one the departments will be able to draw upon for the next emergency.

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