Chapter

Actes de conférence

Implications and repercussions of terrorist acts on emergency rescue workers

Barthold Bierens de Haan

Promotion of resources for victims of terrorist acts and their families : proceedings of the study days held in October 2005

[S.l.] : [s.n.], [2005]

p. 54-63

English

Bibliographie : p. 62-63

In the face of terrorist acts, the crisis workers are professionals who can be involved in two ways: either as rescue workers, whose job is to rescue victims and are, as such, subject to the various stresses of their jobs, or as victims themselves, whether directly or indirectly targeted by the terrorists. For the crisis workers and for their managers, these two possibilities will be treated differently. In the first case, the recognition and management of the various types of stress will be at the forefront, including the usual measures of briefing, support during the intervention and debriefing on their return. In the second case, once the operational decisions have been made and the immediate staff management operations carried out, the support for all people involved in an often painful grieving process will be a priority. This will include contacting families and providing them with psychological support, informing surviving collagues and their psychological support in necessary, the organisation of ceremonies, internal communication within the organisation and informing the media.