Bodies heal and homes can be rebuilt, but what has the fire emergency done to our psyches? A lot, potentially. People who had to evacuate and lost their homes experience a level of trauma far beyond the stresses of daily life.
Merritt Schreiber at the Lundquist Institute wrote the book on helping people deal with trauma from disasters, with a focus on psychological first aid for children and parents. He visits to talk about ways to approach and assist fire victims.
Amy Herbst also joins the conversation; she is the Student Wellness Coordinator for the Medford School District. The district just opened an Emotional Wellness Hotline.
We got a bunch of phone numbers:
- Rogue Valley Emotional Wellness Hotline (English, M-F 8A-4P): 541-842-3643
- Same hotline, for Spanish speakers (M-F 10A-2P): 541-842-3644
- All-hours Jackson County Crisis Hotline: 541-774-8201
- SAMHSA National Disaster Distress Hotline: 800-985-5990
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255
And for the rest of us, a reminder: people don't start thinking about suicide because you bring it up. If you are concerned about a person, ask how they are doing.