When we think about preparedness, categories like food, water and shelter are typically the first to come to mind. Then first aid, medications, personal documents and pet preparedness enter into more in-depth conversations. But there is another, equally important topic to address.
Have you ever found yourself wondering what happens to your brain and mental status before, during, and after a disaster? More to the point, have you ever wondered how to incorporate mental health preparedness in your Cascadia preparedness journey?
Nandika Devarajan, FEMA’s Region 10 Youth Preparedness Council Co-chair and Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt recently gave a phenomenal mental health preparedness webinar that addresses these very questions. You can listen to the recording here and view the slides below.
Of the eight items discussed in the webinar known to make certain disasters more traumatic than others, five will certainly be present during a Cascadia quake. The fact that the earthquake and tsunami could happen at night—the darkness elevating the fear and lack of sense of control—adds a potential sixth check mark to this list, which is why taking steps to minimize the trauma is so critical. The steps are listed on the right side of this table & are absolutely KEY!!
| Situations that Increase Trauma | Actions You Can Take to Decrease Effects of Trauma |
| Unexpected event Many people die, especially children Animals are involved Event lasts a long time The cause is unknown Event is poignant or meaningful (usually refers to human-caused disasters) Event impacts a large area Happens in the dark (discussed in the webinar) | Before the Event •Preparation for the Disaster (see table below) •Training (see table below) During the Event •Teamwork, cooperation, camaraderie After the Event •Follow up services |
| Preparedness Actions to Help Decrease Trauma Impact | Training Actions to Decrease Trauma Impact |
Have enough food, water, sanitation items and stock up on items for when the power goes out (Surviving Cascadia) and Sheltering In Place (Ready.gov) Inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) • Communities of color (United Way of the Columbia-Willamette) • Individuals with Alzheimer’s and dementia (Alzheimer’s Assoc.) • People with disabilities and other special Needs (Red Cross), Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities Resource Hub (OHSU) • Expecting and new parents (CDC) • Children (Ready.gov) (CDC) (FEMA), (Natural Hazards Center) • Older adults (Red Cross) Animals Pets (on the smallish size) (Ready.gov) (Red Cross) (CDC) large animals and livestock (American Veterinary Medical Association). | First Aid and Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) • Red Cross Community Emergency Response Teams (join & train for free) • Oregon, Washington, California, FEMA Psychological First Aid (PFA) (for the immediate aftermath) • National Center for PTSD and the National Child Traumatic Stress Network Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) (first week after the disaster) • International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc. |
Psychological First Aid (PFA) training is listed as the 4th “Training Actions to Decrease Trauma Impact” in the table above. A 2016 PFA training led by instructors, Ronald A. Glaus, Ph.D., and Bill Dalton, Ph.D., shows that, in the immediate aftermath of a disaster,
- 70% of survivors are distressed but still functioning
- 25% are minimally functional
- 5% are dysfunctional
That’s 30% of the population mentally struggling to do the things necessary for survival… during a time when our skills and faculties need to be at their strongest to overcome the many challenges of an aftermath.
Luckily, there are things we can do to help mitigate the trauma for ourselves and our community. Here are the slides, generously shared by the PFA instructors. Taking the class allows you to practice what to do and how you can help someone who is experiencing distress after a traumatic event; particularly after a major disaster when emergency responders are overwhelmed and communications are down.
Some key takeaways from the PFA training are the reactions to expect from a loved one based on age.
Common Reactions for Adults
Common Reactions for Children
Knowledge is power! By taking trainings ahead of time, you will be prepared to help loved ones (and be better prepared to cope yourself) when the time comes.
Surviving Cascadia is listed on the following websites
- Oregon Serves
- City of Salem Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
- Sound Seismic Earthquake Retrofitting in Seattle
This website is only as good as the feedback I receive. Reach out anytime!
Surviving Cascadia 