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The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), may be stressful for people and communities. Responding to disasters is both rewarding and challenging work. Sources of stress for emergency responders may include witnessing human suffering, risk of personal harm, intense workloads, life-and-death decisions, and separation from family. Stress prevention and management is critical for responders to stay well and to continue to help in the situation. There are important steps responders should take before, during, and after an event. To take care of others, responders must be feeling well and thinking clearly. People with preexisting mental health conditions should continue with their treatment plans during an emergency and monitor for any new symptoms. Additional information is found at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSAexternal icon) website.
Preparing for a Response:
Make plans for your household, childcare, and pet care needs if you will be away from home. During a Response: Understand and Identify Burnout and Secondary Traumatic StressLimit your time working alone by trying to work in teams. Responders experience stress during a crisis. When stress builds up it can cause:
Coping techniques like taking breaks, eating healthy foods, exercising, and using the buddy system can help prevent and reduce burnout and secondary traumatic stress. Recognize the signs of both of these conditions in yourself and other responders to be sure those who need a break or need help can address these needs.
Limit your time working alone by trying to work in teams. Get support from team members: Develop a Buddy SystemIn a buddy system, two responders partner together to support each other, and monitor each other’s stress, workload, and safety.
Read morepdf icon about the buddy system.
Responder Self-Care Techniques
It is important to remind yourself:
Responding to disasters can be both rewarding and stressful. Knowing that you have stress and coping with it as you respond will help you stay well, and this will allow you to keep helping those who are affected. Responders will experience stress. Managing stress and taking breaks will make you a better responder. Additional Resources:
What are the five steps for dealing with an emergency?Prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery are the five steps of Emergency Management.. Prevention. Actions taken to avoid an incident. ... . Mitigation. ... . Preparedness. ... . Response. ... . Recovery.. What are the basic stress management techniques for disaster survivors?Individual Approaches to Stress Management. Self-awareness.. Management of workload.. Balanced lifestyle.. Stress-reduction techniques.. Effective supervision and training.. Which method is most effective for the decontamination of individuals?All infectious materials and all contaminated equipment or apparatus should be decontaminated before being washed, stored, or discarded. Autoclaving is the preferred method. Each individual working with biohazardous material should be responsible for its proper handling.
How will you respond or react to a disaster?Talk. Let friends and family know where you are and how you're doing. Talk to family, friends, or support workers about how you feel. Realizing that your feelings are a normal response to an unexpected event can help you recover.
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