NCJ Number
167038
Journal
Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association Volume: 1 Issue: 5 Dated: (October 1995) Pages: 166-170
Date Published
1995
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article shares thoughts and reflections of the author after his work in the aftermath of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombing in Oklahoma City.
Abstract
As Chief of the Emergency Services and Disaster Relief Branch of the Federal Center for Mental Health Services, the author recalls an intensely personal account of several incidents, images, and impressions and particularly notes the outpouring of appreciation and recognition that permeated his experience in Oklahoma City after the bombing. He found people cared for each other and expressed appreciation for each other, without awkwardness or self-consciousness. The Oklahoma City experience deepened his appreciation for the role of symbolism and ritual in stabilizing lives and healing pain. The experience also made him realize the importance of a sense of community and common purpose. The author recounts his feelings of rage over what he witnessed and the grief experienced by those affected by the bombing.