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Sunday Morning News

Victims of Wildfires Find it Difficult to Cope With Loss

Aired August 6, 2000 - 9:31 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: President Clinton plans to visit the front lines in the battle against the Western wildfires. He'll meet Tuesday with some of the 1,500 U.S. troops now helping civilian fire crews. Dozens of fires are burning, with the largest in Idaho, along the Montana border.

With so many fires burning, there are bound to be people who lose their homes. It's, needless to say, a traumatic experience, one difficult to overcome.

CNN's Holly Firfer explains how to cope.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HOLLY FIRFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You can see it, you can smell it. You can even hear it.

But will it reach you? While the fire rages out of control, residents in nearby areas can watch and wait. But mental health experts say the psychological stress of impending disaster can be damaging.

MARGARET PEPE, AMERICAN RED CROSS: The families, the individuals are encountering mostly a sense of uncertainty and strong focus on wanting to get information.

FIRFER: Psychologists say people can tolerate a great deal of physical discomfort if they view the situation as temporary.

PEPE: The stress is going to be related to the length of time that people are displaced from their communities.

FIRFER: But experts say three lists and an evacuation plan can lessen the psychological stress and ease their minds.

The first list should include emergency contact names and numbers, including doctors, relatives, and insurance agents. The next list should include crucial items to take with you at the last minute, such as medications, medical records, glasses, contacts or any personal necessities, and identification.

The third list, personal items with emotional significance that would fit into your car should you have a bit more time to prepare, like photo albums, letters, and something comforting for children, like a blanket or doll.

And finally, have a plan. Figure out where you can go at least 50 miles away with your family and pets.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do I do now? (UNINTELLIGIBLE), you know, starting from square one.

FIRFER: Should disaster strike, there will be an emotional recovery period.

PEPE: The next phase that people usually encounter after a fire or other catastrophic disaster is to begin to have a whole wide range of emotions, sometimes anger, sometimes grief, sometimes prolonged crying, and a sense of helplessness, anxiety that they're never going to be able to reestablish their lives.

FIRFER: Psychologists say that's when family and friends need to help.

PEPE: Ask them, have they eaten today? You know, when was the last time they drank a bottle of water? Do they need clean clothes?

FIRFER: And, they add, let them talk. Lend an ear. And most importantly, a shoulder to cry on.

Holly Firfer, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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