Staff Writer
"From a mental health standpoint, I think a lot of people will need help in the weeks and months to come," says John Steele, executive director of Catholic Charities of Schenectady County, referring to the families and friends of those killed in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City on Sept. 11.
Mr. Steele and three social workers from the Schenectady agency traveled there last week, spending two days at "Ground Zero" in order to provide crisis counseling for as many people as they could listen to.
Mr. Steele's companions were Paul Solimini, CSW, director of the Family Counseling program; Loreen Kaiser, CSW, director of the agency's Access program; and Rick Johnson, CSW, family counselor. Emotions
Mr. Steele told The Evangelist that he and his coworkers came away from their task with mixed emotions, including a deep sadness, disbelief, anger, hope and pride.
They went in response to an urgent call from Catholic Charities of the Brooklyn Diocese to counsel families at the Family Assistance Center, which has been set up on Pier 94 near "Ground Zero," the term applied to the area where the WTC towers once stood and now lie in ruins. Once there, Mr. Steele and his companions quickly discovered how well organized the massive operation actually is.
"The center's staff and volunteers included people from the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, mental health agencies, law firms, various police departments, the National Guard, FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency], New York City Human Services and many others," he said. "Everyone was there to help those that had lost a family member."
Hours of listening
The four volunteered for two eight-hour shifts each, over a period of two days, Sept. 28-29. Mr. Johnson began working right after they got there, picking up a shift from 4 p.m. to midnight.
"New York City and its various agencies have done a superior job in managing this whole tragic event," he wrote in notes he made on the way home. "The support and participation that the city has received from relevant federal and state agencies is unprecedented in terms of cooperation and collaboration."
In addition to being impressed by the operation set up to assist families in filing death certificates and insurance claims, the counselors were awed by the volunteer efforts of everyone at the lower Manhattan site.
"Sensitivity to the families is paramount," Mr. Johnson wrote. "Local vendors have been unbelievably generous, day after day, with contributions of food, flowers, supplies and children's materials. The warmth and caring concern of the staff and volunteers, the organizational setup, and the procedures of the center all coalesce to make what is, without a doubt, a very painful experience for the victims' families the 'best' that it can be."
Sights and smells
Mr. Steele indicated that at Ground Zero, two things left an indelible impression in his memory: the smell and the silence.
"The destruction was unimaginable," he said. "When we visited the area where recovery efforts are taking place, I was reminded of the pervasive odor of burning rubber. It seemed to be everywhere. Yet, the workers continued on doing their job removing debris. The silence was impressive."
The next day, when they visited Battery Park City, they learned that approximately 5,000 people had been evacuated from their homes and were temporarily displaced. He and Ms. Kaiser were given informational flyers to hand out to those families that are now living in hotels or with family or friends.
"They have gone from being frustrated and in shock to being angry," he said explaining that many do not have insurance to cover the loss of personal property. He also explained that their initial problems are compounded because they have to find ways to repair and clean up their apartments. Many do not want to return; some have no jobs to resume. Many have lost friends or coworkers, and their sadness and depression is great.
Personal connection
Mr. Johnson met with one family that has only been in the U.S. for just over two months. He used letters to protect their identity in his notes:
"I met an Indian family consisting of a father and seven-year old son. The father, K, had come to America in July with his wife and son. In less than 10 weeks, their new beginning of hope and promise turned to an experience filled with despair. K is now a widower. His wife, a CPA and information specialist, died at the WTC. His son, an intellectually precocious child, is not yet ready to grasp that he will never see his mother again. K is filled with desperation.
"When asked what anyone could do for him, he said, 'Pray' -- for him, his wife and their son."
Mr. Johnson left New York with the man's e-mail address and plans on staying in touch with him until "he has a circle of support that he will need after his relatives [who came to New York to comfort him and his son] return to their homes in India."
Pier 94
According to Mr. Steele, all four counselors were impressed with the dedication of the volunteers, recovery crews, and the police and fire department's efforts to comfort the families and help them proceed through the difficult task of filing death certificates and insurance claims.
Mr. Steele said that everyone at Pier 94 was intent on getting these families through the process with the greatest respect and care for their suffering.
"We left with mixed emotions; deep sorrow for the families and anger about this senseless act," he said. "I wanted to stay longer to help in whatever way I could. I left feeling encouraged that those in greatest need of ongoing assistance would find it in the human kindness so present in the caring individuals and agencies I encountered in this experience."
What to do?
Mr. Johnson concurred when he wrote, "I have to act to make things better when confronted with 'bad' circumstances. Most people, I think, feel the same way. When the event occurred on Sept. 11, I did not know what I could do, but I knew that I needed to join the many citizens of this country in finding a way to contribute.
"I was grateful for the opportunity to be part of the contingent to work at Pier 94. Being there gave me the opportunity to personally witness many people of courage that I will always remember. This includes the staff and volunteers but mostly the families who have the greatest burden to bear. If they can meet this challenge, we all can."