Oloff Arnold, Psychologist, Community Mental Health, Whakatāne.
On Saturday 8 April 2017, our clinical staff team was activated to
provide assistance to those affected by the floods in Edgecumbe.
Under direction from Mental Health Clinical Director Sue
Mackersey we went to the evacuation centres set up in Kawerau,
Awakeri and the Whakatāne War Memorial Hall.
We were there to provide psycho-social support to those in
need; to people who had lost everything. Homes, cars, personal
belongings, precious photos capturing memories were all lost. And
the residents from Edgecumbe were hurting.
Our team worked throughout the weekend, well into the night and
provided a lot more than just immediate psycho-social first aid. We
acted in many instances as a point of contact for health services,
organising medicine, appointments and much more. And when it
seemed the floods were over, remnants of Cyclone Cook hit the
Eastern Bay.
Although not always structured in the interventions, it was fantastic
to be able to just listen to people as they vented their pain and
frustrations and their mourning about that which had been lost. And
there were many, many such instances.
It left many of us humbled by the community response. People all
over the Eastern Bay assisted with food, clothes, accommodation
and much, much more. I feel proud to be part of the CMH, the role
we played, the sacrifices made and the caring we showed to the
community.
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