*DEALING WITH DISASTER IN EVERYDAY LIFE*
Community...that's one of the blessings the local church offers.
Having lived through one house fire at age 8 and helped 2 others as an adult pick their lives back up after fires...here's what helps:
Emotional Support
- 2 or 3 individuals to talk intimately with...the good, bad and ugly. Help them stay emotionally healthy.
Immediate Needs
-Someone to organize new clothing purchases. Collect money. Make purchases (if necessary)
-Someone to organize 30 days or so of prepared food delivery.
-Someone to coordinate childcare / petcare (if needed)
-Someone to coordinate insurance / reports / etc.
-Someone to coordinate aid from the city/county/state/red cross/salvation army/other churches.
Longer term
-Someone to collect pictures/videos that people have (of the person/family) to make duplicates, so they don't feel like they lost everything. Sources include...inlaws, extended family, friends, schools.
-Someone to record how the community came around them...they remember the time with some joy in the future...not just devastation.
In one situation, we actually helped demolish the remaining wreckage, because insurance wouldn't cover it. Nothing like 40 people showing up with sledgehammers and a backhoe to make you feel loved :)
I truly hope you find some help in the above.
Rhino
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