From the Kansas City Star: Most experiences of a disaster are not so positive and weigh heavily on first responders — police, firefighters and medical staff. Each encounter with a victim or survivor brings fresh doses of sorrow and horror. Unseen are the invisible wounds: “traumatic stress.”

Several critical incident teams exist in Kansas City, said Chaplain Steve Smith from Liberty Memorial Hospital. Retiring last week, he had led its volunteer team since 2006.
A person's reaction to disaster can take many forms. One example happened after the 2005 Liberty school bus crash with a car. Firefighters who worked the scene still can't tolerate the smell of bacon and eggs; the smell brings back the memories.

Smith estimates he's made about 80 visits to area agencies that asked for the help of the team. Many of the smaller counties and cities, he said, have volunteer firefighters and first-aid responders. These responders don't have as much experience as the larger departments.

Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/07/04/2993585/disaster-workers-face-the-danger.html#1_undefined,0_#ixzz1RQsfWNFq