A Steamboat Springs crisis support specialist wants residents to know that while different people will react differently to Monday’s small plane crash in the West Acres neighborhood, the most important tip is to talk to each other.
“When you’re ready to share your story, please do so,” said Marnie Smith, program coordinator for Routt County Crisis Outreach. “It doesn’t matter if you were directly affected or if you lived in a neighborhood, it’s important to know that this is a small town and we all went through a very traumatic experience. Take care of yourselves and take care of each other.”
“People are going to react in different ways. Some will talk, some won’t talk,” continued Smith, who has worked as a firefighter and paramedic for 17 years. “We want to allow the brain to process this in the way it wants to.”
“Witnesses may experience sleep disorders or hypersomnia in the coming days and weeks. We ask people to be patient. If they say they are OK, they may be OK, but you might want to check back again.”
Tom Gangel, community outreach director for Mind Springs Health in Steamboat, said counseling services are available, adding, “Remember to stay connected with others, including family and friends.”
Smith said some witnesses to the incident and local residents may experience a range of behaviors, including nightmares and flashbacks of past traumas in their lives.
Smith said he witnessed a range of reactions from residents at the scene of the accident Monday evening, including freezing, running away and coming over to watch – all of which were normal. Some neighbours had “distraught, distraught looks” that indicated a level of shock.
If post-traumatic issues do not subside within a week or two, residents should contact a therapist or counseling resource, such as calling Gangel directly at 970-819-2625 to discuss and see if it would be prudent for them to undergo therapy sessions.
People in immediate crisis can contact Colorado Crisis Services Call us at 844-493-8255 or text TALK to 38255.
Smith said neighbours and friends should look out for one another and notice any major changes in unhealthy behaviour, such as normally sociable people not being as sociable as before, drinking too much alcohol or making big changes to their daily routines. If these reactions include constant crying or shaking, they may need to seek out professional mental health support.
“In Steamboat, this is unusual for a traumatic situation, so no one really knows where to place it in the brain,” Smith said.
In addition to first responders, multiple agencies were on the scene in West Acres to make sure neighbors had someone to talk to and to provide resources, including the volunteer Routt County Community Crisis Assistance Team, which is affiliated with the nonprofit Routt County Crisis Assistance, and volunteers were handing out cards with details for “reporting and/or requesting a crisis release.”
“A significant event is one that has such strong emotional force that it provokes an abnormal or distressing reaction,” the card states.
In the hours after the incident, volunteer response teams, wearing identification lanyards, walked around checking on neighbors, checking in on residents’ safety and relaying messages in Spanish over their cellphones as needed.
Hours after the crash, many residents were still sitting in chairs in their front yards or on their front steps, or talking quietly in small groups.
Gangel said children who witness trauma may revert to common early childhood behaviors, such as bedwetting or thumb sucking. If these behaviors persist after a few weeks, it could be a sign the child needs further counseling help to cope with the situation.
