A fire that destroyed a Lawrence apartment building last week did more than cause death and physical injuries.

It also left mental scars on many of the survivors and those in the neighborhood who watched helplessly as people jumped from windows and ran through flames to escape the burning building in the 500 block of Fireside Drive.

“We’ve been hearing that a lot of people were affected,” said Marcia Epstein, director of Headquarters Counseling Center in Lawrence. “A lot of people were in the neighborhood and heard and saw things. There is this sort of ripple effect.”

When survivors of the fire that raced through the 76-unit building in the Boardwalk Apartment complex went to a relief shelter that Friday morning, volunteer counselors with the Douglas County Emergency Management Disaster Mental Health Team were called to assist.

“Many people were visibly shaken. It became obvious that we could benefit from their services,” said Jane Blocher, executive director of the Douglas County Chapter of the American Red Cross, which opened the shelter in the nearby American Legion hall.

Blocher called Emergency Management Director Paula Phillips, and within 30 minutes the first two counselors arrived at the shelter.

“They roamed around that shelter; they didn’t just sit,” Blocher said. “They visited with people and really tried to determine what their needs were. They were very discrete about it.”

Witnesses, victims affected

Not everyone who survived the fire sought help from mental health counselors, but there were several who did, said Epstein, who coordinated the counseling team. There also were some who later called the Headquarters Counseling Center for help, she said. Some of them were witnesses to the tragedy that left three dead.

The problems survivors of such tragedies face vary, depending on their own personal experiences, Epstein said. Some won’t be able to sleep. They may try to soothe their fears and anxieties with alcohol or caffeine and their may be other behavior changes such as irritability and anger, she said.

“There is going to be a lot of sadness,” Epstein said. “The immediate reaction will be one of just feeling overwhelmed. You start thinking about how you’re feeling, how you’re doing and you start getting really worried about yourself. Sometimes people just need to know that they are simply having a reaction to things that were unfortunate or traumatic.”

For those who can’t sleep, the answer is to do things that help calm you, such as reading a book or watching a non-suspenseful movie, Epstein said. Or drink herbal tea or hot chocolate. When you become tired then go to bed, she said.

“Don’t let yourself lie in bed and toss and turn because you sort of create the cycle that going to bed means tossing and turning and it makes it even harder to get some sleep,” Epstein said.

In some cases, professional mental help or seeing a physician is necessary. Headquarters counselors can make referrals.

Other ways to help overcome sadness and anxiety include talking to friends, eating healthy, exercising and drinking plenty of water.

Children

Children who experience trauma face the same problems adults do, said Brian Runk, a volunteer counselor on the emergency management team.

“Parents should really think about that and watch their children’s behavior and if their behavior changes suddenly – if their grades go down or if they lose interest in things they normally have an interest in, that can be a sign of trauma,” said Runk, who also is director of children’s programs with Headquarters Counseling.

The problems in children may not immediately manifest themselves, Runk said.

Whether the children are victims or not, simply watching television replays of a major fire or tragedy can frighten them, Epstein and Runk said.

“A lot of times kids see news replays and think they are seeing another incident that has happened,” Runk said. “We saw that especially after 9-11.”

The emergency management counseling team is made up of more than a dozen trained, licensed mental health professionals most of whom live and work in Douglas County.

Counselors at Headquarters also have worked answering calls for the national hotline for victims of the Gulf Coast hurricanes. Some of those calls were answered by counselors in Kansas area codes.

The last serious disaster to require the emergency management team was the May 2003 tornado that struck southwestern Lawrence. But the Boardwalk fire was more traumatic and affected more people in a worse way, Blocher said.

“It was so sudden and so devastating,” Blocher said of the fire. “There was no warning and it happened in the middle of the night.”

The Headquarters Counseling and information line is (785) 841-2345.