The Family Assistance Education & Research Foundation (FAERF) has been at the forefront of the evolution of emergency management, combining the head-heart approach for a fully integrated response to survivors of traumatic loss. Practicing consciousness in the workplace involves caring for people first, without exception.
Written by: Carolyn V. Coarsey, Ph.D.
November 2024
“Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterward.”
– Aldous Huxley
On December 10-11, FAERF’s final 2024 Member-Partner Meeting will be held at the London Docklands Museum – a favorite place for FAERF educational events. FAERF members and guests will come together to network and share lessons learned from survivors, care and special assistance team members, other local responders and police officials, who have experienced personal involvement in many of the most haunting disasters over the past two decades.
Survivors and responders alike will look back over the tragic events and describe lessons learned which are used to inform policies and processes for future responses. Presentations from the following international disasters will be featured at the Member-Partner Meeting in London December 10-11.
“The only source of knowledge is experience.”
– Albert Einstein
Former Scotland Yard Detective and co-author of the UK Civil Contingencies Act (November 18, 2004) Duncan McCarry, MBE, will trace the history of humanitarian assistance programs in the UK and share lessons learned from international disasters involving the UK and other countries. Having played a key role in the development of the UK’s Police Family Liaison Officer (FLO) program, Duncan led the police teams who escorted the families involved in the 9/11 attacks on New York City. Teaming up with FAERF leader Jeff Morgan, who has made a major contribution to the field of emergency management in the US, both men will present invaluable information on situational management and the logistics involved in establishing and managing reception centers and family and humanitarian assistance centers.
Presentations will include lessons learned from the following international tragedies as well as other traumatic workplace losses:
Maui Wildfires, Lahaina, Hawaii – 8 August 2023 – 102 deaths
FAERF leader Ana Maria Dumitru will describe the Foundation’s response to the devastating wildfires in Maui, including onsite and telephone support to the citizens of Lahaina.
White Island Volcano Eruption, Whakaari, White Island – 9 December 2019 – 22 deaths, 25 injuries
Former Air New Zealand Care Team Member, Jill Derrington, now on the FAERF team, will talk about the challenges she faced in supporting families in hospitals following the White Island Volcano Eruption.
Malaysia Flight 370, Location Unknown – 8 March 2014 – 239 still missing, presumed dead
The challenges of managing humanitarian assistance issues when the airplane is missing and there is no official site to host families – and no information about the passengers and crew onboard. Experienced Care Team leader, Mike Kavanagh of Perth, Australia, will present a case study describing the challenges he faced in offering support to the mother of two small boys whose father went missing on the flight. As impossible as the tragic situation was and still is, since so little is known about the flight, Mike will share examples of how kind and compassionate communities reached out to assist the family he was assisting and other touching stories that circulated during the first few weeks following the tragedy.
Malaysia Flight 17, Eastern Ukraine – 17 July 2014 – 298 deaths
FAERF leader Jeff Morgan will discuss the challenges that occur in the Friends and Relatives and other Centers, when the public is allowed to complete missing persons’ forms, and multiple languages are involved, and other complications when the tragedy takes place in a war zone.
Costa Concordia Accident, off the coast of Giglio, Tuscany – 13 January 2012 – 33 deaths, 64 injuries
Experienced HR Manager of Crew Support and Care Team Trainer for Costa Crociere S.p.A., Francesca Bellino will present about the challenges the company faced in providing emotional support to employees in the immediate aftermath, which continues today. The Concordia accident is a deeply personal loss to the many devoted crew members and employees, and Francesca will share how they continue to honor the losses as well as the emotional connections between guests and crewmembers who wish to continue to process about the event.
Air France Flight 447, Mid-Atlantic Ocean – 1 June 2009 – 228 deaths
Joan Hankey of Dublin, Ireland will share moving stories of how she supported families of staff members who died in Air France Flight 447 and Malaysia 370. A highly experienced team leader and trainer, Joan gained experience as head of family assistance at Aer Lingus, when their program first started in Dublin and later at Qatar Airways, based in Doha. Each of the tragedies posed unique problems for Joan and the families, and she will share many examples of how she worked with each of the individual accidents and families involved.
Terrorist Attack, In Amenas, BP Headquarters – 16 January 2013 – 40 fatalities, including 5 Statoil employees
Equinor (once Statoil) leader, Jennifer Scotten, will describe the elaborate and detailed program she organized and led for the Ten-Year Commemoration of the terrorist attack at In Amenas. Having learned that many of their employees wanted the leadership to commemorate the event in the tenth year, Jennifer left no stone unturned in soliciting input from survivors, families involved, and employees who were touched by the enormous loss to their company. During the process of developing the event, Jennifer learned of employees who were still in need of emotional and psychological support and addressed these issues as well.
Terrorist Attacks on United States – 11 September 2001 – 2,977 deaths
Elizabeth Turner, whose husband, Simon, died in New York on 9/11 will present her story of survival and how she has transcended the trauma by taking control over her life after the loss (read more of Elizabeth’s story here). A psychotherapist in private practice in London, Elizabeth will introduce the audience to Amanda Stephenson, the FLO who assisted her in the aftermath of 9/11, and remains a trusted colleague after all these years. Amanda was recently recognized at an award ceremony in Buckingham Palace for her 25 years of service as an FLO.
Final member program for the year, this event poses to be as meaningful as the other activities FAERF has sponsored this year. This includes the Member-Partner Meetings in Houston in September and the Miami meeting this past October. We also offered webinars where we previewed our new Practitioner Certificate in the International-Humanitarian Assistance Response Program™. For more information on our certificate and education programs, see FAERF.ORG or contact Kristine Budaha (kristine.budaha@aviem.com).
For information about our certification in Mental Health First Aid, contact Rosangela Maxwell (rosangela.maxwell@aviem.com).
To reserve your seating for Member-Partner Meeting in London, click HERE.