Laboratory and Project Recovery present a seminar on long-term recovery strategies for Cerro Grande survivors

Contact: Judy Goldie, goldie@lanl.gov, (505) 665-0297, (00-126)

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LOS ALAMOS, N.M., Sept. 21, 2000 -- Los Alamos National Laboratory's Ombuds Program Office and Project Recovery, a non-profit community group funded by FEMA, will present a seminar Tuesday, Sept. 26, about what individuals and communities can expect as they recover from the Cerro Grande fire.

The seminar is from 2:30 to 5 p.m. at Fuller Lodge in downtown Los Alamos. All meetings are open to the public but will focus on helping fire survivors. Each meeting has a specific topic and a subject-matter expert to provide information.

Responses of individuals in differing circumstances, how to deal with day-to-day impacts of the Cerro Grande fire and what individuals and the community can expect will be the topics of the seminar. Coping strategies, planning methods and resources also will be discussed. Counselors and staff will be available throughout the seminar.

Attendees will watch "Faces in the Fire," videotaped interviews with survivors of the Santa Barbara, Calif., 1990 wildfire conducted eight and 14 months after the disaster. Those interviewed discuss the event, their reactions and how to get on the "road to recovery."

Following the video, Project Recovery will lead a discussion of cognitive, behavioral, physical and affective reactions to the Cerro Grande fire. Those attending can explore personal reactions to the evacuation and fire and learn more about the phases individuals and communities pass through on the way to recovery. The discussion will be followed by questions and answers.

Six earlier meetings have covered returning to work, environmental concerns, insurance issues, Los Alamos County clean-up efforts and information on the Cerro Grande fire assistance legislation.

In the first meeting, Tom Locke, director of Los Alamos' Employee Assistance Program addressed coming back to work, coping skills and how co-workers can help and let others help.

At the second, representatives from the Environment, Safety and Health Division talked about the Laboratory's Environmental Restoration Project efforts, it's Emergency Rehabilitation Team and programs to address potential impacts of increased runoff resulting from the fire.

Pete Romero, an independent licensed public adjuster, explained the public adjuster role and process in dealing with disasters in the meeting.

In the fourth, Veronica Rodriguez, representing U.S. Sen.Pete Domenici, and Dolores Garcia, representing Sen. Bingaman, discussed the ramifications of the Cerro Grande Fire assistance legislation.

The fifth meeting was a joint presentation of the Ombuds Program Office and Los Alamos County in which Los Alamos County Administrator Joe King and Los Alamos County Community Development Director Kelly Carpenter outlined the county's contract to clean-up the neighborhoods destroyed by the Cerro Grande fire.

In the sixth session, representatives from Federal Emergency Management Agency explained the Cerro Grande Assistance Act.

For more information, contact the Ombuds Program Office at 5-2837.

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