When crisis strikes, we are there for people

Australian Red Cross teams were called to Brisbane and Sydney airports to support passengers arriving from a flight hit by severe turbulence and forced to make an emergency landing in Bangkok on May 22.

Our Emergency Services volunteers and staff stood with families waiting to reunite with their loved ones, ready to offer psychosocial support to anyone who needed it, says QLD Emergency Services State Manager Collin Sivalingum.

“Our teams are specially trained in psychological first aid, a type of mental health support that helps people feel safe, calm and connected in a crisis,” says Collin. “When you’ve been through or even witnessed a traumatic event, support like this can significantly improve your recovery in the short, medium and long term.

“The right help at the right time can make all the difference.”

Thanks to our generous donors our teams are on call, ready to help 24/7, 365 days a year. Every year, we support tens of thousands affected by crises, emergencies, and disasters you read about in the headlines.

Earlier this year, we provided psychological first aid to communities after two separate tragic incidents at shopping centres, in Sydney’s Bondi Junction and Queensland’s Redbank Plains in Ipswich. Our teams were there to offer support to people both directly or indirectly impacted, says Collin.

For decades, we’ve been there for communities coping with and recovering from distress, and we know the impact emergencies and disasters have. People, especially children, can be left feeling vulnerable, worried, or scared.

“With that experience and expertise, we have put together some helpful information and advice you can use to support yourself, and those around you, cope with distressing and traumatic events,” says Collin.