Oklahoma City Bombing

Dr. Bryan Farha remembers watching rescue workers planning their strategy as heavy file cabinets dangled from the shell of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building above them.

Farha, chairman of the Department of Counseling Psychology at Oklahoma City University, was among those who saw firsthand the danger workers encountered at the bombed federal building. He talked and listened to them in front of the building when rescue efforts first began.

"I noticed there was an enormous amount of stress even when workers were not in the building," said Farha, a licensed professional counselor.

"I think the enormity of the situation tended to sink in when they stood back and watched. The ones who were in the building seemed under less stress because they were focused on the job they had to do."

During the more than two weeks of recovery and rescue efforts, workers were able to fight fatigue because of the massage therapy and counseling sessions offered after their shifts, Farha said.

They also were bolstered by the many letters, posters and banners sent to them from across the country.

However, in a few days, weeks or several months from now, the firefighters and rescue workers will begin to realize the full impact of that April day when a terrorist bomb killed more than 160 people and injured hundreds. They will begin reliving the times when they pulled bodies - especially those of children - from the rubble.

Farha said the rescue workers will go through anger, depression and denial in the upcoming weeks.

Those who have good coping skills will not need professional counseling. However, the more intense workers or those who do not express their emotions will need professional help or face problems that could cause them to retire from their jobs, divorce their spouses or even commit suicide.

"I don't think they will be able to completely get this out of their minds. We will have this in our memories forever," Farha said. "But the issue is not to eliminate the memories, but to learn how to deal with the reality of this tragedy."

After he counseled rescue workers, Farha was interviewed by Army and Air Force officials for a videotape he was told would be sent to the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. Although not given specific reasons for the interview, Farha said he was told the videotape also would be sent to the White House.

He then went to Denver for the American Counseling Association's national convention where it was announced that free counseling would be available nationwide for family members and friends of victims who don't live in Oklahoma. Association officials said Oklahoma's mental health community could provide the needed counseling in this state.

Farha said he found during the Denver conference that people were much more respectful of Oklahoma than before. Some said they would now move to the state "in a minute."

Farha also found Oklahomans were much more compassionate toward each other. Hardened rescue workers and others he knew became much more sensitive to others after April 19.

He said he believes these attitudes in Oklahoma and outside of it will continue.

"Our emotional and physical responses will be lessened as time goes by but definitely will not be eliminated," he said. "I sense that this tragedy heightened our awareness to be more understanding of others."

Signs of Trouble

Family or friends of workers involved in the rescue and recovery efforts at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building are advised to look for an increase in the following behavior patterns:

• Sleep disturbances;
• Inability to concentrate at work or school;
• Irritability;
• Anger and/or depression.