PWSRCAC--Coping with Technological Disasters

Project Manager
Lisa Ka'aihue

907.273.6225
3709 Spenard Rd., Ste. 100
Anchorage, AK 99503

Coping with Technological Disasters

Peer listener training conducted at the Pioneer Igloo in Cordova by PWSRCAC Community Liaison Linda Robinson and Project Manager Lisa Ka'aihue-photo by Linda Robinson, PWSRCAC

Technological disasters, such as the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, disrupt communities in many ways. The most obvious and tangible disruptions occur to the ordinary flow of goods, services, and jobs. For example, the 1989 spill created thousands of high-paid jobs in cleanup work. As a result, ordinary employers in communities—village stores, Native corporations, and city governments—lost workers and found it even harder to function normally during the crisis.

These visible disruptions can be measured and monitored and usually goods and services can be restored in a reasonable length of time. However, there are other often ignored, poorly defined, poorly understood, intangible adverse impacts stemming from a technological disaster. These include initial negative mental health impacts and chronic long-term psychological and physical impacts.

Results of Exxon Valdez oil spill studies indicate that mental health impacts still persisted 10 years post-spill. These impacts included disruption of family structure and unity, family violence, depression, alcoholism, drug abuse, and psychological impairment. The extent of chronic mental health patterns appears to be correlated to the extent that a community is dependent on its natural resources for survival. As such, Native and non-Native fishing and subsistence-based communities are at higher risk for elevated levels of chronic psychological stress associated with technological disasters.

The citizens' council applied the results of several years of socioeconomic research to produce a guidebook explaining how communities can deal with technological disasters. The guidebook, “Coping with Technological Disasters,” identifies how communities and individuals can understand what a technological disaster is, how it differs from a natural disaster, what to expect during the disaster, and how to find help.

It is hoped that this guidebook will become an assessment tool and road map. It enables communities and individuals alike to understand what a technological disaster is, how it differs from a natural disaster, and what to expect during the disaster and in the years following the event. The guidebook provides information on where to find help. It refers often to coping tools that can be found in the accompanying appendices.

PWSRCAC also produced an award-winning video/DVD training course based on material developed for the guidebook. The “Coping with Technological Disasters: Peer Listener Training” course teaches peer-listening techniques that allow community members to counsel each other. The community member learns to be an advisor, friend, and referral agent for people who may not want professional services or may not know that help is available. If you would like more information about the video/DVD training, please contact the Anchorage PWSRCAC office.