"It is crucial that you have certainty"

Christiane Fux studied journalism and psychology in Hamburg. The experienced medical editor has been writing magazine articles, news and factual texts on all conceivable health topics since 2001. In addition to her work for, Christiane Fux is also active in prose. Her first crime novel was published in 2012, and she also writes, designs and publishes her own crime plays.

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Whether a plane crash or a heart attack - if a person is suddenly torn from life, it is traumatic for the relatives. Peter Zehentner *, head of the KIT crisis intervention team in Munich, explains how one can help.

Peter Zehentner

Peter Zehentner is a paramedic, qualified social worker and supervisor. Since 1999 he has been the full-time head of the KIT crisis intervention team in Munich, which today consists of over 40 specially trained volunteers and three full-time part-time employees.

Mr Zehentner, nobody can help the victims of the plane crash in France. But you can support the relatives. Helpers from your team are already on site. How do people react to sudden death news like the Airbus crash?

After such an accident, everything is different from one minute to the next. The reactions are very different. Some freeze, others collapse. However, questions quickly arise from all relatives: What exactly happened? Was my daughter, my husband actually on board? Did the victims have to suffer? Can't there be survivors after all?

The most important thing is to be as open and absolutely honest as possible. And if you don't exactly know the facts, as has been the case so far, then we have to pass it on.

Many of the dead will be in a state in which they are no longer recognizable to the relatives. That should make the already difficult farewell even more difficult.

That's right. It is then even more difficult to grasp what happened and to conclude with it. Something that has not been completed continues to drive you. We therefore try to enable a farewell also in cases like this. That might sound terrible at first, but if you are well prepared, you can also say goodbye to individual parts of the body or even to personal belongings of the deceased in a dignified setting. It is crucial that you have certainty.

How can trained specialists like your people from KIT-Munich help on site?

In addition to the important task of satisfying the urgent need for information, it is crucial that someone is there. Someone who knows their way around, who has orientation, who cares, who stands up for the relatives. Who is able to endure the pain that hits him. This can also mean that you simply remain silent with a shocked family member.

Some people cannot cope with traumatic loss on their own. When is it time to seek help?

If after four to six weeks you still cannot cope with your everyday life, if you are still completely caught up, for example by the bad images in your head, then it is important to seek professional support. Relatives can also develop a mental illness such as post-traumatic stress disorder, which is extremely stressful. Whoever gets help then shows strength, not weakness! Unfortunately, some hesitate far too long - sometimes even years.

Even if it's not a plane crash, at some point each of us will meet someone who has just experienced a traumatic loss. Most of them are overwhelmed by such a situation and feel insecure. How should one behave?

It is important to reach out to those who are grieving. You can also give space to your uncertainty. Just say, “I have no idea how, but I would like to help.” Often times, it is very specific, everyday things that are most important. To go shopping. Cook. Pick up the children from school. There is always something that can be done.

Tags:  Diseases nourishment first aid