JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It’s been almost two days since a 12-story condo building collapsed in the early morning hours Thursday in Surfside, a small suburb north of Miami Beach.
The deadly collapse was captured by a nearby surveillance camera, recalling for many the gut-wrenching images of previous tragedies.
“It was just horrific. The first thought that came to mind were the images of 9/11, you know, just the building being destroyed, debris everywhere, just a complete and total mess,” said witness Nicholas Balboa.
There are undeniably similarities between the images of destruction, rescuers, and grieving families in South Florida to those videos and photos we saw from New York City almost 20 years ago and the Oklahoma City bombings more than 25 years ago.
“The truth is we’re all going through these feelings looking at these horrible pictures and coming together as a country,” said Licensed Clinical Social Worker Lori Osachy.
Osachy said for those living or working in condos or high-rise buildings, it’s important to address any feelings of anxiety.
“It’s very important to realize that this is an isolated event, try to talk back to the fear and realize there are millions and millions of condos that did not collapse,” said Osachy.
The Mayor of Miami-Dade tweeted out a partnership with Florida Blue and New Directions Behavioral Health offering free bilingual grief counseling to anyone in need of emotional support.
.@FLBlue, in partnership with New Directions Behavioral Health, is offering a free bilingual grief counseling hotline to anyone in need of emotional support following the building collapse in Surfside.
— Daniella Levine Cava (@MayorDaniella) June 25, 2021
Hotline: 833-848-1762
“Very first thing that we need to do is stay connected with each other,” said Psychologist David Chesire.
Chesire said it is normal to get emotional watching this trauma unfold even from hundreds of miles away.
“What it comes down to is how are you personally doing with this? Are you getting very anxious coping with the feelings you’re having? And if so, it doesn’t matter how you are making those associations, it means you just want to take time out and just explore what’s going on with you that you’re feeling this way,” said Chesire.
Chesire said talking with others, sharing your feelings and finding a calming distraction are the best way to emotionally deal with the tragic history we all are witnessing together.