Douglas Kinney has been an active Red Cross volunteer for the last 15 years. He serves as our region’s co-lead for Life Safety and Asset Protection (LSAP)  and is an instructor for Psychological First Aid (PFA), Mass Casualty Disasters, Weapons of Mass Destruction/ Terrorism, Orientation to LSAP and CPR for the Professional Rescuer. He is currently becoming re-certified to teach Wilderness and Remote First Aid.

Douglas is also part of the Critical Response Team (CRT), a joint effort between the Red Cross and the National Transportation Safety Board, and is on the international disaster relief roster to help other Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies under International Federation auspices. He serves as a Safety Officer during national special security events and other special events such as Inaugurations and 4th of July. As a specialist in emergency management, he works in emergency planning with Diplomatic Security at the Department of State. Douglas said, “Red Cross is one of those top national institutions when it comes to emergency response. We are never not there.”

Douglas’ great skills as an instructor were highlighted by Chaplain Jonathan Vaughan. Chaplain Vaughan is a PFA student who took a course co-taught by Douglas and another volunteer at Dulles Airport earlier this year. He shared how the course helped him to better respond to the needs of those affected by a recent fatal accident. The course at Dulles Airport was provided at the request of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) to airline staff, flight crews, back office workers and chaplaincy volunteers.
 

PFA training sensitizes disaster relief workers to reactions that clients and colleagues may experience after a disaster, and teaches them how to create a compassionate environment from which they may provide basic care, comfort and support.

Douglas, who has taught PFA for the last six years, explained, “It is aimed at spotting who might need a good talk. It is important to engage with them personally. Introduce yourself, ask how they are doing and ask what they need. Give them a quick and solid human response that they can grab onto, and when appropriate ease an introduction to Disaster Mental Health Services.” Douglas emphasized how identifying and responding to a person’s disaster-related stress early on can help prevent future damage.

Chaplain Vaughan, a volunteer at the Chaplain’s Office at Dulles Airport, said that prior to taking the course he felt unprepared to respond adequately. He applied what he learned when an airline ramp-worker was crushed to death in front of his colleagues. In an email to Douglas he stated, “I spent over a dozen hours interviewing friends and colleagues, sharing grief, giving support and guidance and then leading a memorial service attended by over 300. Thanks again for sharing insight from your experience as well as established research on the subject.”

Psychological First Aid training is offered free of charge to all Red Cross disaster volunteers. Douglas recommends that all disaster volunteers take this training. To check out our local disaster services training, please click here.