ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at how an organisation handled an unexpected disaster and how the existing policies, procedures and systems were able to meet the needs of the crisis and the ongoing support of the workers. Chapters 6 and 8 looked at some of the requirements of a trauma care programme. In this chapter, the emphasis is on the support provided for a group of supermarket employees involved in offering emergency refuge and support to hundreds of distressed and injured passengers from a train crash. The trains had collided in a cutting next to the supermarket's car park and most of the passengers escaping from the trains were taken to the supermarket's coffee bar prior to being moved to hospital or sent home. The interventions with the employees are described, together with the evaluation process and results. Unlike planned research, disaster research takes place at a time of considerable anxiety and therefore has its focus on the protection of life, health and well-being. Yet, despite the difficulties, procedures were put in place that helped to identify the employees in greatest need of support. The activation of the trauma care programme also took some of the burden of support off the shoulders of managers whose main emphasis was caring for the employees while trying to maintain the operation of the business.
