Observations from Ground Zero at the World Trade Center in New York City, Part I

The authors are mental health clinicians with the Police Organization Providing Peer Assistance (POPPA), an affiliate organization of the Patrolman's Benevolent Association of the New York Police Department (NYPD). Beginning on September 11, 2001 we were at Ground Zero of the World Trade Center (WTC) to assist in the all phases of crisis intervention and Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM), as indicated. Our observations and anecdoctal reports, as we worked on teams with NYPD Peer Support Officers (PSOs), are the subject of this paper.