TAMPA, Fla. — Hurricane Ian’s historic and heart-breaking impact on several Florida counties is easy to see. But for those who either lived through the storm or lost everything, the unprecedented trauma and grief may be devastating.
“Just letting people know that if you need something, reach out to 211 because that's what we're here for,” said Eric Bledsoe of The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay.
Eric is the director of gateway services. He said their free mental health hotline is answered by trained professionals 24/7. The crisis center has seen a huge spike in calls from Charlotte County, which was near the eye of the storm.
“Our Charlotte County numbers, we used to take about 300 calls a week. And the Monday since the storm started, we've had 2500 calls up to yesterday, which is again an eight-fold increase in our call volume from Charlotte County, 211 alone,” said Eric.
With first responders still conducting search and rescue operations, even after losing their own homes, the severe stress can be traumatizing. so Bledsoe said front-line workers who are often former military also need to reach out and speak to another first responder at the "Crisis Center."
“Serving in some of these areas, like you call them, sometimes they refer to them as war zones, it reminds them of being in a literal warzone, and it can be triggering to them. So that peer connection is very important because it's a very close knit community and it's just the connection that they feel with each other that they can't get with someone else,” explained Eric.
If you're feeling depressed or full of anxiety, Bledsoe said those are all common reactions after a disaster, so don't give up and seek help.
And before leaving the crisis center of Tampa Bay, ABC Action News wanted to surprise the non-profit with a special gift. We presented them with a $10,000 check thanks to the generosity of you, our viewers.