(P1-98) Psychological Aspects of the Disaster Victim Identification (DVI)

Abstract

The process of identification of disaster and mass casualties' victims (Disaster Victim Identification - DVI) impose requirements on the interdisciplinary cooperation of experts in many professions. When working with survivors and witnesses, it is necessary to maintain general ethical principles and follow the guidelines of optimal crisis communication with the affected people. The important thing is not to cause further secondary trauma. It is therefore necessary to understand the normal reactions of the human psyche in extreme stress and psychosocial needs of the people in stressful situations. Also members of DVI teams deserve adequate psychosocial support during and after the completion of difficult tasks. It is likely that these workers are psychologically resistant to extreme stress comparing to the general population but they are also increasingly exposed. To maintain work performance and life satisfaction is the possibility to use a specific psychological support very important. Keywords: acute stress reaction (ASR), DVI teams, disaster victim identification, crisis communication, survivors, crisis and disaster psychology, psychosocial crisis management, psychosocial care, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).