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Coping with Crisis - Newsletter No. 2, 2004

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Spanish Red Cross’ Psychosocial Response Teams for Emergency

By Dori Moreno Sánchez, Health and Relief Department, Relief and Emergency Response Plan,
Spanish Red Cross

Spanish Red Cross Psychosocial Support following the 11 March terrorist attack in Madrid

Since 1996 Spanish Red Cross has been creating Immediate Response Teams (ERIES) specialized in psychosocial support and setting them up all over the country.

In conformity with recommendations from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the focus is twofold:

Training in psychological first aid for all the Society’s first aiders so as to improve the human aspect of its activities to alleviate the suffering of victims. Creation and development of immediate response teams (ERIES) specialized in psychosocial support.
Each team is multidisciplinary and comprises 14 volunteers – psychologists, social workers, doctors, nurses and first aiders.

This prior planning and organization made it possible to respond to the 11 March attacks in Madrid.