Mini - Seminar "A Matter of Life & Death"
September 18, 2010
The IAFR held a seminar on Saturday 18th September 2010 entitled "A Matter of Life & Death."
The seminar was held at the Henriette Raphael Building, Guys Hospital Campus, London SE1 from 09:30 - 13.00 and was followed by the Annual General Meeting of the Association. the seminar was free to AFR members.
The first speaker was Major Muriel McClenahan who outlined the role of the Salvation Army in responding to the London bombings of July 2005. The range of facilities and services they are able to provide in the event of major disaster and the level of training their personnel receive in preparation for such events is impressive. The talk was certainly an eye opener for those who think that the 'sally army' just provide tea and sympathy, important as that is.
Having been involved as legal adviser in the London bid to host the 2012 Olympics, Thelma Stober celebrated the success of the bid on 6 July 2005. The following day she became a victim of the tube bomb at Aldgate. Her account of this and subsequent problems she had encountered as an amputee was thought provoking and at times emotional. The committee expressed its gratitude to Thelma for giving up her time to share her experiences, especially in view of her needing to give witness at the upcoming inquest.
Mark Viner stepped into the breach next and gave an account of his experience of forensic radiography from his early years at the Royal London hospital to the present. Mark didn't wish to specify how long ago those early years were but went on to give an overview and brief history of forensic radiography beginning in 1896.
Psychotherapist Stephen Regel was the final speaker. As an expert in the subject of the subject of post traumatic stress, he pointed out that individuals had a range of reactions to such stress and that there was a need for trained personnel to assess what kind of support each individual might require. Indeed he emphasised that inappropriate counselling may have a negative effect.
Thanks go to those involved in organising the seminar, in particular Kirsteen Graham for her hard-and stressful-work
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