The Key Bridge below development, 1976.

Supply: The Night Solar/ Wikimedia. Public area.

At about 1:30 a.m. EDT on March 26, 2024, the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore skilled a catastrophic collapse. The container cargo ship Dali misplaced energy and bumped into one of many bridge’s key help pillars. Like a row of dominos, the spans which constituted the bridge collapsed. Six individuals are presumed lifeless.

Whereas technically not a catastrophe, the consequences of this incident attain far past these immediately concerned, far past the Port of Baltimore and the State of Maryland, and will even be contagious. Right here’s what occurred and how you can defend your self, your loved ones, and your group.

The Incident

The Francis Scott Key Bridge was opened in 1977. It sits on the southern tip of Baltimore’s harbor. It spans about 1.6 miles and carries Interstate 695 over the Patapsco River which is the principle contributary to the harbor basin. Over 30,000 automobiles crossed the bridge every day.

The 984-foot Dali is a container cargo ship that weighs over 210,000 tons when loaded. A complete energy failure left the ship unmaneuverable shortly after leaving the dock. Shortly after a mayday had been issued, the ship drifted into the bridge’s key help pillar. A catastrophic collapse adopted.

The Adversarial Bodily Results

The Port of Baltimore is the fifth busiest container port on the East Coast of the USA. The Port is totally closed which is able to adversely have an effect on the commerce of town, state, and area. The Port contributes about $15 million to the financial system every day. The price of coal, autos, and associated industrial items will doubtless improve as extra pricey transportation routes will likely be utilized. There will likely be provide chain delays. There will likely be longer commute occasions for these within the area.

The environmental affect has but to be assessed, however no poisonous chemical substances are identified to have been launched from the ship or its cargo. Not directly, longer commute occasions are more likely to improve carbon emissions.

The Adversarial Psychological Results

At this level, there are six presumed tragic fatalities. Extra fatalities have been doubtless prevented by the emergent closing of the bridge previous to affect. The consequences upon the households of these misplaced can’t be understated. Grief, frustration, and even anger are doubtless resultant feelings.

For these indirectly concerned, there could also be antagonistic psychological results as properly. A typical preliminary response is shock and disbelief that such an iconic function of the Baltimore skyline is now gone. The response of grief may even happen for some acquainted with the bridge and what it stood for.

However what provides this incident the potential to be extra adversely impactful is the imagery—and it’s that imagery that offers this incident the ability to be psychologically contagious.

This collapse was uniquely captured on video which is now surging over the web. Individuals can turn out to be simply mesmerized by it. It might even appear, in a way, addicting.

Therein lies the hazard. The mind sears into its reminiscence circuits pictures that meet any of three standards: 1) uniqueness or spectacle; 2) threatening; or 3) usually repeated (particularly repeated imagery). The Baltimore bridge collapse has all three.

The psychological penalties may very well be normal anxiousness, worry of crossing bridges, a obscure sense of persistent loss, despair, and challenges to assumptions about security. The truth that the pictures are on the web makes the antagonistic results related to the collapse probably contagious. Analysis from the World Commerce Heart catastrophe demonstrated that repeatedly watching the Towers collapse served to vicariously traumatize many, particularly youngsters.

The right way to Defend Your self and Your Youngsters

1. Past a wholesome curiosity, restrict display time pertaining to photographs or discussions in regards to the collapse.
2. Have an off-the-cuff dialogue with your pals and neighbors in regards to the collapse. Make an off-the-cuff evaluation of how group members are doing. Make use of group outreach, if mandatory, particularly to the aged and infirm.
3. Communities and organizations can make the most of structured disaster administration briefings (CMB) within the type of “city corridor conferences” to supply up to date info, reply questions, and assess the necessity for psychological help providers.
4. Psychological first support (PFA) can be utilized to help these in acute misery.
5. Youngsters study by commentary. They require a way of security and help from the adults of their lives. Have an age-appropriate dialogue with them, offering no matter reassurance appears warranted. If the dad and mom and different adults aren’t main and supporting youngsters, who’s?
6. On a private and interpersonal stage, keep in mind that rational thought processes can override counterproductive emotion, however your rational mind wants gas (proof). So, contemplate the next. As tragic because the collapse was, it was uncommon, very uncommon. Preserve that time in thoughts. Based on ABC Information, from 1915 to 2015, there have been solely 35 bridge collapses worldwide with 342 resultant deaths; examine that to the three,700 individuals which can be killed day by day all through the world from automobile accidents.
7. In sum, it’s OK to be curious, however incidents which can be spectacular and harmful have the potential to be vicariously traumatizing and spawn a spiral of fear. Don’t give up your well-being or that of your loved ones to the uncommon, the harmful, or the spectacular.

© George S. Everly, Jr., Ph.D., 2024