CALMNESS PUNCTUATED WITH MOMENTS OF DEEP GRIEF
Calmness punctuated with moments of deep grief
PERIODS of calmness, punctuated with moments of deep grief - words graphically used by Mr. David Bolton, Sperrin Lakeland Health and Social Care Trust community care director, to illustrate the scene at Omagh Leisure Complex on the night of the Omagh bombing.
Mr. Bolton was speaking at the Trust Board's monthly meeting on Thursday last, and was one of several directors who gave Board members an insight into the Trust response to the bombing.
The leisure complex had been opened in the immediate aftermath of the car bomb detonation, and was used as a collating and counselling centre.
A number of staff who had been at the Tyrone County Hospital, including social workers and community nurses, were sent to the complex when a decision was taken at about six o'clock on the Saturday evening to use it as the focal point for enquiries about those who were missing, and those who were missing, presumed dead, said Mr. Bolton.
Many people went to the complex hopeful they would learn their friends and relatives were accounted for, and were safe. Several were to learn the tragic news of deaths and serious injuries.
Over the next 24 hours Trust staff worked with members of voluntary organisations, leisure centre staff and the police to support those making enquiries.
They sought to obtain information about missing people, and to assist families through the harrowing task of describing, and later identifying, their dead relatives.
The director said that in the first few hours nothing seemed to be happening. However, police in attendance, and colleagues at the Army Camp, where a temporary mortuary had been set up, were drawing together information about the missing, and those who had died.
The police and healthcare staff also agreed on how families would be supported. Constant briefings on the task facing staff were carried out, and they later briefed clergy-Mr. Bolton said that at about 11pm a meeting was held for the families who, by then, were facing bad news.
He said he spoke to them, as did senior police officers and the council chief executive, Mr. John McKinney.
Prayer
The gathering was then led in prayer by Bishop Seamus Hegarty, Bishop of Derry, and Rev. David Kerr, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland.
"One of the most moving moments of those hours in the leisure centre was when, together, the families, clergy, police, members of voluntary organisations, centre staff, and health and social services staff joined in saying the Lord's Prayer," Mr. Bolton said.
"We all knew man would be facing a trial of life-changing proportions, and that the events of the next few hours would bring many face-to-face with tragic loss," he added.
As the night unfolded, information about those who had died began to reach the centre, and police officers and representatives from the health and social services team were linked with each family.
Fine details were checked and confirmed until it was established that the bodies in the mortuary matched descriptions of those who were missing.
"Then, family by family, representatives were taken to the army camp where they were asked to confirm the identity of their relatives. This took a long time, and, for humanitarian and administrative reasons, could not be rushed," the director said.
"On returning to the leisure centre, there were moments of great distress as the news was conveyed to other family members and friends," he continued.
New information constantly arrived, Mr. Bolton said, and names of those admitted to hospitals were read out and lists posted for people to read.
Initially there was relief when the news came through, although, as it later became clear, many of those in hospital had been badly injured.
By the early hours of the morning, staff were getting concerned about the number of missing people. A count showed 55 to be missing, with 28 bodies in the mortuary.
"We were concerned that there might be more people trapped, dead or alive, in the rubble. While police assured us that searches by dogs trained to find human beings had revealed nothing, our concerns remained," he said.
As a consequence, additional staff were asked to be available, and the hospital was notified in case more casualties were found.
It was not until late on Sunday afternoon that staff were confident no one remained unaccounted for.
Privacy
Mr. Bolton said the leisure centre proved to be a suitable location for the task. It had the facilities required, and plenty of space for privacy.
He paid tribute to the work of leisure centre and council staff, and the work of the police and clergy-There were also acts of kindness from a great many people, including taxi drivers who stayed, throughout the night to convey family members to and from the centre free of charge.
Catering staff also provided refreshments, and members and staff of voluntary organisations and the health and social services staff undertook their work with great sensitivity.
Throughout most of Saturday night and well into Sunday, there was a lot of waiting to be done, Mr. Bolton said.
"We were all aware, I believe, of the great tragedy we were participating in, some of us more than others," he said.
"For many who were waiting in dread there remained hope, which was not to be realised. There was also the calmness, perhaps one could call it resignation.
"Few will have been unaware of the great calmness that seemed to contain each family gathering. Even those who had jobs to do did it quietly, and often in hushed tones.
"Perhaps, more that anything, here was community sharing in a tragedy. There were those who were suffering loss, and those who had work to do, all united, either consciously or unconsciously, in this dreadful event," he said.
PERIODS of calmness, punctuated with moments of deep grief - words graphically used by Mr. David Bolton, Sperrin Lakeland Health and Social Care Trust community care director, to illustrate the scene at Omagh Leisure Complex on the night of the Omagh bombing.
Mr. Bolton was speaking at the Trust Board's monthly meeting on Thursday last, and was one of several directors who gave Board members an insight into the Trust response to the bombing.
The leisure complex had been opened in the immediate aftermath of the car bomb detonation, and was used as a collating and counselling centre.
A number of staff who had been at the Tyrone County Hospital, including social workers and community nurses, were sent to the complex when a decision was taken at about six o'clock on the Saturday evening to use it as the focal point for enquiries about those who were missing, and those who were missing, presumed dead, said Mr. Bolton.
Many people went to the complex hopeful they would learn their friends and relatives were accounted for, and were safe. Several were to learn the tragic news of deaths and serious injuries.
Over the next 24 hours Trust staff worked with members of voluntary organisations, leisure centre staff and the police to support those making enquiries.
They sought to obtain information about missing people, and to assist families through the harrowing task of describing, and later identifying, their dead relatives.
The director said that in the first few hours nothing seemed to be happening. However, police in attendance, and colleagues at the Army Camp, where a temporary mortuary had been set up, were drawing together information about the missing, and those who had died.
The police and healthcare staff also agreed on how families would be supported. Constant briefings on the task facing staff were carried out, and they later briefed clergy-Mr. Bolton said that at about 11pm a meeting was held for the families who, by then, were facing bad news.
He said he spoke to them, as did senior police officers and the council chief executive, Mr. John McKinney.
Prayer
The gathering was then led in prayer by Bishop Seamus Hegarty, Bishop of Derry, and Rev. David Kerr, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland.
"One of the most moving moments of those hours in the leisure centre was when, together, the families, clergy, police, members of voluntary organisations, centre staff, and health and social services staff joined in saying the Lord's Prayer," Mr. Bolton said.
"We all knew man would be facing a trial of life-changing proportions, and that the events of the next few hours would bring many face-to-face with tragic loss," he added.
As the night unfolded, information about those who had died began to reach the centre, and police officers and representatives from the health and social services team were linked with each family.
Fine details were checked and confirmed until it was established that the bodies in the mortuary matched descriptions of those who were missing.
"Then, family by family, representatives were taken to the army camp where they were asked to confirm the identity of their relatives. This took a long time, and, for humanitarian and administrative reasons, could not be rushed," the director said.
"On returning to the leisure centre, there were moments of great distress as the news was conveyed to other family members and friends," he continued.
New information constantly arrived, Mr. Bolton said, and names of those admitted to hospitals were read out and lists posted for people to read.
Initially there was relief when the news came through, although, as it later became clear, many of those in hospital had been badly injured.
By the early hours of the morning, staff were getting concerned about the number of missing people. A count showed 55 to be missing, with 28 bodies in the mortuary.
"We were concerned that there might be more people trapped, dead or alive, in the rubble. While police assured us that searches by dogs trained to find human beings had revealed nothing, our concerns remained," he said.
As a consequence, additional staff were asked to be available, and the hospital was notified in case more casualties were found.
It was not until late on Sunday afternoon that staff were confident no one remained unaccounted for.
Privacy
Mr. Bolton said the leisure centre proved to be a suitable location for the task. It had the facilities required, and plenty of space for privacy.
He paid tribute to the work of leisure centre and council staff, and the work of the police and clergy-There were also acts of kindness from a great many people, including taxi drivers who stayed, throughout the night to convey family members to and from the centre free of charge.
Catering staff also provided refreshments, and members and staff of voluntary organisations and the health and social services staff undertook their work with great sensitivity.
Throughout most of Saturday night and well into Sunday, there was a lot of waiting to be done, Mr. Bolton said.
"We were all aware, I believe, of the great tragedy we were participating in, some of us more than others," he said.
"For many who were waiting in dread there remained hope, which was not to be realised. There was also the calmness, perhaps one could call it resignation.
"Few will have been unaware of the great calmness that seemed to contain each family gathering. Even those who had jobs to do did it quietly, and often in hushed tones.
"Perhaps, more that anything, here was community sharing in a tragedy. There were those who were suffering loss, and those who had work to do, all united, either consciously or unconsciously, in this dreadful event," he said.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/0554
Published Date: 03-Sep-98
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