Background - New York, Post-September 11th 2001

Kim Wooldridge and Lynne Woods joined the (North) Carolina Emergency Response Massage Team (CERMT) and deployed at their own expense to New York for weeklong deployments between November 2001 and May 2002.

CERMT had already deployed at several national emergencies (natural disasters such as Hurricane Floyd and more recently Katrina).

In New York in November 2001, there were just 5 therapists who provided massage to over 300 fire-fighters. By the second week of the deployment in December/January, 20 therapists had worked on over 2000 people from a wide range of agencies.

At Ground Zero and the Pentagon it was supplemented by the use of clinical aromatherapy, which was reported as extremely beneficial.

Anecdotal evidence is that a massage therapy prior to a debriefing session improved the responsiveness and success of the sessions.

A massage shift would vary in length, typically from 2-6 hours at a variety of locations including firehouses and police stations across the city, emergency services marshalling areas around Ground Zero and in support of work at Staten Island.

The massage volunteer met travelling( air ticket) and food costs, however it became routine that the agencies they were working with would share their catering and arrange return transport to the base.

Outward travel at the start of each shift was by public transport. The massage chairs would be folded and carried by the therapists (approx. weight 7kg).

Response Emergency Stress Team United Kingdom - REST UK
REST UK was established in Sept 2002, and its founder members are those that went to New York, Kim Wooldridge, Lynne Woods and Stephen Paine.

REST UK currently has over 40 (July 2009) Therapist volunteers trained in the on-site massage chair routine and Critical Incident Stress Management ( CISM) but over 100 therapists have been trained since the inception of REST UK.

Each volunteer is a licensed massage therapist whose personal liability insurance includes voluntary work.

The training of the group involves Critical Incident Stress Management. It is important to note that REST UK volunteers (will not offer advice or counselling. However they can fulfil an important role in this area by listening. Their raised awareness enables them to identify individuals who may require more comprehensive psychological assistance and suggest to them that they may wish to avail themselves of support services in this area.

REST UK is a voluntary agency for several local authorities.

REST UK has close links with UKFSSART, (UK Fire Service Search and Rescue Team).

REST UK has established links with the London Fire Brigade and the Metropolitan Police.

REST UK is undergoing training in order to accompany UKFSSART with deployments overseas.