Training supervisor Vinicius Bernardes has worked as a volunteer since the start of the floods in Rio Grande do Sul. In an interview with CNN he reported that the last few days have been extremely difficult, with little time to sleep and rest.
Bernardes explained that the psychological part has been a great challenge, with volunteers suffering from insomnia and dreams related to rescues . “This is a common thing among volunteers. So, this is a psychological issue that affects us,” she said.
Furthermore, volunteers are also exposed to diseases due to contaminated water.
Despite the adversities, Bernardes emphasized that the main focus is rescuing lives. “Our motto in the rescue zone is that all lives matter,” he said.
Convincing people to leave their homes
One of the biggest obstacles volunteers face is convincing people to leave their homes and take shelter in safe places.
Many residents refuse to leave for fear of having their homes ransacked. Bernardes explained that volunteers need to do psychological work to reassure people and assure them that their belongings and pets will also be rescued.
Concerns about the future
In addition to the immediate challenges, Bernardes expressed concerns about the future of those affected by the floods. Many of them have lost their homes and have nowhere to return.
He called on the State to provide housing and a minimum of dignity for these people, in order to prevent them from being forced to resort to crime.
“These people today, the clothes they have on their bodies are not even theirs. They are the fruits of donations. So people need dignity to live”, declared Bernardes.
Source: CNN Brasil
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