AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services (ATCEMS) shared an important message after a deadly mass shooting in Austin earlier this week: “It’s okay to not feel normal.”
Shannon Koesterer with ATCEMS said everyone at the scene — victims, bystanders, and first responders — experienced conditions far outside everyday reality.
“Everybody on that scene…was put into an unnatural situation,” Koesterer said. “This is not your normal.”
First responders on the scene of West Sixth St. shooting. (KXAN)
Specialized EMS and police teams responded within seconds
Less than a minute after a shooter opened fire at a popular bar on West Sixth Street early Sunday morning, a specialized team of first responders called the Counter Assault Strike Team, or CAST, was on the scene treating patients. Quick efforts from CAST bring patients advanced, potentially life-saving treatment when seconds count, according to ATCEMS.
Three people died as a result of the attack, and 13 more were injured, according to Austin Police. The suspect was killed by police who responded to the shooting.
Lingering trauma after major incidents
Koesterer said the effects of major events can linger for weeks, months, and years after they occur, especially for the first responders at the scene on West Sixth.
“There will be sneaking moments when you have reality hitting you of who this person is and that you’re in a bar and not in the middle of a war zone. That can creep in, but our training and our mindset focuses us back on what we need to do to help as many people as we can.”
According to ATCEMS, over 20 EMS units were on the scene to support the gunshot victims.
The department has unlimited access to psychologists through city resources and offers peer support.
Koesterer said the day-to-day job can get heavy, regardless of the call. She encourages everyone to reach out and get the help they need.
“Our folks in this department who have lasted 15, 20, 25, and 30 years know how important it is for your own survival and your career longevity to just take care before it becomes a mounting issue,” Koesterer said. “There are people next to you, people above you, people wherever you can find comfort in that can listen and understand similar experiences. Talk to them, talk to peer support. Reach out to psychologists. Don’t walk away from this and assume that you’re going to grit it out.”
University of Texas support services
The University of Texas is offering extended support services this week for students impacted by the shooting.
You can find more details on the university’s services here.
City of Austin resources
The City of Austin has also set up a Victim Assistance Center.
Austin Emergency Management, Austin Police Victim Services, and FBI Victim Services will operate the center from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday at 1520 Rutherford Lane, Building 4.
Services include:
Behavioral & Mental Health Services
Returning & Claiming of Personal Items from the Crime Scene
You can learn more about city resources here.
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