STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. — Flames may be out, but the burns of a small plane crash that killed two people Monday have scarred a Steamboat Springs neighborhood.
"There was a wide range of emotions and responses," Routt County Crisis Support volunteer Adrienne Stroock said.
Stroock said she got the call from her crisis response team lead around 5:30 p.m. Monday, about an hour after the crash. Help was needed in the West Acres mobile home park.
"We’re just there to lend a hand, really," Stroock said. "What kind of emotional support they needed, food, water. Just there to provide whatever people needed in that moment."
Stroock said she responded to about a dozen homeowners in the neighborhood, including one of the two people who completely lost their trailers.
"He had been by earlier that day, just the previous hour, to mow the lawn, and he was certainly quite affected and really upset by the situation," she said.
Stroock said she's lived in Steamboat Springs for 30 years and there's always been a natural response from the community to help when it's needed.
Justin Shirley, general manager at How Ya Doin Pizza, agreed.
"Pretty small community," Shirley said. "I'd say everybody knows everybody for the most part on a first-name basis, so coming together to help is just kind of what we do here."
He said smoke from the crash could be seen from the restaurant.
"My first thought was, I hope everyone's OK," Shirley said.
Shirley said in response to the crash, the pizzeria's owner requested five large pizzas be made to donate to the neighborhood.
Shirley said he heard some people in the West Acres neighborhood were away from their homes until midnight while first responders put out flames and investigated the crash scene.
"It may be small, but having some food when you can’t access your home is a big thing," Shirley said.
Stroock said her husband's restaurant, Drunken Onion, and the pizza shop her son works at, Blue Sage Pizza, also brought food to the mobile home park.
"As just typical of this community, people love to be able to support in any way they can," Stroock said.
The city encouraged people needing additional support to reach out to mental health services and take care of themselves:
- Remind yourself that you are having normal reactions. Give yourself a break. Be kind to yourself.
- When you can, allow yourself to feel sadness and grief and any other emotion over what has happened.
- Talking to others about how you are feeling is important. Maintain connections with your friends, relatives and community. Talk about your experiences with them.
- Keep daily routines (like mealtimes) in place if possible. This helps to feel there is still a sense of control and order in your life.
- Eat healthy, get enough sleep and remember to do things you enjoy.
- Alcohol and drug usage does not help in the long run. Try to limit your intake.
- Try to focus on the positive. There are caring people and acts of kindness all around us.
- This is a difficult time and often people can be more emotional - be patient and understanding with each other.
- Avoid making big life decisions right away.
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