This morning, I heard reports that quite a few 911 operators in New Orleans quit their jobs in recent days because of all the stress. Can you imagine receiving one call after another and not being able to give any concrete information or affirmation that help was indeed on the way?
Then I saw this in an article on CNN.com just a few minute ago: "Several dozen of the city's 1,600 police officers have failed to report for duty, and some have turned in their badges." Included in that article is the sad news that two New Orleans police officers committed suicide.
"What's affected most of our officers is they don't know where their wives or kids are," New Orleans Deputy Police Chief W.J. Riley is quoted as saying in the article. "They don't have homes. They don't have anything."
Can you imagine reporting for your job and having to help people all day while at the same time you don't even know if your wife or kids are alive? It's almost beyond comprehension to me.
While we are praying for New Orleans and the entire Gulf Port area, let's include the 911 operators, the police, and every other person who is trying to serve others while going through a high level of stress in their own personal lives.
