Red Cross Volunteer Returns From Aiding Las Vegas Shooting Victims

Tom Hlenski, American Red Cross volunteer, held a press conference on Oct. 9 to educate the Las Vegas community on possible reactions, what to expect and ways to cope in the wake of the mass shooting earlier this month. Photo Courtesy of Tom Hlenski

By Janee Law
jlaw@longislandergroup.com

Huntington resident and longtime American Red Cross volunteer Tom Hlenski, DSW, has returned from a stint in Las Vegas, where he aided victims of the Oct. 1 mass shooting.

Hlenski, a volunteer since 2005, led the Disaster Mental Health unit of the American Red Cross in Las Vegas since he was deployed there on Oct. 3.

He was stationed at the Family Assistance Center located at the Las Vegas Convention Center Exhibit Hall for a week, leading the Disaster Mental Health unit with a mission to connect families of the wounded or deceased with various agencies or services within the community.

“The hope is that we built up and supported the community agencies to the point where they can carry this on their own,” Hlenski, 66, said.

Although he did not have direct client contact, Hlenski was in charge of 28 Disaster Mental Health workers and developed outreach teams that were sent out into the Las Vegas community.

While Disaster Mental Health workers were split into two tours, Hlenski was at the center from 7 a.m.-8:30 p.m. He returned home in the early morning hours of Oct. 10.

Hlenski held a press conference on Oct. 9, prior to leaving Vegas, to educate the community on the possible reactions, what to expect, and ways to cope when experiencing trauma.

In addition, Hlenski said he encouraged turning fear into hope and resilience, adding that “humans are equipped with an enormous amount of resiliency.”

Hlenski has more than 35 years of clinical and research experience and is an independent private practitioner in Huntington and Great Neck. In the past, he has responded to many mass-casualty incidents, including the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting and the 2009 plane crash in Buffalo.

While in Las Vegas, he said he was struck by the level of support and commitment from volunteers in the Red Cross and from people within the community.

“Similar to Orlando, the community response and the community’s efforts to try and help were incredible,” Hlenski said. “It’s a sad situation, it’s a horrible thing, and it’s a tragedy, but when the Red Cross comes, they come in full-force and they know what they’re doing. It’s amazing.”