Searchers grieving as they seek mudslide victims

Firefighters, search crews – they soldier on every day, they go out there every day they know at this point they’re probably not going to find survivors, even though they maintain they will – because they want to and we want them to.

But it has to weigh on them, going out day after day, looking for signs of life, and finding nothing.

But first responders, searchers, volunteers are getting some help. Assistant Police Chief Nick Metz of the Seattle Police Department told KING 5 their Critical Incident Stress Management Team has been sent to the slide area.

“We have teams on the ground to check with them (first responders), meet with them as needed, debrief them, and see how they’re doing,” said Metz. “It’s good if they start that healing process.”

One firefighter spoke Wednesday about the emotional toll the search was taking on him.

“I can go home and … eat some food, hug my wife, come in and hug my friends the next morning and say, ‘Let’s go again. We’ve got something to do. We’ve got a job to do, so let’s go do it,'” firefighter Jeff McClelland said, recalling his thoughts on Wednesday.

McClelland, whose wife is also a firefighter, said they’re seeing things the recognize, and others they don’t, like clothes for adults, clothes for kids. “You’ll see baby clothes and it starts to tug on you. I have children. I have grandchildren.”

McClelland was a part of a search team who uncovered a the remains of a man whose son and brother were among the volunteers scouring the debris field. The relatives sat beside the body as it was zipped into a bag. McClelland found himself overcome with tears.

Rescuers like McClelland are continuing their search for bodies in the muck and devastation left behind by a massive mudslide.

Many of the once-considered 176 missing in the mudslide have turned up safe. Snohomish County reports there are now 90 missing people and 35 people unaccounted for. But that has provided little relief to rescuers like McClelland who are tasked with bringing closure to the relatives and friends of those who have not been found.

And much like stumbling across someone’s every day clothes, KIRO Radio’s Dave Ross says what’s particularly touching is when you go to a disaster scene and see these everyday things. He’s reported from a disaster scene before and he said you realize, ‘I’ve got that, I’ve got a toy, I’ve got a Bible.’

“And you realize the suddenness and the shock of normal life, interrupted by something out of the blue, that you had no conception of,” said Ross.

Seattle Police’s Stress Management Team was also there when the four Lakewood officers were gunned down.

There is also a hotline for anyone coping with grief from the Oso mudslide, (800)584-3578.

KIRO Radio’s Dave Ross, MyNorthwest.com’s Alyssa Kleven, and the Associated Press contributed to this report.