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When an airplane skids off the end of a runway or when someone commits suicide on the job, the psychological fallout for witnesses or co-workers can be enormous. What can a responsible company do to help? Call in Kevin Flynn. The Los Feliz-based psychologist is one of the nation’s leading experts on debriefing and counseling survivors of trauma and disasters. Last year, he counseled air traffic controllers after the USAir crash at LAX that killed 34 people. In 1989, he helped victims of the Houston ARCO oil refinery explosion in which 17 people died. And for years he has worked with bank employees after armed robberies and with law enforcement personnel who have witnessed various forms of death. Flynn, who works about 12 to 16 disasters a year, is on-site within 24 hours of a traumatic event. “It’s important to get to the scene as soon as possible,” he says. “If you wait too long, the psychological walls go up and you are viewed as an outsider.” The former police psychologist spends anywhere from a few hours to days talking with survivors. “People need to discharge their anxiety,” he says. “Without a debriefing, a victim of a bank robbery may freeze up anytime someone barks an order.” He also helps companies deal with anxiety-ridden employees. After the ARCO blast, he advised managers to alert workers before turning on any machinery--unexpected noise could trigger traumatic memories. “A debriefing is a psychological inoculation,” he says. “It helps prevent problems down the line.”