Newsmaker
Monday, March 23, 1998
Name: Masaru Oshiro
Age: 69
Position: Volunteer social worker
Education: Waipahu High, University of Hawaii
Pastimes: Volleyball, photography
Retirement has allowed Masaru Oshiro to return to his roots. Oshiro: Back to his roots
"I'm a true-blue social worker," said Oshiro, a former state deputy director of behavioral health and chief executive officer for Alu Like Inc.
"For 25 years, I did administrative and executive-type jobs but what I enjoy most is working with people. I'm back to my roots now and enjoying what I'm doing."
Oshiro was honored for his outstanding volunteer work this monthby two organizations, the Hawaii chapters of the American Red Cross and National Association of Social Workers.
The Waipahu native is currently serving out a two-year term on the Palama Settlement board and helping the Susannah Wesley Community Center prepare for an accreditation review.
The Red Cross is using Oshiro's experience in its disaster mental-health program.
"It's primarily crisis counseling or what we call emotional first-aid for both victims and workers," said Oshiro, who has worked on major disaster relief operations, including the crashes of TWA Flight 800 in New York and Korean Air Flight 801 in Guam.
"There's no particular way people experience anxiety when under stress. There's different phases -- shock, anger, grief -- but the key approach is to let them know it's alright to grieve as long as they don't attack people or self destruct."
Crisis counseling is also extended to workers.
"In Guam, a lot of military people were recruited and assigned to the recovery crew," Oshiro said. "Some just can't handle it and you need to be there for them, too.
"Once they come in, we counsel them to talk it out. There's always one or two kids who don't want to talk and those are the ones we watch for."
Oshiro spent a lot of time last year developing a disaster mental-health program for Hawaii. "It's basically a response plan, setting up protocol," he said.
Oshiro, who is married and has two adult children, plans to remain active as long as he's healthy.
"There's a tremendous satisfaction in helping people," he said.
Rod Ohira, Star-Bulletin
