Surprise Arizona Fire Dept Crisis Response Team
A friend of mine who lives in Sun City Grand volunteers with the Surprise Fire Dept Crisis Response Team. With the exception of the program supervisor, all members are volunteers. In order to remain in the program, volunteers must contribute at least sixteen hours a month. 
Initially volunteers undergo several weeks of training which includes dealing with the families and loved ones of victims of natural and accidental death, suicide, child and spousal abuse, auto accidents, mental illness, loss of a child, and fire victims.
Crisis Response Team members are not first responders. Their quarters are at fire station 301 in Surprise AZ. When they are needed they are dispatched along with fire and police units to a scene by the Alarm Room located in Phoenix. The Alarm Room manages all dispatching throughout the valley. Crisis Response volunteers are notified via a fax as to the location and nature of the incident. The Crisis Response van has an Mobile Communications Terminal with a map display that displays the location of the incident, the other units that were dispatched and the status of the victim(s). It has a touch screen on which the volunteers communicate their status to the Alarm Room. There is also a radio in the van that is used to communicate and receive voice information to and from the Alarm Room.
There must always be two volunteers on each shift. One volunteer drives the van while the other directs the driver to the scene and communicates with the Alarm Room. Although the van is equipped with all the emergency paraphernalia as other emergency vehicles (siren, flashing lights, preemptor, etc), they cannot be used while the vehicle is en-route. The preemptor can be used to open gates in a gated community but not to change stop lights from red to green.
The Alarm Room is notified via the Mobile Communications terminal when the volunteers arrive at the scene. There are several different actions the volunteers may take depending on the nature of the incident. If it is a death at home the volunteers will approach the police officer in charge of the scene and ask him or her to brief them on the situation. Crises Response volunteers are briefed and directed to the loved one(s) of the victim. The Crisis Response volunteers will introduce themselves to the loved one(s), telling them that Crisis Response is there to help them in any way they can. Initially Crisis Response volunteers will provide emotional support and chat with the loved one until they are over the initial shock of their loss.
In many cases Crisis Response volunteers are dispatched to age restricted communities. Victims may have a spouse to whom they were married for over fifty years. The loss of a spouse can be the worst experience anyones entire life. It is a difficult time for loved ones to think about funeral arrangements and all the other necessary tasks that need to be performed regarding death of a loved one. Crisis Response helps family members choose a mortuary and provides them with a folder that contains a checklist of all the tasks the family will need to do and also information on ways to deal with the grieving process. In the event of a natural death the police will contact the victim's doctor to determine whether the doctor will sign off on a death certificate. If the doctor responds affirmatively the next step is for the loved one to contact a mortuary to have the victim's body taken.
In the event a doctor refuses to sign a death certificate or the police determine that the death may not be natural such as a suicide or homicide, the Medical Examiner's office must be contacted to bring the body to the morgue for examination and possible autopsy.
I asked my friend what's the most difficult response, "responding to a child drowing". As you can see, the job of a Crisis Response volunteer can be very stressful but also very rewarding. Thank you my good friend, and thank you to all other volunteers. You are the unsung heroes in Surprise Arizona!
Leolinda Bowers
Associate Broker
Ken Meade Realty
Cell (602) 403-6865
Business (623) 937-5701
http://LEOLINDA.com
Leolinda Bowers
Associate Broker
Ken Meade Realty
Cell (602) 403-6865
Business (623) 937-5701
http://LEOLINDA.com
If you are thinking of buying or selling a home in any Arizona retirement community, consider hiring me as your Realtor®. I am the 2010 and 2009 Top Producing Agent in Ken Meade Realty. In 2011, I successful closed 71 transactions. As a full-time Associate Broker Realtor® and a year-round Sun City Grand resident, I am familiar with Arizona retirement communities Sun City Grand, Sun City West, Corte Bella, Arizona Traditions, Sun Village, Pebble Creek and Trilogy at Vistancia.
I have a good friend of mine who does this same line of work in Phoenix. These guys know how to react to emergencies.
Harry, it takes lots of patience, mental endurance and strength. Please tell your friend thank you for me.
They truly are the unsung heroes; good post.
Teral, I totally agree.