Three cheers letter: Trauma program eases terrible time
The alarm sounds, but her husband died in the night. A teen has not returned home. The reluctant deputy approaches the door to give death notification. A mother awakes. Her newborn is still and not breathing.
When hearts are crushed ... there is confusion and shock. When tragedy strikes, victims are often alone, or feel alone even when people are near them.
That is why Trauma Intervention Program was created in San Diego in 1985. Trained people were dispatched to be with victims, be a shoulder to lean on, listen, provide resources and emotionally hold onto folks.
In 1994, Yuba-Sutter emergency system leaders opened the way to bring the program here. Since then, people have come forward to respond at 3 p.m. or 3 a.m., wet or dry, cold or hot. They are at emergency scenes because they want to be, not because they have to be.
Their pay is knowing they had a small part in preventing a horrific event from getting worse.
The Trauma Intervention Program sincerely thanks the emergency response agencies, businesses, grateful clients and guests for making our recent TRI-TIP fundraiser the best ever. Your hard work and generosity enable local victims of tragedies to receive the highest level of care in the nation.
Two websites to help those traumatized and those wanting to help — yubasuttertip.org and whentragedy strikes.org.
Lou Binninger
Marysville
