Hi, I’m Here to Help, By Alicia
Kula & Captain Richard Ellis
Imagine it is three o’clock in
the morning, the tones have just
gone off and dispatch is
providing the address to a
residential structure fire. Upon
arrival fire crews find a fully
involved structure fire. The
Incident Commander choreographs
the crews and equipment with
exact precision; hoses are
pulled, hydrants are hooked, and
ladders are hoisted. Thankfully
the family is safe and outside
watching these great
firefighters attempting to save
what little possessions they
have left. The fire is out,
smoke is clearing, hose is being
rolled, firefighters are in
rehab, and the Command system is
being disassembled. Now what?
What does the family do? Where
do they go? What are they
feeling? Everything they had was
in that house, and now, it’s all
gone. Who is there to answer
their questions and help them
reestablish themselves for even
just the night?
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue
recognizes that this scene and
so many other variations of it
are real. Line personnel are on
these scenes to protect life and
property not to provide
emotional support, crisis
mitigation, or social service
referrals. So then, who does
provide that? Should customer
service end at putting the fire
out or saving someone’s life?
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue
believes the answer to that
question is no. Customer service
should continue with added value
by providing guidance and
support to those family members
who have experienced a loss
through fire or death.
The Community Assistance Team,
or CAT, is a support program
wherein volunteers respond in
conjunction with fire crews to
cardiac arrests, structure
fires, drownings, pediatric
calls, and anything else that
may require their services. The
CAT members also respond to
social service calls to evaluate
the needs of at risk citizens,
and provide them with referrals
to local and state agencies so
they may receive assistance. By
providing this service,
firefighters and paramedics are
not encumbered on a scene making
phone calls in accordance with
the mandatory reporting laws.
They are free to turn the scene
over to a CAT member and return
to service.
Volunteers are provided county
vans stocked full of supplies
needed to assist family members.
The CAT members receive 16 hours
of classroom training and 40
hours of field training. They
are required to pass a
background investigation, pass a
physical exam, demonstrate
competency, and receive
continuing education every
month. Currently, PBCFR CAT has
30 volunteers and one full time
paid coordinator. The program is
actively recruiting new members
and is in the process of
training 15 new volunteers.
To date, the Community
Assistance Team has provided
support, crisis mitigation,
social service assistance,
referrals, hugs, and tissues to
over 1, 000 people; people who
otherwise would have been left
alone to navigate the systems on
their own. The volunteers have
logged over 5,000 hours of shift
time and have provided an
invaluable service to the
citizens of Palm Beach County
and to the field personnel.
For more information contact
Alicia Kula at
561- 616-7062.
Article Provided by:
Steve Jeruald
sjeruale@co.palm-beach.fl.us
