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| Trauma program sends help to those going through crisis |
| By JOHN PRZYBYS Coping with the sudden death of a loved one because of an auto accident, violent crime or even a medical condition always is difficult. However, Southern Nevadans who face such unexpected losses at least are apt to see a friendly face at such terrible times, thanks to the Trauma Intervention Program, popularly known as TIP. Southern Nevada's 8-year-old TIP is an outgrowth of a program that was created in San Diego and went national 17 years ago, said Marian Thomas, TIP crisis team manager. Through TIP, she said, volunteer counselors offer people faced with the sudden loss of a loved one "emotional first aid (during) the first couple hours of a trauma." "Ninety-nine percent of our calls involve a death," she added. For example, when six teen-agers who were picking up trash along Interstate 15 were killed last year, TIP had 12 volunteers on the scene, at the hospital and traveling with coroner's office representatives to meet family members, Thomas said. When four Albertson's employees were killed by a gunman in July 2000, "I think we had seven volunteers involved," Thomas said. Yet, a TIP volunteer also can be summoned if, for example, a wife finds that her husband has died of a heart attack during the night. "It's all those little things, and the big things," Thomas noted. TIP counselors are called to the scene of a traumatic incident by such "first responders" as paramedics, firefighters, police officers or coroner's office representatives, Thomas said. When the TIP volunteer arrives, he or she will spend the next few hours helping a client navigate both the emotional and practical concerns they'll immediately face. For example, Thomas said, "we emotionally comfort (a client), holding her hand, giving her a hug, whatever she needs." The TIP volunteer can help to notify other family members, Thomas continued. "We also explain the unknown: Why is Metro here? What is the coroner coming for? We explain that because nobody knows that." Last month, TIP volunteers went out on 109 calls, Thomas said, and a typical month will see volunteers being summoned about 120 times. The program currently has about 35 active volunteers, Thomas said, "and I could use, to be honest, 30 more." TIP volunteers receive 55 hours of training, usually over the course of a two-week period, Thomas said. Volunteers who complete the training and pass a background check then are on-call for at least three 12-hour shifts each month. According to Thomas, TIP volunteers currently include a bank vice president, retired nurses, a blood bank executive and several women who, she said, "have never worked outside the home. And, a lot of men are volunteers." TIP also has teen-age volunteers who "go through the same training, and they respond with an adult volunteer when a teen-ager or young people (are involved)," Thomas said. Sometimes, people who are dealing with a sudden traumatic event seem to appreciate just having someone around who cares. "There are times when we might sit with a client for an hour and hold their hand," she said. "I've had one lady sit with her head on my lap, and she never said a word." At such times, Thomas continued, "you come home from a call and go, `I don't know why I was even there.' Then, a week later, a letter comes in the mail that says, `I don't know how I would have made it without you.' " Training classes for TIP are held twice a year, and the next class begins April 18. For more information, call ***-****. |
| ***Printed on March 24, 2002 |
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