Help for rescuers

When Victor Valley residents have to deal with tragic situations, many times law enforcement, fire or emergency service personnel are there to help. But who assists rescuers through traumatic events?

“Anytime there is a critical incident like (the recent attempted murder of a San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputy) someone from The Counseling Team will roll out,” Lt. Keith Gulla of the Apple Valley station said. Gulla is also the program director for the Sheriff’s Peer Support Program.

For nearly three decades, The Counseling Team International — based out of San Bernardino, with an office in the Victor Valley — has provided all employees of the Sheriff and Fire departments and other emergency service personnel with counseling services to help them deal with the difficult scenarios they see on a daily basis.

“They choose a job to make a difference and help and when they are involved in something horrendous, it pulls on their heart strings,” said Dr. Nancy Bohl, director of The Counseling Team. “They just want to help people and sometimes when it just doesn’t work out, it bothers them.”

While the services are offered to all the employees including office personnel, it is those on the front lines who can benefit the most.

“They see a disproportionate amount of death and violence in their daily routine, unlike a typical office employee,” Cindy Beavers, spokeswoman for the Sheriff’s Department, said. “Some of the problems can filter into their personal lives.”

The group assists individuals when they are involved in any situation that may require counseling.

“A deputy may pull someone out of a burning car and the victim doesn’t make it and dies in the deputy’s arms,” Gulla explained. “The general public can read it but they don’t have to think about it after that. The deputy involved in that tragedy has to carry it with them. Our job is to try to help those individuals.”

“There is the stigma that we’re macho and an attitude that we’re tough and have a hard shell,” Gulla said.

 “In reality, we force ourselves to do the things that we have to do at the time to take care of the problem. It’s the afterthoughts and the times when everything slows down when we really have to deal with it.”

For the full story, read Saturday's Daily Press. To subscribe to the Daily Press in print or online, call (760) 241-7755 or click here.

Beatriz E. Valenzuela may be reached at 951-6276 or at BValenzuela@VVDailyPress.com.