Crisis Response Emergency Support Team (CREST)

 

About Crisis Response

 

What is a crisis responder and what do they do? They serve the needs of people in two different areas:

First, he or she can have a primary duty to help emergency personnel by attending to their needs, problems, morale issues, family and marital concerns, as well as spiritual questions. Thus, the emergency service crisis responder (chaplain) keeps his or her focus in-house within the ranks of emergency service personnel and their families.

Second, the crisis responder (chaplain) widens the scope of service to another arena of people - the community at large - those families and individuals who are served and protected by the emergency service professionals. The emergency service crisis responder (chaplain) may often be called to handle painful situations, crises, and emergencies - at any time, day or night - for a family or individual in the community.  Whatever the arena or personal concern, one of the essential qualities that an emergency service chaplain must possess is the ability to readily adapt to various stressful situations and the fluctuating moods of different people.

The crisis responder (chaplain) of the emergency service is one of the most vital positions in the emergency services.  The crisis responder (chaplain) is next to the pulse of the emergency service.  It is a job that is demanding, confidential, trusting, and needed for the lives of the emergency service workers and their families. 

The crisis responder (Chaplain) may be requested to assist with the following types of incidents and special events, as requested by the different emergency service agencies and citizens:

 

• Assist at accident and emergency situations involving serious injury or death at homes, construction sites, motor vehicle accidents, fires, drownings, searches, natural and man-made disasters.

• Delivery of death notices

• Assist at Line of duty deaths

• Assist at or Conduct memorial services

• Assist at or Conduct Weddings for members and their families as requested

• Attend and participate in funerals of active, retired members and the families of emergency service agencies: Fire, Rescue, EMS and Law Enforcement.

• Assist with Child abuse situations

• Assist with Sexual assaults

• Provide assistance to victims of crisis situations

• Assist with Lost child

• Assist with Hostage situations

• Assist with Attempted or actual suicides

• Assist with Family disturbances

• Assist with Hospital calls to Emergency Service Agencies and family members as needed or requested

• Liaison with hospitals and clinics

• Participate in and/or leads Critical Incident Stress Management Team and Debriefings

• Provides short-term, confidential counseling of Emergency Service personnel and family members and their children with personal or specific problems

• Provide educational instruction in the areas of death, stress management, ethics, family life, victim response and introduce new members of the different agencies to the chaplaincy program

• Enhance public relations

• Attend department graduations, award ceremonies, dinners, social events, department dedications and offer invocations and benedictions

• Serve as a liaison with clergy in the community

• Provide a listening ear

• Serve as a ready resource for any emergency service agency