By Crystal Harrell
The Trauma Intervention Programs, Inc. (TIP) of Riverside County is looking for caring people willing to be part of a team of citizen volunteers trained to provide emotional and practical support to the victims of traumatic events in the Coachella Valley area. This is a unique volunteer opportunity for those with a heart to serve their community.
Registration is now open for the October 2024 training schedule, with sessions being held from October 3 to October 12 at the Riverside Sheriff Palm Desert Station. There is a $50 fee to offset the cost of volunteer training. This fee covers the training manual, food, live scan fingerprint, and volunteer kit among other items.
A TIP volunteer will be called to emergency scenes by local police, fire, medical, and hospital personnel to comfort families after the death or sudden illness of a loved one. Trauma scenes include any event that causes trauma to individuals or groups, such as sudden death or injury. Volunteers provide emotional comfort and practical support to those on scene. Traumatic events include but are not limited to suicides, drownings, fatal traffic collisions, unattended deaths, illnesses and homicides.
The calls TIP volunteers respond to are sudden and traumatic events. Most survivors are unprepared and have never experienced these types of traumas. Ninety-five (95%) of our calls are death-related. Volunteer training includes how to handle what comes next; we can walk the survivor through those next few steps. Training also includes how to work with the first-responder system, so we can explain what is happening on scene. We are there for the survivors, so they do not feel as if the system is not taking care of them while first responders are doing what they need to do. We also serve as a liaison between our survivors and the first responders on scene,” stated Magda Stewart CEO, TIP Riverside County, Inc.
Every volunteer is required to volunteer for three 12-hour on-call shifts per month, along with attending a monthly Continuing Education Meeting (CE Meeting). Each volunteer picks 5-6 shifts that they are available for. Three are assigned from the availability provided. Shift slots are from 7:00am to 7:00pm and 7:00pm to 7:00am.
Volunteers respond anywhere that law enforcement, fire and hospital personnel ask them to go; they will be sent to safe locations and will always arrive on scene while an emergency responder is still on-scene. TIP’s goal is to ensure the safety of everyone, while immediately giving emotional and practical support to citizens in crisis, regardless of race, age, ethnicity or socioeconomic status.
“When survivors of trauma receive immediate on-scene support, it facilitates long-term healing and recovery. They are receiving not just that immediate emotional support, but they’re receiving resources and follow up support,” explained Stewart.
TIP is a free service to the community. TIP services are funded by donations, grants, fund-raisers, and contracts with various community partners. TIP is a national voluntary nonprofit organization that ensures those who are emotionally traumatized in emergencies receive the assistance they need. To accomplish that goal, TIP works closely with local communities to establish TIP emergency service volunteer programs. Well-trained citizen volunteers are called to emergency scenes to assist family members, witnesses, and other bystanders whom the emergency system must often leave behind. Since 1985, TIP, Inc. has established 16 affiliates serving over 250 cities. In each of these programs, citizen volunteers demonstrate that, given the opportunity, they can play an essential role in the emergency response system.
“TIP volunteers believe that no one should have to go through a trauma alone. While family and friends may be on scene to provide support, they are also traumatized by the event. Having a volunteer there with knowledge not only how to support them emotionally, but how to support them through taking the first few steps for what needs to be done is huge,” said Stewart.
For more information and to register for the TIP volunteer training sessions, visit www.tiprivco.org, call 951-698-2453, or email magdaceo@tiprivco.org.
