Emergency Counselors Ready to Help When Called

Volunteers comprise a dedicated team of counselors who are ready to respond in the event of a community tragedy, a member of the group told the Lacey Municipal Alliance Monday night.

Jamie Busch, a member of the Emergency Response Counseling team and coordinator of the Children's Interagency Coordinating Counsel, told the Alliance the members of the counseling team are on-call and act when needed.

“We don’t just go into action our own, we need to be requested,” Busch said. “We need to be activated by an official representative.”

Busch stipulated that the counseling team is a community resource available in the aftermath of natural disasters, manmade disasters and other incidents of community impact, such as a sudden or untimely loss of life.

The staff is generally comprised of those with experience in the fields of counseling, social and psychological health, in addition to clergy members.

Busch added that the philosophy of the team during an emergency or disaster is to emphasize that stress-induced reactions are natural; individuals will experience heightened physiological reaction, impaired judgment, decreased comprehension and agitation; and that it’s of paramount importance to keep the affected individuals calm and decreasing the further risk of added emotional distress and negative behaviors.

“Practices are to administer psychological first aid for the 48 hours after a traumatic event, crisis counseling for the following 48 or more hours, then proceed with ongoing crisis counseling or support as required or necessary,” Busch noted.

Fellow crisis counselor and Municipal Alliance member Tom Faulkner provided examples of when the emergency response counselors would be summoned into action.

“Last year, there was a fire on Brookdale Park Drive, where the house was destroyed as the husband and wife were both at the hospital, while she was in labor,” recalled Faulkner. “They lost everything.”

Faulkner remembered another incident where a hurricane tore the roof off a housing project in Lakewood as a second situation where emergency counselors were activated.

“The counselors are called in for a wide range of possible activities,” said Faulkner.

“The police know about us, EMS know about us, funeral directors know about us. Presentations like these also help to get the word out,” Faulkner said.

Heather Scanlon, coordinator of the Municipal Alliance, said, “I think all of you volunteers are wonderful, and your commitment to the job and the required training is very admirable."

In other news from the meeting:

• Recreation Director Jim Wioland wanted to advise the community that the Lacey Township Family Fun Walk will be held this Saturday, April 28, from 10 a.m. to noon at the track located at Lacey Township High School.

“For families in Lacey, it’s free, and it’s a great day. I would say it’s best to arrive between 9:15 and 9:30 a.m.,” Wioland said. The event is being sponsored by both the Lacey Township Municipal Alliance, as well as the Lacey Township Education Association. Wioland added that the first 250 registered walkers will receive a pedometer, and about 40 participants have signed up so far. Nutritionists and a DJ will also be on hand to provide both fitness education and entertainment to the proceedings as well.

In order to register, drop your application off to the Lacey Township Recreation Department, 818 Lacey Road, Forked River, NJ 08731. For more information, call 609-693-1100, ext. 2203.

The next meeting of the Lacey Township Municipal Alliance will be held on Monday, May 21 at 7 p.m., in its usual location: 818 Lacey Road, in the headquarters of the town’s Recreation Department.