In the Counties:

Focus on Ocean County's Emergency Response Committee

(continued from newsletter) 

CC: Jill, tell us about the design of the team. How is the ERC structured? Who are your resources

JP: The Ocean County ERC now has about 50 members. That number has been pretty consistent over the years. We cover a pretty large geographic area, so the team is actually divided into two teams, a North Team and a South Team, to reduce travel time and get team members to where they are needed as quickly as possible. The group is very diverse. Of course we have many mental health professionals, social workers, psychologists, and counselors, but we also have EMT’s, clergy members, teachers, nurses, victim/witness professionals, and even a funeral director.  

CC: That certainly gives the ERC a lot of depth and expertise. What types of community groups interact with the team? 

JP: We have very close working relationships with many important community groups that are active in crisis and disaster work. The ERC has members who serve as liaisons from the Office of Emergency Management, the Red Cross, Health and other agencies, including the educational community. This has been critical in many emergency response situations. We have a lot of trust, and very little interagency competition or turf issues.  

CC: How is your team activated? Who gets the call?

JP: During routine business hours, calls come into the Department of Human Services, to my office. But the county also provides some funding that allows the Psychiatric Emergency Service (PES) at Kimble Medical Center to provide 24-hour coverage. Many PES workers are also ERC team members, so there is a very close integration of our programs.

CC: I know that the ERC has been active for many years now, but can you point to one specific response that would exemplify how your team functions?

JP: Well, there are many success stories, but one that stands out. Several years ago there was a mid-air crash of a military aircraft with a civilian plane over Burlington County. The military plane had left from Lakehurst Naval Base and was carrying a mix of both military and civilian personnel. The ERC quickly became involved at many levels immediately following the crash. Several members of the team responded to the crash scene to provide support for rescue and recovery workers, some ERC members were involved in death notifications, and many conducted group and individual interventions with family members and coworkers of those killed in the crash. The base is a very unique community. It is very self-contained and we were honored to be invited in and to be allowed to assist in all of these ways.

The Lakehurst Navel Base response was one of our best. It just seemed that everything fell into place. All of our training, all of our relationships, everything just went as well as it possibly could.

One thing I am proud of is the fact that many ERC members today are the same people who have been on the team from the very beginning. The longevity and the consistency of the ERC have been remarkable, and I think that’s a tribute to our members.

CC: The ERC has a wonderful track record. What type of things do you do to grow the team, to keep it dynamic and interesting to your members.

JP: To sustain the team we have monthly meetings. We'll get together to discuss recent deployments and “debrief”. We also use the meetings to discuss new business and to foster positive relationships between the ERC members. We have organized mock “call-outs” to exercise the ERC, and many of our members participated in TopOff III and other local drills.

One of our most successful team-building efforts was a retreat about a year ago in Beachwood Township. The day was filled with activities designed to reduce stress and increase bonding between team members. We had square dancing, a clown, massage, art therapy, and a whole range of fun, therapeutic activities. We wanted the day to be about rejuvenation and caring for the caregivers.

The ERC has also sponsored a series of sensitivity workshops. In 2005 we had sessions focused on cultural sensitivity with the Orthodox Jewish community, the Hispanic Community and with the elderly. We are in the process of planning a conference addressing ethics in crisis response, sort of a “ to debrief  or not debrief” discussion, given the recent debate around the effectiveness of the debriefing model.

CC: That’s a lot of activity! I know that Ocean is one of the counties involved in the pilot credentialing program as well. How has that affected your team?

JP: The ERC always prided itself on its informality and the comfort level of our members. I think it’s a good thing, but the credentialing process is forcing us to formalize our operations. It is making the ERC a little tighter, and I think can only improve on a good thing.

CC: Jill, thanks for making the time to share this information with New Jersey Crisis Counselor readers, and good luck in your step up to the Director of Human Services position! Congratulations to you and all of the ERC members for their 20-plus years of services to the citizens of Ocean County and across the state.