The First 48 Hours: Spiritual Caregivers as First Responders

The first 48 hours are critical to the recovery of trauma victims.

First responders make the difference between life and death for trauma victims. But what is often not recognized is that when disaster strikes, spiritual caregivers are often among those first on the scene. For these caregiversresponse should also help propel survivors toward positive transformation. This bookfocuses oncritical responses that are key in the aftermath of natural disaster, community violence, personal injury, and crime. These basics include: the power of presence, safety, assessment and triage, how we help, putting the pieces together, telling the story, hope, and caring in the long haul.