St. Petersburg , Fla. (October 31, 2017) –

Paramedics see victims of domestic violence frequently and are often told by the victim that they are not in need help and decline evaluation in fear of  retaliation by their abuser. It’s a delicate situation and quite often the victim is afraid to call the police or is not able or ready to leave their abuser at that time. “We had no idea what to do in many instances, so we reached out to the experts”, explains Sunstar Community Outreach Coordinator, Charlene Cobb.

Sunstar Paramedics partnered with advocates at CASA domestic violence center in St. Petersburg to do one-of-a-kind training with their paramedics and EMT’s. Four years into the partnership, our first responders have received special training on the warning signs of abuse and how to get the patient the right help, even if it isn’t the right time for them to leave the relationship.

During orientation new paramedics and EMT’s watch a video that counselors from CASA helped Sunstar create to inform the responders about subjects such as: how to question the victim, what signs to look for and how to provide assistance to someone who is not going to the hospital.  “Our ambulance personnel also discreetly leave victim with information on how to contact CASA  and get help if they need it or when they are ready to make the move”.

To watch ABC Action News segment, “Taking Action Against Domestic Violence” – Click Here