DAVENPORT, Iowa—
Standoffs illustrate the challenges facing first responders in the field. That's one reason behind a special session called Mental Health First Aid. It's from Vera French Mental Health Center and funded by Genesis Health System.In February 2006, there were nervous hours for a Davenport neighborhood during a standoff. The emergency services team stepped into action after officers tried to connect by phone, internet and breaking a window without response.
Sgt. Al Welke is the lead crisis negotiator for the Davenport Police Department. Familiar with dangerous situations, he's joining more than a dozen other first responders to learn more about mental illness and the role it plays in such episodes.
"You're able to more readily see what path this person is taking because of the different warning signs that you recognize," he said.
This lesson is like a classroom session for first responders. It should help them to deal with volatile situations and split second decisions in the field.
When Steven Mallory ignored commands and attacked a Davenport police officer on the Centennial Bridge, the deadly shooting that followed illustrated the extreme hazards facing first responders.
"The more that we can do to support the people who are first responders in situations such as that, I think the better for our community," said Michelle Kelley, Vera French Mental Health Center.
During high pressure situations like standoffs, responders are learning to take lessons about mental illness and apply them at work.
"Hopefully, by reviewing some of the information here, we'll be able to do a better job of managing this type of emergency," said Brian Jacobsen, EMS coordinator for the Davenport Fire Department.
After putting in 12 hours worth of classwork on Thursday and Friday, they'll return for a half dozen sessions in coming months. By breaking down barriers about mental illness, it hopes to produce a more confident response.
"It may not just be depression," Sgt. Welke concluded. "It may not just be because they're drunk. It may be an underlying issue that this class is going to help you recognize."
With lives on the line each day, crucial for those who serve.
