What our Clients Say About TIP
"I had no idea that your program existed. The Sheriff called a TIP volunteer and she stayed with me until my children were able to arrive. She offered to call my family and help me in any way she could. She was exceptionally compassionate. I make this donation in her name. God Bless you and your organization."
TIP Client
"I'm appreciative of your bereavement assistance, especially for the TIP volunteer. She was proficient, calming, and effective. Hopefully, all of your volunteers are as compassionate and caring."
TIP Client
"I want her to know that she was excellent in all the things that needed to be taken care of. Hang on to her, she is an excellent value to the TIP project."
TIP Client
"She sat with me. I don't remember if I even spoke to her and I'm sorry for that. Maybe one day I'll get to meet her again. She will always remain an 'angel unaware' to me."
TIP Client
"I was not myself, and Mom had a stroke soon after Dad passed. I think she was an angel to come help us in the middle of the night. With gratitude."
TIP Client
"I don't remember the TIP volunteer's name, but she was extremely kind. She was a calming influence and helped me through a very difficult couple of hours. Please thank her for me!"
TIP Client
"A month ago my sister passed away at home very unexpectedly. TIP volunteer Nancy was already there when my husband and I arrived and she was such a blessing to us. We thanked her personally, but I wanted to send along our thanks again to your whole organization for this wonderful service. I'm not sure what we would have done that night without Nancy's comfort and helpful suggestions as to our next steps. She was just perfect in her comfort to us and allowed us to grieve, cry, talk and eventually move forward.
It has been 4 weeks - we have had her service and internment and in quiet moments when my mind goes back to that awful evening - the bright spot in the memories is when I remember Nancy and her comfort, concern and care for strangers. She drove quite a distance and stayed for hours until her body had been removed - Nancy is a wonderful person who exemplifies goodness to others.
Please pass along our thanks to her again from our entire family."
TIP Client
What Emergency Responders Say about TIP
"The TIP Volunteer took care of family so that I could return to a potentially volatile situation. Could not have done it without her!"
Deputy Z. Maltsberger
San Diego Sheriff s Department - Vista Station
"This is such a helpful resource. The TIP Volunteer was able to take control of the situation allowing me to get back in service. Thank you for all of your help, it is much appreciated."
Deputy L. Cully
San Diego Sheriff's Department - Encinitas Station
"I believed it was beneficial to have somebody there who was not in uniform to comfort the family members."
Deputy Boisseranc
San Diego Sheriff's Department - Vista Station
"The volunteer was efficient in obtaining necessary information from Officers so that she could focus on the family in crisis. The volunteer was very professional."
Officer A. Williamson
National City Police Department
"She sat next to the ex-wife of victim and offered hugs and words of encouragement."
Officer B. Sterling
Oceanside Police Department
"Thank God we have the TIP program. They are a valuable asset to the community."
Deputy T. Byrne
San Diego Sheriff's Department - Vista Station
"The volunteer showed calm in a stressful situation."
Sgt. C. Ayers
Oceanside Police Department
"Thanks for getting to the scene quickly. It was a traumatic event for the family, you helped everyone there."
Deputy S. Johnson
San Diego Sheriff's Department - Encinitas Station
"The TIP Volunteer arrived very promptly after I had requested TIP and was able to speak with our witness and calm her down prior to the parents arriving at the residence. This allowed me to complete my investigation prior to the parents arriving on-scene and allowed us to focus solely on them when they arrived, which made my job a lot easier. The Volunteer did an outstanding job with the victim's parents and was great about giving me updates on how they were doing and questions that they had about the situation.
Great job! Your calmness in a stressful situation allowed me and my partners to conduct our investigation more effectively. I know I can speak for everybody on-scene when I say we appreciated your prompt response! Again, thanks for all of your help with the witness and the parents, it made a world of difference on our end."
Deputy D. Smith
San Diego Sheriff's Department - Poway Station
"The wife of the deceased had many questions. Unfortunately, I had to focus on the scene and doing my duties. I called TIP to assist. When I completed my duties I went into the front room to help. To my surprise I found the TIP Volunteer was already there helping the spouse. I was able to complete my investigation and leave within forty minutes. Without TIP's help I would have been there for at least double the amount of time."
Great job! Your calmness in a stressful situation allowed me and my partners to conduct our investigation more effectively. I know I can speak for everybody on-scene when I say we appreciated your prompt response! Again, thanks for all of your help with the witness and the parents, it made a world of difference on our end."
Deputy T. Seiver
San Diego Sheriff's Department - Ramona Station
"The TIP Volunteer was great with the client who discovered the deceased. She was very calm and very reassuring to the client. She allowed the client to let out how she was feeling which allowed me to conduct my investigation. It is awesome having emotional support for the deceased loved one.
Keep up the good work. Keep providing the emotional support. The Volunteer has a great personality for this line of work. I don't know how I would have gotten through my line of questioning without her being there to help calm the loved one down."
Deputy H. Bruton
San Diego Sheriff's Department - Vista Station
"The TIP Volunteer stayed with the family and assisted with funeral arrangements and any other concerns the family had. This allowed me to the leave the scene and handle other radio calls. She was polite and very helpful to the family and me. I appreciate the help she provided and the quick response to the scene. The TIP volunteer program is a valuable asset to law enforcement and the families they serve and is much appreciated."
Deputy C. Canela
San Diego Sheriff's Department - Vista Station
"It was good to see this volunteer again. In 12/2007, we responded to a call to a home near this one. Both times he was professional, attentive, and of great assistance to the families. Thank you again."
Inspector A. Storey
San Diego Medical Examiner's Office
"The TIP volunteer stayed with the distraught girlfriend while we processed the scene and finished our report. She calmed the girlfriend down so we could communicate with her."
Officer B. Hendrix
Oceanside Police Department
"As always this volunteer was great on scene. She conducts herself in a professional and tactful manner, and offers the appropriate support for the family members on scene. This volunteer is an asset to police responders and allows them to do their job in the most efficient manner possible."
Officer J. Ferry
Oceanside Police Department
"The TIP Volunteer did a fantastic job of helping calm the friends and family of the decedent while the officers present completed our portion of the incident.
Thank you for your assistance, it was very valuable to me, my partner, and the El Cajon Police Department. Without her assistance we most likely would have at least two officers stay on scene for probably an additional hour while ensuring the family had the proper resources available to them."
Officer S. Breakall
El Cajon Police Department
"This was a very difficult call. The deceased was in his 20's and was discovered by his mentally ill mother with depression and terminal cancer. The woman was in denial and was a difficult person to work with, the volunteer did an incredible job and I would have thought she had been on for quite a long time or had special training.
The TIP Volunteer did a great job and her personal experience as a survivor of a tragedy helped in this situation. She did a good job of easing the woman into the reality that her son was dead and helped her love him while he was there. It is too hard to explain all the details in the space provided here, but having worked with the mentally ill population for years and having been to numerous suicide scenes. The volunteer did an incredible job."Thank you TIP!
Officer D. Ehlers
El Cajon Police Department
"The TIP Volunteer kept the family together in one location and obviously spent much time speaking with them, assisting them, and gaining their trust. As I was preparing to leave he walked over to me and shared with me an important piece of information which the family had confided to him. I asked him to approach the family to ask if they would directly share the same information with me. The volunteer did as I asked and the information was relayed directly to me. Thanks to the time that the volunteer spent with this family they obviously felt comfortable sharing information with him. This volunteer was able to see that that information was potentially important and shared it with me. The TIP volunteer did a terrific job in helping the family and gaining their confidence and played an important role in my investigation. Great JOB!"
Inspector G. Geary
San Diego Medical Examiner's Office
"What can you say about someone who gets called out early in the morning to go to a house where a loved one died...and does it for free. Of course they are doing an awesome job."
Deputy R. Homan
San Diego Sheriff's Department - Santee Station
"The wife of the deceased was very distraught and confused at what steps she needed to take. The TIP Volunteer provided very caring and helpful service assisting her in this very trying time.
TIP volunteers have always provided outstanding professional service and have helped in every situation that I have called for their assistance. Thank you for your great service."
Officer J. Woods
Oceanside Police Department
"The Trauma Intervention Program has bridged the gap in emergency services and has been more successful than any program in recent memory."
Jerry Brown, Sheriff
Santa Rosa County, FL
What the Media Says about TIP
"A great program! The TIP program is an idea whose time has come."
Giselle Fernandez
NBC Today Show
TIP has won the Innovations Award for its work helping the victims of tragedy. The Annual Innovations Award given by the Ford Foundation and Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government are widely considered the most prestigious."
The Los Angeles Times
"It's what works in Carlsbad, California."
Tom Brokaw
NBC Nightly News
What a TIP Volunteer Says About TIP
First of all, I am someone who came to this program kicking and screaming. My husband signed us both up and after the first 8 hours I was questioning why I was here. But when the program ended I understood what I was going to be doing, and I knew I had gained enough confidence to handle the calls. As you can see, I stuck with the program and have been with TIP ever since. Believe it or not, I am not 35 and my life no longer has the immediate involvement with children and their activities or needs. Both our boys are married and live in other states. I was ready for something that would make me feel important and needed. TIP has satisfied that.
In the past, hospitals frightened me. I had a hard time visiting with family and friends when I had to enter a hospital room. My response to someone in the hospital was always, "I would rather have you over for coffee and we could have this conversation at my table". Now that fear is gone because TIP has improved my self assurance.
Also, after being a part of this program I have discovered each call I go out on is valuable and from my training I have something to offer the clients. They are all in an emotional state and this makes them very vulnerable. Becoming their voice during their time of crisis is so appreciated by them. The hugs and thank you plus the bonding with the clients are so worth being there for.
TIP has made me a better listener and it has encouraged me to have patience when I need to and it has made me think before speaking making sure I present myself in the correct manner.
Presently, I am an emergency substitute teacher for Lutheran High School, and on occasion, I tutor children with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. We all are busy with other things in our lives, like job, family, home and possibly other volunteer positions. But if you want real satisfaction in your life and make a difference in someone else's, this is the position to be in.
A TIP Volunteer