“There is precious little information out there and there is no playbook,” says County Chief Executive Officer Greg Deveraux.
Devereaux says almost immediately after the shooting a transition team came together to handle two important duties - taking care of the families left behind and survivors as well as keeping the now hobbled division going
Devereaux credits a tight-knit network for how the organization has responded to the tragedy
The county assigned each EHS worker, and families of the deceased, a liaison from the behavioral health department to help with anything they needed — from insurance issues to retrieving their loved one's personal items from the office. They also did much more.
"They have babysat people’s children in time of grief when people had to go make funeral arrangements or had to attend funerals," says Felisa Cardona, deputy public information officer. "Some of them decorated Christmas trees for families who had to go on with holidays because had young children but couldn’t summon up the energy."
Within days of the shooting a state run mutual aid program kicked in that sent EHS workers from neighboring counties and the state department of public health to open the division. Retirees also came back to help and San Bernardino brought in former director Allan Rawland to lead Public Health temporarily.
The County has requested that the mutual aid program - workers from other counties to help staff EHS - continue through June 30, according to a recent report from Public Health to the transition team.
Public Health Director Trudy Raymundo reads one particular message. "My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and the ones near and dear to them," it says. "You are strong. Together we are stronger yet, We are SB County strong. God bless you all."
The phrase "SB Strong" is a common sight in San Bernardino. Just days after the attack, this tiny symbol of big courage appeared on lapels, posters, banners inside the county building and at the county's memorial for the dead. It represents recovery, resilience for a region that’s had more than its share of struggles.
Faced with what could have been a lonely task of picking up the pieces after the attack, San Bernardino County leaders say that phrase has become a symbol for them of the family and the community they're trying to help heal.
“We are holding on to each other," Raymundo says. "And moving forward as a community."
To read more on the resilience of San Bernardino's community written by Elizabeth Aguilera, please click here
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