Ward honored for service following tragedy
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
A local law enforcement officer was among those honored recently for their work with first responders following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn., in December 2012.
“The Maine Warden Service Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Team members were recognized by the state of Connecticut for their role in debriefing law enforcement staff that were among many first on the scene at the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown,” said Cpl. John MacDonald, spokesperson for the Maine Warden Service.
Maine Warden Service Lt. Tom Ward, of Masardis and based in Ashland, was among those recognized.
“On April 17, Game Warden Lt. Tom Ward, Sgt. Jason Luce, Chaplain Kate Braestrup and retired Lt. Bill Allen were formally recognized by the state of Connecticut’s Environmental Conservation Police for their efforts in debriefing 11 state environmental police officers that were first responders to this tragedy,” said MacDonald.
On Dec. 14, 2012, Adam Lanza, 20, fatally shot 20 children and six adult staff members in a mass murder at Sandy Hook Elementary School in the village of Sandy Hook in Newtown. As first responders arrived, he committed suicide. The incident is the second deadliest mass shooting in American history by a single person, after the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre, noted MacDonald.
“The Maine Warder Service CISM Team was organized a decade ago as a means to provide game wardens with the tools to help manage critical incidents often faced as part of their job. The team provides a safe and confidential environment and emphasizes family, proper eating, sleeping and exercising habits, and encourages open discussions related to a particular incident,” said MacDonald.
“It can be very comforting to express one’s feelings and involvement with an incident and to hear that others are experiencing similar reactions,” MacDonald said.
Colonel Joel Wilkinson of the MWS said, “We were pleased to be able to provide support to our brothers and sisters in Connecticut that were part of the law enforcement first responders to enter the school and be witness to one of the nation’s deadliest school shootings. First responders are placed into situations that require specific skills and training but we often fail to recognize the lasting effects these situations can have on an individual or an agency.”
“Our team is trained to provide and offer the first steps to help individuals begin to process what they have been involved in and give them guidance on how to best manage the potential long-lasting issues that come with very traumatic situations,” continued Wilkinson.
Wilkinson said he was pleased to recognize these individuals for their commitment — a commitment to others that extends beyond state lines.
“I am proud of our team for their dedication to their role and the trust the Connecticut officers had in us to assist them. We started our team to help our own staff manage the many difficult situations we encounter in our profession. It is important that we monitor and show genuine concern for the mental and physical well-being of our most valuable resource, our staff,” said Wilkinson.
