Rising violence in Philly means trauma outreach workers at Temple University Hospital are busy
Last year, the city recorded an unprecedented number of murders at 562.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Temple University Hospital is one of the busiest trauma centers in the state, and the trauma advocates there see everything up close and in real-time.
They are the souls helping the victims of violence who are suffering from more than just physical injuries.
"We wanted to create a program of crisis responders embedded in the emergency rooms and throughout the hospital to react when families come in on their worst days," said Scott Charles, Trauma Outreach Manager at Temple University Hospital.
Charles says that could be anything from meeting family members in the parking lot to navigate the hospital, or helping them FaceTime with a loved one due to COVID restrictions.
He created the Trauma Victims Support Advocates program about two years ago, and says his team has been incredibly busy the last year.
"On a typical day, there's no way to prepare for the actual shift," said Saidia Lucas, trauma advocate for Temple Univ. Hospital.
"(It's) nonstop, very chaotic. From the minute the shift would start, to when it would end, to our own homes - thinking about some of the things we'd seen and experience ourselves."
Last year, the city recorded an unprecedented number of murders at 562. In the first 11 days of 2022, there have been 17 homicides - averaging more than one per day.
