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ELKINS - A new group has been created to bring together first responders to provide an outlet for discussion and support.
The support group, which will meet weekly at the Summit Church, located at 245 Martin Street in Elkins, will hold its first session on Monday at 6:30 p.m.
The group is open to all first responders, including EMS workers, fire department members, law enforcement, probation and parole officers, and CPS workers.
Randolph County Sheriff Rob Elbon and Chief Deputy Brad Sharp started the group to provide an outlet for discussion and support for first responders.
"It's for people who respond to scenes where the things that are going on, most of the general public doesn't see," Elbon told The Inter-Mountain. "It's a group that is spiritually based and is about sticking together, working together, and things like that."
Elbon said first responders wanting to attend the group don't have to be a member of the Summit Church. Those wishing to attend can sign up through a link on the Summit Church's website.
"We've already had over 20 people sign up for the first group," Elbon said. "I have people from outside of Huttonsville and from several different fire departments signed up.
"You don't have to be a member of the Summit Church to be a part of the group, but we do have a lot of first responders attend church there, including several of my deputies and several from the Elkins Police Department."
Elbon said the support group will help first responders deal with many of the things they see and do on a daily basis.
"It's a good way for all of us to come together for a common goal and support each other," Elbon said. "There is certain stuff that we see and work around that is hard to deal with. Like the other night, one of our deputies was out on an infant's death. That's the kind of stuff that nobody sees and nobody realizes the magnitude of that until they actually see CPR being done on a 4-month old. It's tough stuff."
Elbon credited Deputy Tyler Knotts for coming up with the idea for the group, and said he and Sharp decided to host the class together after Knotts' suggestion.
"Deputy Knotts mentioned something about starting a class and how it would help all the first responders," Elbon said. "Brad (Sharp) said he would help run it if someone else would do it with him, so we decided to do it together.
"I think this is something that will also draw our agencies closer together, It will be beneficial for all of us working together and letting each other know that God is in it, even when you're up to your eyebrows and don't even have time to think."
Elbon said although this is the start of the first responders group, the Summit Church has been hosting many other small groups for some time now.
"This is the first time doing this group, but the church itself does groups all year around to help with all kinds of different things," Elbon said. "They have been hosting small groups for a long time and they have them all week long."
For more information on the group, visit the Summit Church website or the church's Facebook page.