SAN LUIS VALLEY — Today is a day of celebrations for the SLV Victim Response Unit that it would like to share with the Alamosa County Commissioners.

In 1995, the Victim Response Unit was established with the support of the Alamosa County Commissioners and the Alamosa County Sheriff’s Office, enhancing the program and expanding services to crime victims through the 12th Judicial District with grant funding form VALE and VOCA.

Because the majority of the SLV Victim Response Unit funds come from grants, we rely on the match in-kinds provided by the volunteers.

Without these amazing volunteers this program would be nothing. Therefore, today the SLV Victim Response Unit and the Alamsoa County Sheriff’s Office would like to recognize five amazing volunteers that have served the community as Victim Advocates for five or more years.

w Tammy Brubacher 7 years

w Charlotte Hefner 15 years

w Larry Gardner 15 years

w Sandra Goodwin 16 years

w Linda Howard 20 years

Shied 10-78 was created after a group of local first responders responded to a 911 call and spent the next 14 hours on scene with no meals, water, proper clothing, little to no breaks and lack of sleep.

Be aware some of these first responders were at the end of their shift when the call came out, extending their shift to over 20 hours.

This occurs more often than we anticipate, leaving our first responders hungry, cold and deprived of sleep.

“With the collaboration with Adams State University, I received this amazing student Alyssa Northam from the nursing (program) who was eager to help our community and motivated to start a new project,” said Reyna Y. Martinez, Victim Response Unit Director. “By working together, we were able to find a grant called Walmart Community Grant, which we were approved for $1,500 in order to get Shield 10-78 started.”

This funding will assist first responders in the time of a crisis and/or involved in a critical incident, provide support and basic emergency essential needs during long calls.

“This is only the beginning for Shied 10-78, as we continue to work very hard in order to help our first responders and ensure that they are able to further their ability to protect and serve our community,” Martinez said.