ORLANDO, Fla. — UCF RESTORES is expanding resources for first responders, veterans, active-duty personnel, and civilians affected by violence, natural disasters and more. 

What You Need To Know

  • This week, 35 people were deployed to help in Texas. It included crews from the Seminole County Fire Department, Orange County Fire Rescue and Orlando Fire Department

  • A UCF psychology professor says sometimes what crews see doesn’t process until later

  • UCF RESTORES works with first responders, veterans, active-duty personnel and civilians impacted by violence, natural disasters and more

  • Their clinic is open for first responders when they get back if they need help by calling (407) 823-3910

The group offers resources for crews after they return from search-and-rescue missions.

“For a long time, first responders have always been told ‘suck it up, buttercup’ or ‘stuff it down’ or ‘you knew what you were getting into,’ but our response to that is yes, although they knew they would see trauma, although they knew at sometime they might see a dead body, nobody can be prepared for some of these catastrophic events,” Deborah Beidel, executive director of UCF RESTORES, said.

Beidel, who is also a UCF psychology professor, said sometimes what crews see doesn’t process until later.

“Sometimes it might hit them immediately, sometimes it may be days or weeks before they really start to process everything that they saw,” said Beidel.

She said some people recover with professional help, while others may develop depression, anxiety or PTSD. However, offering the resources they need when crews return home is important.

To expand their efforts, Beidel designed a first-of-its-kind mobile facility — called the Resiliency Command Center — to help Florida first responders during a natural disaster. The trailer includes three bunk beds, a small kitchen, bathroom, supplies, and space for crews needing peer support.

The mobile unit — sponsored by the Florida State Legislature, the Florida Division of State Fire Marshal, Lockheed Martin and UCF — was completed in May and has yet to be deployed.

“So far, we have not needed to use it,” Beidel said. “But hurricane season has just started, so we believe there will be a reason for us to use it sometime later this year.”

Since its launch in 2019, the UCF RESTORES team has worked with more than 1,9000 first responders.

This week, 35 Central Florida first responders were deployed to help in response to the Texas floods, including crews from the Seminole County Fire Department, Orange County Fire Rescue and Orlando Fire Department.

For crews needing resources after they return to Florida, they can call the clinic at (407) 823-3910.