Holland Victim Services Unit

Providing immediate, crisis assistance to victims of crime, crisis and tragedy.

Holland's Victim Services Unit (VSU) is an organization of volunteers dedicated to providing initial support needed by victims of crisis or crime. VSU responds to such incident types as:

• Fires - Traffic Accidents - Medicals - Deaths - Drownings - Natural Disasters * Homicides - Industrial Accidents - Plane Crashes - Death Notifications

When a sudden, unexpected crisis occurs in our lives, we frequently experience degrees of depression, despair, confusion and emotional shock. Imagine what a victim of random violence feels, or someone who has arrived home to find their personal property has been violated, a driver who has struck a child, a wife whose husband suddenly dies, or a homeowner whose home and memories have been destroyed by fire.

It is these and other life experiences that we all dread but may be forced to endure. VSU volunteers respond to these challenges to:

• Provide comfort and emotional support
• Help arrange for shelter, food, clothing
• Notify family and friends
• Serve as liaison between the victim and other agencies
• Help arrange follow-up services
• Provide information and referral to appropriate agencies for on-going assistance

VSU volunteers are scheduled as teams to be on-call 24 hours a day for seven-day periods to provide this necessary initial support. Police and fire personnel, when necessary, contact 911 dispatchers to request VSU assistance. The on-call VSU team is then paged to respond immediately to the scene.