LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – One week ago, Master Deputy Bradley Link was killed, and two other deputies in Lake County were injured in a shooting the sheriff has described as an ambush by a family of suspects.
Since then, officials have been helping first responders deal with the aftermath of the horrific events that unfolded in rural Eustis.
A team from UCF RESTORES is helping through their Critical Incident Response efforts which provides psychological first aid to first responders after traumatic events.
News 6 reporter Catherine Silver spoke to Executive Director Dr. Deborah Beidel about the program’s mission to provide specialized treatment.
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“This is a very significant loss,” said Beidel. “This is a family. So, these are brothers and sisters. These are people who would lay down their lives for one another, and so the loss of a member of the family creates a significant hole.”
Beidel explained the mission of UCF RESTORES and the help they provide.
“We’re really in the business of responding to trauma, whether that is through formal therapy for post-traumatic stress disorders or whether that is responding to critical incidents such as this,” said Beidel.
Right now, the support they are providing Lake County is focused on giving people an outlet or someone to talk to.
“At this point, the goal of mental health support in this case is to just to provide a space for people to talk, to grieve, for us to provide coping skills in the immediate aftermath, and also to let people know that there are many different reactions to trauma, and everyone is going to react a little differently and all reactions are ok,” said Beidel.
Beidel says just sitting down and having a conversation can make a huge difference.
“People can at some times not know whether or not what they’re feeling is ‘normal.’ So, people sometimes get concerned that they are having an abnormal reaction when some reactions after a traumatic event such as difficulty sleeping, nightmares, flashbacks, anger outbursts, those are normal human experiences,” said Beidel. “They also need to know that just because they’re having them now doesn’t mean that they’re going to have them forever. So, we want people to understand trauma and what it’s like and we can help those who may still be having difficulty months later.”
Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell said Monday that he is glad to see the UCF RESTORES team present.
“I had over 80 on the first day show up out there, so we want to make sure that their well-being is good,” said Grinnell.
UCF RESTORES was started in 2011 to help military veterans after wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The program expanded to help first responders in 2016 after the Pulse nightclub shooting.
UCF RESTORES now helps all first responders and frontline personnel including veterans and active-duty military members, survivors of mass violence and natural disasters, and anyone affected by trauma.
The program has provided treatment for more than 500 veterans and more than 950 first responders since it began. Data included in an annual report in 2023 shows 76% of first responders no longer meet the diagnostic criteria for PTSD because of the treatment they have received, at no cost.
Our Solutionaries team at News 6 showcased the clinical research and virtual reality treatment that has found success in treating patients. Biedel says it is an impactful tool to treat PTSD. It allows patients to readdress cues that may be embedded in the brain’s trauma memory, including sights, sounds, and even smells.
Research done by UCF RESTORES shows that re-visiting those cues in a controlled environment can help survivors heal from trauma.
2023 UCF RESTORES Annual Report Digital by Christie Zizo on Scribd
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