Nearly 15 years ago, Deborah Bear Barbour joined Kāneʻohe/Kahaluʻu Community Emergency Response Team (KKCERT), a local volunteer organization on Oʻahu that educates and trains residents in disaster preparedness, emergency response and more.
More recently, Barbour has held classes for Psychological First Aid using “an evidence-informed modular approach” to assist families recovering from disaster. She is certified by the Department of Emergency Management and aims to provide trainees with practical tools needed to help stop trauma from progressing in others.
The free trainings allow individuals in high school and older to receive a certification and “be an asset to your community in times of crisis.” Register here for the next one, which will be held virtually via Zoom from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, in partnership with KKCERT and Vibrant Hawaiʻi's Koʻolau Resilience Hub Network.
Barbour says this class is for anyone who is not afraid to get involved with a person in a crisis.
“Even people who do often deal with those in crisis, it’s a brush up course,” she told Aloha State Daily, noting that in previous classes, first responders were “invaluable” in sharing what they went through with the rest of the participants.
“Compassionate people are attracted to come [to the class],” she continued. “A lot of them have their own stories about why they’re in the class.”
The Psychological First Aid curriculum blends local culture and values with material from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and the National Center for PTSD. The class also includes a practical scenario engagement.
What does Barbour most enjoy about these trainings? “We have fun in the class and it’s nice to have the community come together. People are all different, with different expertise.”
The Punahou School graduate also runs her own organization based out of Kāneʻohe, Tsedhaqah International Dance Co. Her mom taught her to dance hula and she would enjoy competing often. Today, she continues to dance while celebrating different cultures and walks of life.
For more information about the upcoming Psychological First Aid training on Nov. 7, click here or email her at deborah.b.barbour@gmail.com.
Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros can be reached at kelsey@alohastatedaily.com.
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