Mass violence
June 12, 2016
The Pulse Nightclub Shooting
Andrew Wade describes how years of relationships helped chaplains reach officers, dispatchers, families, and hospital colleagues—and keep caring after the first night.
Orlando, Florida A first-person account from the Police Chaplain Project oral-history archive.
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THE ACCOUNT
Calls reached communications first, then patrol and SWAT. The circle of trauma spread from officers and civilian staff to victims, families, hospitals and an entire city. Chaplain Andrew Wade describes how long-established relationships allowed chaplains to move quickly, coordinate with hospital colleagues and remain present for months.
“Your presence alone…brings comfort.”Chaplain Andrew Wade
WHAT THIS DAY TAUGHT
Lessons to carry forward
Credibility must exist before the call
A chaplaincy cannot improvise trust during a mass-casualty response. Routine presence, relationships and departmental fluency determine whether officers will accept support when the worst happens.
Name every circle of impact
Wade’s team prioritized officers and their families, civilian support staff—including communicators—and then victims through close coordination with hospital chaplains. The people who hear the crisis may also carry it.
Create one doorway to help
Orlando expanded family assistance from a small venue to a stadium suite and ultimately a continuing crisis center. Centralizing information reduces the burden on families and makes the response legible.
Plan for a long recovery
Debriefings and individual support continued for weeks and months. Returning to function does not mean every person has healed at the same pace.
THE FIELD BRIEF
For the next command meeting
Before
- Build routine credibility with sworn and civilian personnel.
- Map hospital, regional chaplain and family-assistance partners.
- Include communications staff in care plans.
During
- Work from a clear order of care.
- Provide water, food, information and a steady presence.
- Route families through a coordinated assistance location.
After
- Keep debriefing and individual support available for months.
- Include spouses and families in outreach.
- Expect uneven recovery without labeling it failure.
Use this page to open a tabletop conversation. Adapt every action to local policy, incident command and the needs of the people involved.
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