Victims Advocacy: Aftermath Attends Every Victim Every Time in Texas

Last week Rolando Barritiez, Aftermath’s Senior Manager for Law Enforcement Relations in the Southwest, was given a unique opportunity to attend the Every Victim Every Time Conference in Bryan, Texas. “I had been invited by several victim advocates to attend the event. The wide attendance would give Aftermath the opportunity to reach not only law enforcement and crime victim advocates, but other members of social services who help families experiencing traumatic situations.”

Every Victim Every Time

According to the organization’s website, the three day conference draws from a number of professional backgrounds and provides those “working with crime victims an opportunity to learn valuable information about victim issues related to the criminal justice system.”

Rolando characterized the show as a popular event with a strong, diverse following: “I was able to meet with all aspects of social services; police officers, detectives, social workers, nurses, district attorney personnel, crime victims’ advocates and liaisons, and assorted medical personnel.  Talking to them, many expressed that they did not know companies such as AMS were available to assist the families. Now that they are aware, they feel empowered to advise their clients and community members if they need information on crime scene clean up.”

A Direct Line to Families

When asked about any memorable discussions, Rolando had this to say: “One thing that stood out during the event was being able to hear directly from those who work with the grieving families. Those who had shared our information with their clients were happy to let us know that they and the families appreciated the company’s professionalism and the services we provide. Most notably they spoke about our availability and willingness to travel the state to assist those in need.”

“One Crime Victims Liaison stopped by the booth and shared a story with me about her experience with AMS. She advised that she works in a rural area of Texas with little crime. A couple of years ago, AMS responded to assist a family who had experienced a personal tragedy in their home. After the technicians completed the job, the liason received a call from the family, thanking her for the recommendation and telling her how professional the staff was.”

A Busy Event

In addition to conversation, attendees enjoyed the giveaways Aftermath had to offer. “With summer around the corner, many were excited to see the chap stick with SPF we had at table side,” said Rolando. “We also passed out padded note pads, note pads, air fresher, water bottles, and pens.”

While Aftermath was the only biohazard company attending, there were several behavioral health and rehab centers with booths in the vendor hall, as well as products for self-defense, and jewelry and toy vendors as well. Victims services and charities also shared their information; the Texas Attorney General Crime Victims Office was on hand, plus several local shelters and non-profit assistance organizations.

In addition to the many vendors, there were informational seminars and an array of guest speakers. One of Keynote Speakers was Carmen Blandin Tarleton, author of Overcome: Burned, Blinded, and Blessed. Tarleton overcame severe injury after becoming a victim of crime. Doctors described her condition as “the most horrific injuries a human being could suffer.”

No Matter Where You Are, We’re There to Help

Aftermath serves the entire state of Texas with 5 teams ready to deploy. Our technicians are on call 24/7 and provide no obligation estimates, whether you live in the Lone Star state or beyond. To inquire about biohazard cleanup, please call us at 877-698-5580.