When Tragedy Strikes,
What Do You Do?
Who to Call and What Resources You Need
DEC 15, 2020 by Roxana Jimenez & Sarah Wadsworth
You walk in the door and find your loved one has passed away. You were not prepared for that, you didn't think you would walk into a home to find that. It could be from a suicide, accidental death, natural causes, or even homicide. Walking into the place you feel safe and finding that someone is deceased is one of the most traumatic events that can happen to anyone. Not only have you lost a loved one or someone you care about, but you are the one that found them. Sometimes people are found with bodily fluids around them, such as blood or vomit or in awkward positions, this can add even more to the trauma and confusion. So what do you do? Who do you call?
Please contact your local law enforcement first. They will get the process going to get the coroner, investigation team, and any other first responders to the residence as soon as possible. If you need support and resources there are local organizations such as Victim Services and Crisis Responders who can help. They have wonderful people working for them that are trained to help in traumatic situations, have plenty of resources, and are available to you 24/7/365. You can request a victim advocate or crisis responder from the police when they arrive at the scene.
The next call should be to a trauma and crime scene cleaning company. If there are any bodily fluids from death, it is recommended you have a professional company come to recover the scene. This is not only recommended for proper cleaning but also, to help with the trauma. One thing we have learned over time is that people are usually more traumatized by having to clean up a death scene of a friend or family member than they are by the actual death. When looking for a reputable company in the state of Indiana, please make sure they are licensed, insured and OSHA certified, and they can come to your home the same day of your calling, preferably within hours.
The healing process starts easier with a clean home, without reminders of the tragic event that just happened. If you ever find yourself or a loved one in a traumatic situation, please do not hesitate to call Bio-One at (317) 499-0614. We are available 24/7/365. We can guide you step by step on what to do, or what not to do, to keep you safe until we arrive on the scene.
If you have any questions you can reach out to us at any time. We are always here to help.
info@BioOneMarionCounty.com | (317) 499-0614
