CARES team members, Jen Bravo, left, and Christy Price, both 28, were called to assist residents at the scene of a fire. Bravo and Price are in the Eastern Washington University social work program. Photo courtesy of the Spokesman-Review.

Cheers to the Spokesman-Review in Washington state for this article on social work school interns who help firemen respond to non-emergency situations.

The services of students from Eastern Washington University’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Social Work could help the fire department in Spokane save thousands of dollars.

For instance, members of the Community Assistance Response Team, or CARES team, can help find social services for the elderly repeatedly call the fire department for help for incidents such as falls.

The team will go to a home and determine whether an underlying medical, mental or socioeconomic issue is causing the resident to repeatedly call 911.

Firemen said they are happy with the help they are getting from the social work interns. Each emergency visit costs the department $820 and last year it spent almost $7 million on nonemergency calls.

 “Socioeconomic conditions have caused the fire department to become the primary responder,” said Erv Williams, a retired fire captain who coordinates the CARES program.

 Social workers play an active role in helping communities, children and the elderly. To learn more, visit the Nati0nal Association of Social Workers’ “Help Starts Here” Web page by clicking here.