Oxnard fire chief in Florida to provide peer support for first responders at site of condo collapse

SURFSIDE, Fla. - Peer support is a critical need right now for crews working the site of the condo collapse in Surfside, Florida.

The need is so important, that one of Ventura County's leaders has been drafted to assist those on the front lines.

Alexander Hamilton is the fire chief for the Oxnard Fire Department and a prominent member of the International Association of Firefighters.

Hamilton is leading a "behavioral health support" team in Florida to help those digging through the rubble.

"Our goal is to ensure these dedicated professionals have the tools they need to process their experiences working on such a large-scale incident. We know how important behavioral health support is to our own personnel," Hamilton said.

He calls the overall experience surreal, both the scope of the devastation and the sounds and smells of ground zero.

Chief Hamilton says he is inspired by the commitment of the first responders who are now on day 15 of trying to bring closure to the grieving families.

"The fact that we get to be there and be a sounding board for them, if they have any issues, any concerns, need someone to vent to for a little while, that's what we're able to help out with and occasionally getting them a cup of coffee," Hamilton said.

Oxnard's newly-appointed fire chief calls it "an honor" to support the fire responders working around the clock at the site.

This is his third deployment providing behavioral health assistance in the wake of a tragedy.