San Bernardino County officials and trauma center surgeons offered messages of support Monday, as residents returned to work in the wake of the shooting at a social services center last week that killed 14.
James Ramos, chairman of San Bernardino's County of Supervisors, said that although the community had restored regular patterns of life, residents are "sad and angry" about what happened. "Our hearts are heavy during this time, but yet we must move forward," he added.
Ramos said that the county's focus remained the support for victims and their families, as well as the security of employees.
The county's Public Health director Trudy Raymundo was at the Environmental Health Services holiday party in the conference room of the Inland Regional Center when the shooters opened fire. Raymundo said she had arrived about an hour beforehand and watched as the employees celebrated their hard work. They "were happy, they were learning from each other. This is a very tight, close-knit group."
"We are strong. We are a family," she added, as some of the officials behind her began to cry. "We held each other and we protected each other through this horrific event and we will continue to hold each other and protect each other through what will be unmanageable weeks ahead."
Wednesday's shooting represents one of the most horrific disasters Arrowhead Regional Medical Center staff had encountered, Surgery chief Dr. Dev Gnanadev said.
"What really bothers me most is that none of the 14 who perished had a chance," he added, since none of the deceased made it to either of the county's two trauma centers.
Dr. Michael Neeki of Arrowhead Regional Medical Center lauded the "heroes who paid the ultimate price" when they stood up for democracy. On the day of the shooting, Neeki rushed to the scene in his own car, he said. He worked with a SWAT team to clear all rooms at the IRC and several of his residents on EMS rotation ran the patient triage center at the scene.
Arrowhead received six patients in total, Dr. Sakona Seng confirmed. Two patients were taken to the Intensive Care Unit, while others were treated in other parts of the hospital. All six are recovering; one patient is still in the hospital. "We're here and we're ready to serve our community in whatever form of fashion that is needed and we will continue to do so despite these tragic events," he said.
Seng applauded the trauma staff's stoicism. "They put aside all their emotion to take care of six people, and that's something special," he said.
"To see something of this magnitude is unexpected. You can't quantify loss of life."
Dr. Dev Gnanadev explained that the hospital mobilized between 40 and 50 trauma doctors, each with multiple trauma teams.
San Bernardino County CEO Greg Devereaux detailed several new security measures implemented. The county is adding security guards to several facilities, some of whom will now be armed. Some measures are permanent, and some are only in place this week as residents return to work.
The county has deployed teams of psychologists and social works to reach out to the families of the deceased and injured.
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