Firefighter Gabby Petito’s Stepfather Aims to Help First Responders Recognize Domestic Violence (Exclusive)

Gabby Petito, 22, was murdered on a cross-country trip with her fiancé Brian Laundrie in 2021

Gabby PetitoHer stepfather is working to bring domestic violence training programs to firefighters and EMS workers to help first responders recognize the crime.

Jim Schmidt, 42, fire and rescue administrator in Hillsborough County, Florida, who focuses on domestic violence awareness training for first responders in Gabby Petito Foundationsaid the number of people affected by crime is “overwhelming.”

“It really made us realize that they need a lot of help out there, and if we can help one or two along the way, it will go a long way,” he told People last month. them and try to help. This really matters a lot to us, and we are driven by what we do, so we won’t stop. We can’t serve everyone all the time. It’s better to get the word out and direct people to services that can really help them.”

Jim, along with Gabby’s mother, Nichole Schmidt, Gabby’s father, Joe Petito, and Joe’s wife, Tara, created the Gabby Petito Foundation shortly after the death of the 22-year-old budding YouTube blogger, who disappeared in a trip across the country with her fiancé. Brian Laundry in summer 2021.

His body was later discovered near a Wyoming campground. Laundrie, who died by suicide, was found in a nature preserve near his family’s home in North Port, Florida, on October 20, along with a backpack containing what the FBI described as a notebook “claiming responsibility” for his death. for strangling Gabby.

Related: Gabby Petito’s Parents Want Teens to Be Aware of These Dating Red Flags to Prevent Domestic Violence (Exclusive)

The foundation focuses on raising awareness about domestic violence while creating stronger laws and policies that govern how police respond to reports of intimate partner abuse and missing persons.

Jim, who worked as a firefighter for 25 years on Long Island, says he sees a need for mandatory domestic violence training for firefighters and paramedics across the country.

Related: Gabby Petito’s parents want to change the way domestic violence is treated in the US: ‘The laws are changing’ (exclusive)

“Sometimes you’re really busy and sometimes you’re a little numb and tired,” he says. “And you get involved in a domestic violence incident. And if that victim in that moment is kind of difficult or seems difficult or doesn’t really answer your questions, it’s often easy to get frustrated. But it’s important that they understand why they are like this, why they are afraid to speak out. Maybe they’ve reached out before and weren’t getting any help, and now you’re jumping in, asking questions in a way that may seem judgmental, they’re not going to open up to you. So, recognizing that you kind of need to change and step out of your normal walk, and be more trauma informed and understanding. Giving them training will help them realize, ‘This is why they are behaving this way. This is how you can connect with them.'”

He adds: “Maybe they will, they will be transported if they need to, maybe they won’t, but maybe for the first time, they will actually feel like someone is there listening and helping. sending them out for help, getting them connected with local domestic violence organizations, maybe that’s the catalyst they need to start their path to safety.”

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The foundation also defended the National Domestic Violence Hotline — to which they donated $100,000 in 2022 to help build the group’s capacity.

“People are paying more attention to these issues, especially domestic violence,” says Nichole, who along with Joe, Jim and Tara spoke on a panel at CrimeCon 2024 Nashville last month. “We get emails all the time from people saying, ‘Gabby saved my life. She gave me the power to leave my abusive relationship. Survivors are coming out and telling their stories. The laws are changing and we will keep fighting.”

“We have to prevent this from happening to other people,” she says. “It keeps us strong. Gabby works through us. We have to move forward and change the world together.”

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or go to thehotline.org. All calls are free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in over 170 languages.

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Read the original article at People.