FLORENCE– The Pinal County Attorney’s Office Rescue and Restore Program and Southwest Ambulance and Rural/Metro Fire Department announce two specialized trainings for first responders in Casa Grande.

As first responders, learning the signs of human trafficking remains of utmost importance and next week’s training revolves around ways to better inform our police, firefighters, and paramedics on how to spot the signs of human trafficking.

The Pinal County First Responders Human Trafficking Training includes presenters from Training and Resources United to Stop Trafficking in Arizona, or TRUST AZ, Southwest Ambulance and Rural/Metro FD, Homeland Security/ICE, and PCAO. Speakers plan to detail what human trafficking is, provide ways to spot identifiers, and most importantly train first responders on how to talk to victims.

Plus, the training features a guest speaker, a human trafficking survivor, who shares her story in an effort to give first responders the tools they need to help trafficking victims get out of their situations.

“Southwest Ambulance and Rural/Metro Fire Department have been providing 911 services to the citizens of Pinal County for decades. Almost every day our dedicated crews face the serious realities of human trafficking across Pinal County. As the first, private fire and EMS company in the country to offer comprehensive training on the recognition and treatment to those involved on human trafficking, we are extremely proud to partner with the Pinal County Attorney’s Office.

Together, our agencies recognize the serious health and safety effects this has on a wide range of people. We are confident that training will save lives and are optimistic this program will expand to additional parts of the country.”

Tiffany Westmoreland, Southwest Ambulance Pinal County Assistant General Manager, said recently.

“The Pinal County Attorney’s Office commits itself to reaching out to all victims and providing the means for them to come forward. Over the past five years, sex trafficking of children increased by more than 1400%, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Thankfully, we now recognize that criminals target our children right here in Pinal County. The avenues to human trafficking remain endless, but we must lead the way across Arizona to stop this inhumane treatment. Very often, victims do not even know they are being trafficked. Our job dedicates itself to educating the public and providing outreach to possible victims so they know help is available,” said Pinal County Attorney Lando Voyles.