When victims and first responders in South Snohomish County need a calming space to step away from the intensity of an emergency situation, Support 7 volunteers and their emergency response vehicle are there to provide one. The Support 7 team uses a motor home, outfitted to provide a space for victims and fire responders to be shielded from the elements, step away from the media, have private conversations with police, get religious support from chaplains, or have a hot or cold drink, among other services.

While Support 7’s 28-year-old motor home has responded to an unknown number of emergency calls, it is “on its last legs,” according to Executive Director Shannon Sessions.  

The Lynnwood-based nonprofit Support 7 has begun a public donation campaign with hopes of raising $200,000 to replace the aging response vehicle. This would cover a new class C motor home, plus taxes on the new vehicle, the addition of the Support 7 logo wrap and emergency lighting, and fuel and insurance for a year. Sessions emphasized that any size donation is gratefully accepted. You can donate here.

Support 7 serves three fire departments and eight police departments in South Snohomish County, along with the 911 dispatcher and the medical examiner’s office. It is supported by contributions from community members and businesses. Sessions stressed that the services Support 7 provides are  “free for the community. We serve everyone regardless of their faith background, regardless of their class, background, heritage, culture, anything, we serve everybody who needs it in the moment.”

The Support 7 team responds to emergencies that include deaths, vehicle collisions, home, business and apartment fires, and SWAT calls. Dispatched by 911 operators, Support 7 is on call to provide support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 

“We’ve been responding alongside police and fire to care for the needs of victims and families after bad things have happened,” Sessions said, adding that Support 7 serves as a “compassionate liaison” between the public and emergency services.

Founded by Ken Gaydos in 1981, Support 7 has been serving Snohomish County for well over 40 years. Sessions described Gaydos as an “angel on earth,” someone who helped countless numbers of community members throughout his career. Following Gaydos’ death in 2018, Sessions said that she and Gaydos’ son spoke to community members to determine if Support 7 was still a necessary service — and the answer was an overwhelming yes.

Sessions – a former firefighter and then a member of the Lynnwood City Council — was offered the job of leading Support 7. She initially declined, opting instead to focus on her current career. But then, she witnessed a suicide while driving on a local highway. She said that incident motivated her to not only help the victims of emergencies, but also first responders and witnesses. Sessions took over as Support 7 executive director in 2018.

While the organization has become financially stable, she said there is still work to do. 

“My goal is to make us sustainable and to build a foundation that we can continue going after I’m gone, after you’re gone, ” she said. 

Sessions described her team of volunteers and chaplains as emotionally stable, compassionate and able to think extremely quickly on their feet, as they consistently manage intense situations filled with high levels of emotion. 

“We don’t take it for granted, it’s a privilege being a part of people’s lives, in these moments,” Sessions said. 

In the near future, Sessions is working toward achieving a more consistent funding stream for Support 7 – a constant issue for any nonprofit. Additionally, she hopes to secure five to six more volunteer chaplains and approximately 10 emergency volunteers. 

“I want to be stable where we are at before we grow,” she said.

— By Logan Bury