BAINBRIDGE ISLAND – From the passenger seat of a department-issued Ford Explorer, Victoria Effray pulls a piece of paper out from the sun visor. Parked in the driveway of a large home in a quaint neighborhood, the social worker peers down at her list to confirm the identity of the 99 year-old man she and her partner are there to meet.

Firefighters came to the same home a day earlier in response to a 911 call. The man fell and needed transport to the hospital. Effray and her partner, Lt. James Pratt, who belongs to the Poulsbo Fire Department's CARES team, are there to check on him.

CARES teams like Poulsbo’s connect with residents who have previously called 911, who firefighters believe may benefit from additional support. These programs have become increasingly common for state fire age

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