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(814) 337 5380
What is the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)?
The Critical Incident Stress Management team is comprised of specially trained volunteer Peers and Mental Health representatives from a variety of backgrounds including Dispatch, EMS, Fire, and Police. The team provides peer-led interventions to assist agencies and individuals with reducing common stress responses and to facilitate return to active service.
A critical incident is any situation faced by emergency services providers that causes them to experience unusually strong emotional reactions which have the potential to interfere with their ability to function either at a scene or with daily activities.
If you are unsure if you should activate our team, contact us. We would be happy to discuss your concerns and assist with creating a plan of action to match the needs of your crew. We are a free confidential resource available 24/7/365 by request by calling (814) 337-5380.
A result of inviting our team to assist with a C.I.S.M. activation is to reduce acute distress, increase group cohesion and foster normalization of feelings.
Our team can be activated to assist with a group intervention or a peer one on one intervention depending on the needs of the requesting agency.
Defusing:
- Small group (3-20)
- 45 minutes to an hour in length
- Brief discussion about the incident followed by stress management education
- Should be initiated < 48 hours post incident
Debriefing
- Small group (3-25)
- 60-90 minutes
- Guided discussion about the incident including potential impact of stress followed by stress management education
- Can be initiated >48 hours post incident
Peer One on One
- One C.I.S.M. peer meets with one responder
- Time is based on the interaction
- Guided discussion about the incident including potential impact of stress followed by stress management education
- Can be initiated at any time post incident
| How are you thinking? | How are you feeling? |
| Difficulty Concentrating | Anxiety |
| Guilt | Mood Swings |
| Preoccupation with the Event | Depression |
| Suicidal Thoughts | Anger |
| How are you acting? | How does your body feel? |
| 1000 Yard Stare | Headaches |
| Withdrawal | Hyperventilation |
| Sleep Disturbance | Fatigue/Exhaustion |
| Self Medication | Indigestion |
Our team is comprised of members from Emergency Medical Services, Firefighting, Police, Dispatch and Mental Health disciplines.
We hold bimonthly meetings at the EMMCO West office. If you are interested, we invite you to attend one of these sessions to meet our team members and learn more about training, activations, and policies.
Our team operates under the rules and regulations set forth by the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation. To be eligible to deploy to an activation, members must have:
- Assisting Individuals in Crisis
- Group Crisis Intervention
Here is a list of our upcoming meeting dates:
- May 11th, 2020
- July 13th, 2020
- September 14th, 2020
- November 9th, 2020
If you would like more information, please contact EMMCO West at (814) 337 5380.