Critical Incident Stress Management

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Emergency responders across the nation are ask to prepare and respond to natural and manmade disasters across the United States every day. Stress is inevitable in these preparations and deployments but in recent years’ programs have been developed to reduce the long-term effects to our responders. Implementing new stress managing strategies throughout each phase of emergencies and disasters not only ensures that responders are well taken care of, but also increases the success of disaster response. Three types of stresses are common in the emergency management field. First there is the day-to-day stress of operating under constantly changing environments. This typically results from routine changes, working closely with new people, and creating …show more content…
This typically derives from an accumulation of day-to-day stresses that are common when planning an impeding ever changing natural disaster such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and severe storms. The consequences of not identifying and dealing with this type of stress can lead to post-traumatic stress symptoms, secondary trauma from hearing stories from other individuals, burnout, compassion fatigue, depression, anxiety, and interpersonal conflict to name a few. Nearly all emergency management departments utilize the critical incident stress management (CISM) program. This program is a peer-led method that deals directly with personal events that could possibly progress into a major stress for a responder. While the majority of this program is utilized during major emergencies, there are proactive programs within the CISM that directly deal with cumulative and chronic stress. Some of these programs include self-awareness in individual employees and being introduced to a trained peer for immediate response and …show more content…
The Red Cross and the National Organization for Victim Assistance both have programs designed to be used as intervention models (Finally, a Stress Program Designed for First Responders, 2003). The Region J Critical Incident Stress Management Team works with emergency responders located in the triangle area since 1989. This particular company provides pre-incident education, on-scene or near-scene support for debriefing, intervention services for individuals demobilizing one-on-one support, and family support services to name a few. Emergency Departments are slowly integrating standby mental health counselors prior, during, and after emergencies as well as allowing their workers to take time off following these events. Another new concept that has trickled into this occupational field is the allowance of worker’s compensation for mental health claims. The access to this resource not only decreases the negative stigma associated with mental health problems that result from constantly being involved in emergencies, but also allows the employee to take the needed time off while being paid (Journal of Law, 2011). Departments across the United States are integrating stress reducing programs such as Yoga, support groups, and educating their staff on the importance of eating healthy and