CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS MANAGEMENT

1. CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS MANAGEMENT 2011 CANADIAN COAST GUARD AUXILIARY - PACIFIC

2. The responder to an incident is often a victim as well

3. Critical Incidents • Individuals who experience a critical incident are faced with the demand to respond. • They often respond in ways which require extraordinary or even exceptional physical and / or mental effort. • These are events which have significant power to overwhelm an individual’s normally effective ability to cope.

4. Critical Incident Stress • Critical Incident Stress affects nearly 90% of all emergency personnel. • Critical Incident Stress comes out of emotionally charged events. • The effects of critical incident stress can be intensified, influenced, or mitigated by our personal, family, and developmental issues. • Symptoms usually subside within a few weeks.

5. Critical Incident Stress • No one is immune from responding to the stress of a critical incident. • Critical incident stress may occur hours, days, or even months after a critical event. • You may experience symptoms of stress and not even know it. • Suffering the stress effects following a critical incident stress is NORMAL.

6. Critical Incident Stress • It can be triggered either during the incident by something which is witnessed. • It can also be triggered post incident by a non traumatic sight or sound, which takes the individual back to the incident.

7. After a Critical Incident

8. After a Critical Incident • Take time on return to talk to other members of the crew about the mission and how you felt, and encourage everyone to talk about how they feel. • Use appropriate comments and actions, and not belittle anyone’s feelings of the mission • Show empathy for other crews’ feelings.

9. After a Critical Incident • Stay in touch with all members of the crew, including the coxswain and check that they are feeling fine. • This is the demobilisation.

10. Goals of Demobilization • Provides a transition from the critical incident to the routine. • Reduces the intensity of immediate stress-related reactions. • The group can be assessed for additional needs. • Educates the group about potential stress reactions, and provide information about additional support.

11. Personal Care • Maintain your personal schedule. Alternate physical activity with relaxation. • Remember that you are having normal reactions to an abnormal event. • Reach out and spend time with others - they care. • It is good to be able to talk about your feelings.

12. Personal Care • Do things that feel good to you or provide you with comfort. • Avoid drugs and alcohol to numb your emotions. • Keep a journal. • Don’t make life-altering changes. • Do make daily decisions and maintain control over your life

13. Personal Care • Get plenty of rest, eat nutritiously, and take care of yourself

14. Signs and Symptoms of Stress

15. Anxiety • Feeling numb Denial Fear Survivor guilt Uncertainty of feelings Depression / Grief Hopelessness Feeling overwhelmed, lost, or abandoned Wishing to hide or die Anger Emotional Symptoms

16. Nausea Tremors Chills Diarrhea Rapid heart rate Muscle aches Dry mouth Shaking Visual problems Fatigue Physical Symptoms

17. Change in activity Withdrawal Suspiciousness Change in communication patterns Changes in interpersonal interactions Variations in food consumption Excessive humor Excessive silence Unusual behavior Increased smoking or alcohol consumption Behavioral Symptoms

18. Confusion Inability to pay attention Difficulty calculating Memory problems Inability to concentrate Repeated flashbacks Nightmares Blaming others Disrupted logical thought process Cognitive Symptoms

19. Critical Incident Stress Management

20. Critical Incident Stress Management • Designed to assist in the prevention, management, and recovery from a significant stress • Includes pre-incident education, defusing, debriefings, support services, follow-up services, individual consults, peer counseling, and disaster management • Interventions are provided by specially trained individuals

21. Purpose • Minimize the emotional and physical impact of an event • Prevent burn-out • Educate participants regarding normal stress reactions • Mitigate stress responses • Help to keep careers, relationships, and physical/ mental health intact with little residual damage

22. The Formal Debriefing • Ideal debriefing time is between 24 and 72 hours post event • Generally lasts for 2-3 hours • Is a seven stage process

23. Seven Phases of Formal Debriefing • Introduction • Fact phase • Thought phase • Reaction phase • Symptom phase • Teaching phase • Re-entry phase

24. Critical Incident Stress Management increases the rate of normal recovery, in normal people, who are having normal reactions to abnormal events.

25. Professionals trained in Critical Incident Stress Management can provide: 1. Defusing 2. Demobilization 3. Debriefing 4. Recommendations for follow-up

26. Joint Rescue Coordination Centre will likely offer CISM services at the time on completion of a critical incident.However the station may initiate the request for CISM, if it is deemed necessary.If there is any doubt, you are urged to take advantage of their services.