Yesterday I posted about Peer Support as the first part of P.C.R, a mental wellbeing support system for emergency workers. This first phase focuses on preventative measures using support and limiting or eliminating controllable stress factors.
When unavoidable stress caused by the trauma we see during a call happens, a CISM intervention by a trained CISM team, I believe, is beneficial. The CISM program has been utilized by many departments for decades. When used in conjunction with a robust peer support program, a CISM intervention could mean the difference between an emergency worker returning to work or leaving the profession altogether.
CISM isn’t the only option to manage critical incident stress. Many programs are being developed to assist first responders no matter what the cause of their trauma. Osican in Canada, The Code 9 Foundation in Australia and The Code Green Campaign in the U.S.A. are only a few resources available to emergency workers to get back on their feet after experiencing trauma.
The P.C.R Mental Wellbeing Support System is not a new treatment plan, it’s a blueprint to help coordinate the resources available to us. Tomorrow I’ll discuss phase 3 of this program – Reintegration
Have a safe weekend, everyone.
Respectfully
DanSun
