Bernalillo County Fire Department Critical Incident Stress Management Policy (PDF)

**PURPOSE** To define the overall roles and responsibilities of the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Team as well as their assigned roles and responsibilities within the team, inform personnel how a team member is called out, and what they will do when they meet with personnel. **POLICY*...

**PURPOSE** To define the overall roles and responsibilities of the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Team as well as their assigned roles and responsibilities within the team, inform personnel how a team member is called out, and what they will do when they meet with personnel. **POLICY** This policy is intended to support the members of the Bernalillo County Fire Department (BCFD) in coping with incidents they respond to that may be traumatizing. This is not to replace any professional counseling or medical treatment they may wish to pursue, but intended on providing trained personnel that are familiar with the work we do and the situations we respond to. **PROCEDURE** - **Debriefings --** Not part of the CISM process, but it is a large group post incident meeting generally held by the Incident Commander or Chief Officer which will discuss the event and how the strategy and tactics affected the outcome. - **Defusing --** a small group meeting after a traumatic incident which gives all the individuals of the group an opportunity to discuss the incident and how it is affecting them. - **Battalion Commanders or Chief Officers** -- Will contact the CISM team leader when they have been notified by a station officer that a defusing has been requested. They may also contact the CISM team leader at any time they feel an event has had a traumatic effect on their personnel or themselves. - **Station Officers** -- Are responsible for monitoring their personnel and notifying the Battalion Commander if they determine, or have been advised by their personnel that they are in need of a CISM defusing. - **CISM Team Leader** -- Will be the primary contact dealing with issues, will keep a log documenting all requests for a defusing, and will coordinate team members and delegate where they need to respond. If off duty CISM team members are needed; the Team Leader will go through the chain of Command to request approval. Will also contact additional resources in the event a more qualified counselor is needed. - **CISM team member** -- Individual team member(s) will meet with the crews and lead a defusing either individually or as a group to discuss the incident and how it is affecting them. If the team member feels that they need to call in a higher qualified person, they need to contact the CISM Team Leader. - **All Personnel** -- All personnel have a responsibility to notify their station officer or direct supervisor if they notice a crew member having issues with an incident or if they themselves are having issues after and event. - CISM TEAM LEADER - Group Crisis Intervention by International Crisis Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) - Individual Crisis Intervention & Peer Support by ICISF or Basic Peer support from (PSPG) Public Safety Psychology Group - Stress Management for the Trauma Service Provider by ICISF - Mental Health First Aid - CISM TEAM MEMBER - Individual Crisis Intervention/Group Crisis Intervention by ICISF or Basic Peer support from PSPG - Mental Health First Aid I. **CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS MANAGEMENT (CISM)** A. CISM is the method that we use to manage the physiological and psychological effects that a scene or event has on an individual, individuals, or the Department as a whole. 1. This is accomplished by either activating a CISM team or an individual to conduct a defusing. II. **CISM ACTIVATION** A. CISM team or individual is activated by a Chief Officer or Battalion Commanders notifying the CISM team leader and requesting a defusing. B. Station Officers may request a defusing through their Battalion Commander as well. C. Once activated: 1. Single Member Response: a. The CISM team leader may handle these on their own or delegate to a team member. 1. The team leader will work with the Battalion Commanders to utilize "On Duty" team members if they can do so without negatively effecting operations any more than necessary. 2. If "On Duty" personnel cannot be utilized, and the team leader is not available to respond, an off duty team member will be contacted by the team leader and requested to come in and facilitate the defusing. b. All information gathered on the incident/event will be passed to the responding team member. 2. Multiple Member Response: c. The CISM Team Leader will activate the appropriate number of team members. 3. The team leader will work with the Battalion Commanders to utilize "On Duty" team members if they can do so without negatively effecting operations any more than necessary. 4. If "On Duty" personnel cannot be utilized, the team leader will contact the number of personnel needed and request them to come in and facilitate defusings. d. Members will gather at a designated location so they can be briefed on what the situation is and given any pertinent information. e. Team members will be delegated to specific locations to talk to personnel. III. **AFTER CISM IS ACTIVATED** A. Small Event 1. The affected crew should be taken out of service by a Chief Officer or Battalion Commander. 2. Once a CISM team member arrives, a defusing will last approximately 30 minutes to one hour but may take longer. 3. This is not mandatory, [BUT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED,] that all crew members attended the defusing 4. The defusing will be led by the CISM team member but will allow for all personnel to express themselves in an open, non-threatening, non-punitive environment. B. Large Event 5. The affected crew(s) should be taken out of service by a Chief Officer or Battalion Commander if this can be done without detriment to the operations of the department. a. May need to work with the Staffing Officer or Deputy Chief of Administration to cover personnel, Units, or even stations that are affected by the event. 6. This is not mandatory [BUT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED] that all crew members attended the defusing 7. Command Staff may need a defusing of their own to address emotions of the event. 8. CISM teams from other agencies may be called in to assist or to handle the event depending on the size and severity of the event. b. If assisting, they will meet with the BCFD CISM team leader for coordination of personnel. c. If they will be leading the process, the team leader from the other agency will meet with the BCFD CISM team leader to transition the event over to them. 9. The defusing will be led by the CISM team member but will allow for all personnel to express themselves in an open, non-threatening, non-punitive environment. 10. These defusings may take 30 minutes to several hours depending on the event. IV. **POST CISM ACTIVATION** A. Small Event 1. CISM team member will notify the Chief Officer or Battalion Commander that called for the activation that: d. The defusing is over. e. Notify them of any concerns established during the defusing regarding the wellbeing of personnel and how it may affect their work for the remainder of the shift. 2. CISM team member will assist personnel in finding outside assistance as needed or as requested. 3. The CISM team leader will be notified of the assistance requested for follow-up. B. Large Event 1. CISM team members will contact and coordinate with the CISM team leader when they are finished with their defusing's to brief the leader on the outcome of their meetings. 2. CISM team members will meet with the CISM team leader after the event to have their own defusing. 3. The CISM team leader will work with, Chief Officers or the Battalion Commanders to determine the best plan for personnel and units after the event. 4. Units will be put back in service as soon as they are available however personnel changes may dictate when the apparatus will be available for response. 5. The CISM team leader will be notified after the event so that proper documentation may be completed. **REVIEW/REVISION** 6/20/21 - Minor capitalization and spelling improvements. - IV\. Post CISM Activation -- CISM Leader will be notified of the assistance requested for follow up after small event. 3/14/17 - Formatting - Training Requirements - Section I