Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Critical Incident Response Call-Out Procedure PDF

TO: ALL PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE PERSONNEL FROM: PATRICK J. KENNEDY FIRE RESCUE ADMINISTRATOR PREPARED BY: FIRE RESCUE PPM COMMITTEE SUBJECT: CRITICAL INCIDENT RESPONSE...

TO: ALL PALM BEACH COUNTY FIRE RESCUE PERSONNEL FROM: PATRICK J. KENNEDY FIRE RESCUE ADMINISTRATOR PREPARED BY: FIRE RESCUE PPM COMMITTEE SUBJECT: CRITICAL INCIDENT RESPONSE CALL-OUT PROCEDURE PPM #: FR-T-501 ISSUE DATE EFFECTIVE DATE January 25, 2022 February 22, 2022 PURPOSE: The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines and procedures for the activation of any call outs (group) and/or Peer to Peer referral with appropriate clinical follow-up if necessary. UPDATES: Future updates to this PPM are the responsibility of the Division Chief of Training and Safety, in conjunction with the PPM Committee, under the authority of the Fire Rescue Administrator. AUTHORITY:  Fire Rescue Administrator  Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), as may be amended. SCOPE: This policy applies to all Palm Beach County Fire Rescue personnel and reservists. ATTACHMENTS: Attachment A: Peer Support Activation Chart POLICY: To provide a means of support to all employees during times of crisis through peer intervention in the form of defusing and/or debriefing with appropriate clinical follow-up if necessary. DEFINITIONS: 1. Peer Support Session: a. A call-out or Peer Support session is a structured discussion of the incident that enables people to express their feelings and emotions in a confidential, non-threatening atmosphere. b. Call-outs can occur immediately or up to 72 hours after a critical incident has occurred. This time frame allows feelings and emotions to surface that people may not even be aware of directly after an incident occurs. Allowing a full range of feelings and emotions to surface leads to a more productive session and a quicker emotional healing process. 2. Peer support – This will occur either in a session format with all personnel involved in a critical incident or as a peer-to-peer session when a person on the Peer Support Team talks to an employee as an informal outlet to reduce stress. FR-T-501/Page 1 of 3  3. Peer Support Leader - Person(s) in charge of the Peer Support Team who leads the Peer Support Team, will coordinate the activation of the Peer Support session, and will communicate with EAP Coordinator and Battalion Chief/District Chief or the employee’s direct supervisor regarding any necessary follow-up at the conclusion of the Peer Support session. PROCEDURE: 1. Activation: a. Any request for activation of the Peer Support Team should go through the FOO. b. During an incident, should a request for activation of the Peer Support Team occur, the: i. The Officer in Charge (OIC) should notify the FOO, as well as their supervisor, that a Call-out activation is necessary. ii. If the nature of the incident does not allow time to make the above contacts, the OIC shall notify Dispatch on the appropriate TAC channel who will in turn contact the FOO. iii. The FOO shall contact the Peer Support Leader who will continue the activation process. iv. The Peer Support Team shall contact the Officer in Charge (OIC) to obtain further information about the incident and the number of people involved. v. OIC shall help the Peer Support Team determine an appropriate location and time for the Call-out. vi. If a call is made to the FOO or Communications Center regarding “potential call out” or “questionable incident”, the FOO will call the Peer Support Leader to start the call out process. 2. Out of Service Procedure: a. Personnel participating in a Peer Support session shall be placed out of service or CIL for the duration of the session. b. The Peer Support Team shall schedule units out of service through the FOO. c. Peer Support Team members who are on duty and requested for a peer session shall be allowed to go Out of Service to operate as a team member using code PSL in the Fire Rescue approved staffing program. d. Every effort shall be made to limit out of service time consistent with the emotional well-being of the personnel involved. 3. Peer Support Sessions resulting in an Employee Needing Further Assistance: a. Personnel who recognize a need to seek assistance or experience an incident which results in an inability to finish the shift will be able to request a self- referral and follow the Employee Assistance Program Procedure (PPM FR- H-401). i. No one shall bypass the Peer Support session to send someone home. The following procedure must be followed. Refer to Peer Support Activation Chart (FR-T-501 Attachment A) b. The Peer Support Team member shall send the name of the employee in writing to the EAP coordinator upon conclusion of the session and will direct the employee to set up a follow-up visit with the EAP coordinator. FR-T-501/Page 2 of 3  c. The Peer Support Team member shall send the name of the employee to the FOO who will put the employee out for the remainder of the shift using code CIL in the Fire Rescue approved staffing program. d. The FOO shall contact the employee’s immediate supervisor to advise the employee is not returning to work. e. The employee shall follow up with the EAP coordinator as soon as possible in order to be cleared by EAP coordinator prior to the beginning of the employee’s next working shift. Clearance from EAP is required in order to convert the time to CIL. f. The EAP coordinator will confirm an appointment follow-up within 24 hours. g. The Battalion Chief will coordinate with the FOO to ensure adequate staffing. h. Any leave which occurs after the remainder of the current shift shall follow Employee Assistance Program Procedure (PPM FR-H-401). i. The affected employee shall follow the Work-Related Injuries/Returning to Work (PPM FR-H-302). 4. Documentation: a. Notification shall be made to the EAP coordinator by phone and an email by Peer Support Leader at the conclusion of the Peer Support session. b. The Battalion Chief shall send an email to the District Chief with a summary of the event and Peer Support session. This will include no identifying information, but it will include: i. The time of the incident ii. Incident number iii. Time and duration of Peer Support session iv. The number of employees staying the remainder of the shift, and v. The number of employees going home for the remainder of the shift. 1. The Operational Captain shall follow Incident Reporting (PPM FR-M-201) and complete the firefighter casualty page with “Call-out performed for significant exposure to stress event.” This is necessary to track time of incident per state requirements. 2. The Battalion Chief shall ensure the completion of the casualty page within a reasonable time frame. ______________________________ PATRICK J. KENNEDY FIRE RESCUE ADMINISTRATOR Supersession History 1. PPM#FR I-04, issued 01/23/1995 2. PPM#FR I-04, issued 02/12/2011 3. PPM#FR I-04, issued 07/28/2016 4. PPM#FR T-501, clerical 03/01/2018 5. PPM#FR T-501, revised 01/25/2022 FR-T-501/Page 3 of 3