Members Assistance Programs
Course
Firefighter I
Unit II
Safety and
Orientation
Essential
Question
What is the
purpose of a
Members
Assistance
Program, and
what incentive(s)
does the local
jurisdiction have
to provide such a
program to its
employees?
TEKS
§130.299(c)
(15)(F)
Prior Student
Learning
Familiarity with
the local
jurisdiction’s
Member
Assistance
Program
Estimated Time
4 hours total
Rationale
The career of firefighting has inevitable, inherent stresses associated with it.
These stresses can affect a firefighter’s job performance, work relationships,
personal relationships, and health. Programs that deal with these issues and
help manage employee stress also benefit the employer and the municipality
that employs the firefighters. These programs reduce employee absenteeism,
improve morale, and improve workplace safety. NFPA 1500 (Standard on Fire
Department Occupational Safety and Health Program) requires that fire
departments establish these programs to benefit both the employees and the
employer.
Objectives
The student will be able to explain the components of a Members Assistance
Program (MAP).
Engage
Have an open discussion with the students about what issues cause stress for
firefighters. Some examples are work schedules, response types, pay,
personal relationships, work relationships, and other issues that firefighters
may need assistance managing. Ask the students, “What responses might
firefighters have to these issues?” Some example responses are drug and
alcohol dependence, extra-marital affairs, and depression. Use the Discussion
Rubric for assessment.
Key Points
I. Members Assistance Programs (MAPs)
A. Confidential counseling/referral services provided to employees and
their eligible dependents
1. Eligible dependents normally include
a) Spouses
b) Common law spouses
c) Children living with the employee, including foster children
d) Elderly parents
e) Boyfriends and girlfriends
B. Often referred to as Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)
C. Normally prepaid by the employer
D. Designed to help employees with problems that can affect all families
at one time or another; these problems can also affect job
performance unless they are treated promptly and professionally
E. Assist with problems including, but not limited to
1. Alcohol and drug dependency
2. Personal and interpersonal problems
3. Marriage Difficulties
4. Stress
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5. Depression
6. Anxiety
7. Divorce
8. Financial problems
9. Emotional Health
F. Give professional assistance to employees who need it (often by
giving referrals)
II. Wellness Programs
A. Established to assist fire service personnel dealing or struggling with
health-related problems including, but not limited to
1. Nutrition
2. Hypertension/High Blood Pressure
3. Smoking
4. Weight loss
5. Physical conditioning with access to counselors and or trainers
B. These programs are often offered to the firefighter and their eligible
dependents as listed above
III. Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)
A. Often considered to be an integral part of a department’s MAP
because of the purpose it serves
B. Assists firefighters with managing the stress related to incident
response
1. Because firefighters and victims are exposed to injuries that can
be horrific and gruesome some method of reducing and dealing
with stress must be available to reduce the impact of these
incidents
2. Stress management should begin prior to situations where
psychological or emotional stress can be anticipated. This can
be done by
a) Debriefing firefighters before they enter a seriously stressful
scene so they may prepare themselves for what they might
encounter
b) Defusing fire service responders that may be working
several shifts exposed to such conditions (recommended at
the end of each shift)
(1) A defusing session is an informal discussion with
incident responders that
(a) Addresses chemical and medical exposure
information
(b) Addresses damaged equipment and apparatus
(c) Identifies any unsafe operating procedures that
may have been used
(2) At the defusing session
(a) Information gathering responsibilities are
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assigned in preparation of the post-incident
analysis
(b) Positive aspects of the incident are also identified
and reinforced
(c) Stress indicators are identified and initially dealt
with
c) Additionally, firefighters should participate in a full debriefing
session within 72 hours of the incident
C. Have qualified stress managers/counselors or incident personnel
available as needed
IV. Employer benefits of providing MAPs
A. Reduce the impaired performance of personnel and return it to an
acceptable level
B. Decrease excessive absenteeism
C. Reduce grievances
D. Decrease inappropriate treatment
E. Improve morale
F. Increase workplace safety
G. Enhance the family and workplace environment
Activities
Members Assistance Program Paper. Have students select a topic from the
following list and then write a short paper describing how the issue is resolved
in a MAP. Use the Writing Rubric for assessment.
 Alcohol dependency
 Personal problems
 Stress
 Depression
 Anxiety
 Divorce
 Financial problems
Note: the following steps of the writing process are suggested:
1. Brainstorm the topic: students may participate in one-on-one, small
group, or classroom discussions as they choose their topic
2. Pre-write: students will prepare to write by mapping, webbing, outlining,
and/or word clustering, etc.
3. First draft: students should let their thoughts flow (revising, editing, and
proofreading come later)
4. Peer response: students will give each other specific feedback;
circulate around the room during this time, offering your own feedback
5. Second draft: using peer and teacher feedback, students will revise
their first draft; the second draft should represent the students’ very
best work, given everything they know about writing and the feedback
they receive
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6. Scoring: score the second draft using Writing Rubric
7. Revision: using the written teacher feedback, students will revise the
second draft, paying close attention to the rubric scoring; students will
make changes suggested by the rubric grade and then turn in a final
draft to the teacher
Assessments
Members Assistance Programs Quiz
Discussion Rubric
Research Rubric
Writing Rubric
Materials
Members Assistance Programs computer-based presentation
Copy of the local jurisdiction (Fire Department) Member Assistance Program
Resources
0135151112, Essentials of Firefighting (5th Edition), International Fire Service
Training Association (IFSTA), 2008
1428339825, Firefighter's Handbook: Firefighter I and Firefighter II (1st
Edition), Delmar Cengage Learning, 2008
El Paso Fire Department’s Members Assistance Program
Accommodations for Learning Differences
For reinforcement, the student will research how a fire service supervisor
would refer an employee to a MAP for a drug addiction. The student must
explain the process, including patient confidentiality, and describe the
conditions that must be met before an employee could safely return to work.
Use the Research Rubric for assessment.
For reinforcement, students will select a counseling/referral service commonly
offered by a fire service MAP and consider the potential consequences (for
the fire service and the employee) if the program did not exist. Use the Writing
Rubric for assessment.
State Education Standards
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career and Technical Education
§130.299. Firefighter I (One to Two Credits).
(15) The student recognizes all aspects of the fire department
organization. The student is expected to:
(F) explain the components of a member assistance
program.
College and Career Readiness Standards
English/Language Arts Standards
I. Writing
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A. Compose a variety of texts that demonstrate clear focus, the logical
development of ideas in well-organized paragraphs, and the use of
appropriate language that advances the author’s purpose.
1. Determine effective approaches, forms, and rhetorical
techniques that demonstrate understanding of the writer’s purpose
and audience.
2. Generate ideas and gather information relevant to the topic and
purpose, keeping careful records of outside sources.
3. Evaluate relevance, quality, sufficiency, and depth of preliminary
ideas and information, organize material generated, and formulate
a thesis.
4. Recognize the importance of revision as the key to effective
writing. Each draft should refine key ideas and organize them
more logically and fluidly, use language more precisely and
effectively, and draw the reader to the author’s purpose.
5. Edit writing for proper voice, tense, and syntax, assuring that it
conforms
5
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Name________________________________ Date__________________________
Members Assistance Program Quiz
1. _____ Eligible dependents in a Members Assistance Program include all of the following
except:
A. Spouses
B. Common law spouses
C. Elderly parents
D. Cousins
2. _____ Employers benefit from the establishment of Members Assistance Programs in which
of the following?
A. Decrease in employee absenteeism
B. Reduction in employee grievances
C. Improved moral
D. Decrease in inappropriate treatment.
E. All of the above
3. _____ Firefighters should participate in a full critical incident stress debriefing session within
what time frame of a completed incident with associated stress?
A. 12 hours
B. 24 hours
C. 72 hours
D. Immediately after the incident is mitigated
4. _____ How is a Wellness Program different from a Members Assistance Program?
A. Wellness Programs are established to assist fire service personnel with healthrelated issues
B. Wellness Programs are established to assist fire service personnel with mental
health issues only
C. Wellness Programs are established to assist fire service personnel with managing
stress directly related to incident response
D. All of the above
5. _____ Firefighters should be
A. Defused before entering a scene that could cause emotional or psychological
stress
B. Debriefed before entering a scene that could produce severe stress in the
firefighter
C. Counseled immediately after every fire involving a civilian death
D. None of the above
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6. _____ Which of the following statements is true?
A. Members Assistance Programs are confidential counseling/referral services
provided to employees and their eligible dependents
B. MAPs are designed to help employees with problems that can affect all families at
one time or another
C. Member Assistance Programs assist with problems involving marital difficulties,
family and/or job stress, alcohol abuse or dependency, drug abuse, and emotional
health
D. All of the above
7. _____ What are often considered to be integral parts of a department’s Members Assistance
Program because of the purpose they serve?
A. Wellness Programs
B. Critical Incident Stress Management Programs
C. Members Assistance Programs
D. Debriefing Programs
E. All of the above
8. _____ Information gathering responsibilities are assigned in preparation of the post-incident
analysis at
A. Defusings
B. Debriefings
C. Pre-incident planning sessions
D. None of the above
9. _____ If it is anticipated that the fire service responders may be working over several shifts
exposed to extremely stressful conditions, a defusing is recommended at the end of
each shift.
A. True
B. False
10. ____ A defusing is a formal discussion with incident responders that addresses chemical
and medical exposure information, addresses damaged equipment and apparatus, and
identifies any unsafe operating procedures that may have occurred.
A. True
B. False
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Members Assistance Program Quiz Key
1. D
2. E
3. C
4. A
5. B
6. D
7. B
8. A
9. A
10. B
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Name_______________________________________
Date_______________________________
Discussion Rubric
Objectives
4 pts.
Excellent
3 pts.
Good
2 pts. Needs Some
Improvement
1 pt. Needs Much
Improvement
N/A
Pts.
Participates in group discussion
Encourages others to join the
conversation
Keeps the discussion progressing
to achieve goals
Shares thoughts actively while
offering helpful recommendations to
others
Gives credit to others for their ideas
Respects the opinions of others
Involves others by asking questions
or requesting input
Expresses thoughts and ideas
clearly and effectively
Total Points (32 pts.)
Comments:
9
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Name______________________________________
Date_______________________________________
Research Rubric
4 pts.
Excellent
Objectives
3 pts.
Good
2 pts. Needs Some
Improvement
1 pt. Needs Much
Improvement
N/A
Pts.
Question/goal
Student identified and communicated a question
or goal of the research
Research/Gathering information (if relevant)
Student used a variety of methods and sources
to gather information. Student took notes while
gathering information
Conclusion/Summary
Student drew insightful conclusions and
observations from the information gathered.
Information is organized in a logical manner
Communication
Student communicated the information gathered
and summary or conclusions persuasively.
Student demonstrated skill in the use of media
used to communicate the results of research
Reflection
Student reflected on the importance of the
research and its potential application
Total Points (20 pts.)
Comments:
10
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Name:____________________________________
Date:_____________________________
Writing Rubric
4 pts.
Excellent
Objectives
The writing has all required parts from introduction to conclusion in smooth transition. The writing is interesting, supportive,
and complete.
The writing demonstrates that the writer comprehends the writing process. Accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation The content of paragraphs emphasizes appropriate points. The writer shows an understanding of sentence structure, paragraphing, and punctuation. All sources and references are clearly and accurately documented. 3 pts.
Good
2 pts. Needs Some
Improvement
1 pt. Needs Much
Improvement
N/A
Pts.
Total Points (28 pts.)
Comments:
11
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