CRITICAL INCIDENT
STRESS MANAGEMENT
2011
CANADIAN
CANADIANCOAST
COASTGUARD
GUARDAUXILIARY
AUXILIARY- -PACIFIC
PACIFIC
The responder to an incident is often a victim as
well
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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After a Critical Incident
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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.
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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.
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Goals of Demobilization
• Provides a transition from the critical incident
to the routine.
• Reduces the intensity of immediate stressrelated reactions.
• The group can be assessed for additional
needs.
• Educates the group about potential stress
reactions, and provide information about
additional support.
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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.
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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
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Personal Care
• Get plenty of rest, eat nutritiously, and take
care of yourself
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Signs and Symptoms of Stress
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Emotional Symptoms
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Anxiety
• Feeling numb
Denial
Fear
Survivor guilt
Uncertainty of feelings
Depression / Grief
Hopelessness
Feeling overwhelmed, lost, or abandoned
Wishing to hide or die
Anger
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Physical Symptoms
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Nausea
Tremors
Chills
Diarrhea
Rapid heart rate
Muscle aches
Dry mouth
Shaking
Visual problems
Fatigue
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Behavioral Symptoms
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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
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Cognitive Symptoms
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Confusion
Inability to pay attention
Difficulty calculating
Memory problems
Inability to concentrate
Repeated flashbacks
Nightmares
Blaming others
Disrupted logical thought process
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Critical Incident Stress
Management
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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
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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
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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
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Seven Phases of Formal
Debriefing
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Introduction
Fact phase
Thought phase
Reaction phase
Symptom phase
Teaching phase
Re-entry phase
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Critical Incident Stress Management increases
the rate of normal recovery, in normal people,
who are having normal reactions to abnormal
events.
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• Professionals trained in Critical Incident
Stress Management can provide:
1. Defusing
2. Demobilization
3. Debriefing
4. Recommendations for follow-up
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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.
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