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What
can be done?
The most important
thing is to realize that the symptoms of Critical Incident
Stress are normal reactions to an abnormal event. Do not be
hard on yourself or others. Talking to peers about the incident
and stress reactions is very helpful.
What we
can do for you:
- Pre-incident
education
- A one hour inservice on critical incident stress for departments.
- Defusing
- A brief
group meeting within 24 hours following a critical incident
for on-scene emergency personnel.
- Debriefings
- This prodedure is conducted by a team consisting of professional
counsellors and peer firefighters trained in CISD. During
the session, participants are able to talk about what happened,
their thoughts and reactions about the incident and what
symptoms of Critical Incident Stress (CIS) they may be having.
Education and helpfull hints on how to cope with CIS are
provided.
- On
Scene support
- Assistance during prolonged incidents.
Responding to a
critical incident is a shock to the entire system and physical
well-being is very important following such an event. Exercise,
rest, and nutricious meals, low in fat, salt and especially
sugar will help your body and your emotions return to normal.
It is wise to limit intake of caffeine and alcohol as these
drugs can interfere with your body's natural recovery process.
REMEMBER to try
to remain positive, but if things do not return to normal
after a few weeks, it may be necessary to seek additional
help from a physician, pastor, CISM team member or a mental
health professional.
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