Tempe Fire Department's Critical Incident Stress Team

Case studies by medical groups of major incidents where numerous injuries or fatalities occurred have revealed that significant numbers of rescue personnel experienced some form of stress-related symptoms following the incident. Many of these symptoms were brief, and most personnel had no long-term detrimental effects. These studies, however, have also revealed that a small percentage of personnel do experience continuing, long-term detrimental effects resulting from exposure to such incidents. Some of these effects have been delayed, surfacing later after a period of no apparent symptoms. Without professional intervention, these personnel have experienced declining work performance and deterioration of family relationships as well as increased health problems. Personnel that have been repeatedly exposed to serious incidents or personally significant incidents, over a period of time may also exhibit stress-related problems, called cumulative stress. The objective of this program is to provide professional intervention to minimize stress-related injury to Fire Department personnel.

What is a Critical Incident?

A critical incident is a call during which the sights, sounds and smells are so vivid as to cause any person to feel a significant increase in stress reactions - immediate or delayed. Among the most common are:     

       Signs of Critical Incident Stress                            

• Serious injury or death of a Fire Department employee

• Death or serious injury of a family member of child

• Loss of life following extraordinary and prolonged rescue attempts where Fire Department employees may be involved

• Serious injury and death of a civilian resulting from Fire Department operations

Individuals react to stress in their own way...but some of the common reactions that you may experience are:

• Re-experiencing the event, or flashbacks

• Nightmares

• Difficulty sleeping

• Substance abuse

• Feeling of guilt

• Family or marital problems

• Depression

• Irritability  anger

• Numbing and withdrawal

• Decline in job performance

• Memory toss / confusion

• Loss of appetite / nausea

Goals of the Critical Incident Stress Team

1. Lesson the impact of personnel exposed to critical incidence

2. Accelerate recovery from those events before harmful stress reactions have a chance to damage performance, careers, health and families. Stop the reactions before they start and confine them before they spread

3. Provide and atmosphere of concern and caring

4. Offer Fire Department personnel options for dealing with trauma and stress

5. Provide totally confidential service

Stress Management

Select five that you can and will do for yourself:

1. Eat Nutritionally

2. Get 8 hours of sleep daily

3. Exercise 3 - 5 times a week

4. Spend positive, quality time with family and friends

5. Have sex

6. Avoid caffeine, sugar and alcohol

7. Avoid relying on chemical aid

8. Take time to relax every day

9. Get support from others

10. Exercise your sense of humor

11. Increase positive thoughts and "self talk"

12. Break large tasks into smaller increments

13. Put safety first

14. Clearly establish the priorities in your life

15. SMILE whenever possible