News Alert!
Hudson Valley CISM Team hosting Fall 2008 CISM Mini Conference, September 27-28, 2008.
Click here for more information and registration brochure.
Stress??
Emergency service personnel (EMS, Police, Firefighters, Dispatchers, Nurses, Disaster Relief Workers, etc) face stressful events as part of their jobs. Their work can be emotionally difficult, physically draining and a threat to their personal safety.
This high level of stress may cause the emergency worker to exhibit a wide variety of stress related reactions including fatigue, chest pains, confusion, poor concentration, memory loss, anxiety, guilt and fear. When left untreated, these initial symptoms may lead to more serious problems such as depression, alcoholism, withdrawl and job burnout.
What is a Critical Incident?
A Critical Incident in "any situation faced by any person that causes them to experience unusually strong reactions which have the potential to interfere with their ability to perform at the scene or later (Jeffrey T. Mitchell, PhD)."
It is not necessarily a large operation involving large numbers of victims. It may be a series of "routine" calls which may increase stress intensity. Factors that cause stress to one individual may be non stressful to another individual.
