After a Critical Incident

The First 24 Hours After an Event:

For Family Members & Friends 	Listen carefully.
	Spend time with the traumatized person.

	Periods of strenuous physical exercise, alternated with relaxation will alleviate some of the physical reaction.

	Structure your time - keep busy.

	You’re normal and having normal reaction - don't label yourself crazy.

	Talk to people - talk is the most healing medicine.

	Offer your assistance and a listening ear if they have not asked for help.

	Reassure them that they are safe.

	Help them with everyday tasks like cleaning, cooking, caring for the family, and minding children.

	Give them some private time.

	Don't take their anger or other feelings personally.

Informational Sheet

	Be aware of numbing the pain with over use ofppp drugs or alcohol, you don't need to complicate this with a substance abuse problem.

	Reach out - people do care.

	Maintain as normal a schedule as possible. 	Spend time with others.
      Help your co-workers as much as possible by sharing feelings and checking how they are doing.

	Give yourself permission to feel rotten and share your feelings with others.

	Keep a journal; write your way through the sleep-less hours.

	Do things that feel good to you.

	Realize those around you are under stress.

	Don't make any big life changes or decisions.

	Do make as many daily decision as	possible which will give you a feeling of control over your life. If some one asks you what you want to eat-answer them even if you're not sure.

	Get plenty of rest.

	Reoccurring thoughts, dreams or flashbacks are normal - don't try to fight them - they’ll decrease over time and become less painful.

	Eat well-balanced and regular meals (even if you don't feel like it).

	Don't tell them that they are "lucky it wasn't worse" -that statement does not console traumatized people. Instead, tell them that you are sorry such an event has occurred, and you want to understand and assist them.

We recommend that these incidents should be an “AUTOMATIC CALL OUT.” This means that the criti-cal incident response team should always be contacted for each of these events:

1.	Line of duty / work related death

2.	Serious injury of a co-worker

3.	Suicide of a co-worker, staff member, or student

4.	Multi-casualty incident

5.	Police use of force that ends with injury or death

These are incidents for which you should consider con-tacting the critical incident response team to elicit rec-ommendations for intervention:

1.	Death or violence to a child

2.	A prolonged event, with negative results

3.	Incident with extensive media attention

4.	Knowing the victim of the event

5.	Incident charged with profound emotion

A volunteer team of public safety and affiliate professionals serving regional fire, EMS, and law enforcement, industry, educational, and other organizations involved in any type of critical incident.

Confidential services provided at no charge:

Pre-Incident Stress Education Individual Peer Support Crisis Management Briefing Defusing Debriefing Follow-Up Referral

To Request Service/Response:

1-800-567-4673

For Information Contact:

allencountycism@gmail.com wocism@gmail.com www.cism.care

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Critical Incident Stress Informational Sheet

You have experienced a traumatic event or a critical incident (any incident that causes each person or persons to experience unusually strong emotional reactions which have the po-tential to interfere with their ability to function either at the scene or later). Even though the event may be over, you may now be experienc-ing, or may experience later, some strong emo-tional or physical reaction(s). It is very common, in fact quite normal, for people to experience emotional after shocks when they have passed through a horrible event.

Sometimes the emotional aftershocks (or stress reactions) appear immediately after the traumat-ic event. Sometimes they may appear a few hours or a few days later. And, in some cases, weeks or months may pass before the stress reactions appear.

The signs and symptoms of a stress reaction may last a few days, a few weeks, a few months, or occasionally longer, depending on the severi-ty of the traumatic event. With understanding and the support of loved ones, the stress reac-tions usually pass more quickly. Occasionally, the traumatic event is so painful that profession-al assistance from a counselor may be neces-sary. This does not imply craziness or weakness. It simply indicates that the particular event was just too powerful for the person to manage by himself or herself.

Common Signs of Stress

Here are some very common signs and signals of a stress reaction:

Physical	Cognitive

Fatigue	Confusion

Nausea                              Poor attention Muscle tremors                 Poor decisions
Twitches	Heightened/Lowered Chest pain*	alertness

Difficultybreathing*	Problems w/hyper vigi-Elevated B/P	lance
Difficulty recognizing

Thirst	familiar things Profuse sweating	Poor problem solving Chills	Poor abstract thinking

Shock symptoms*	Nightmares

Loss of orientation—

time, place, person Weakness
Grinding teeth	Intrusive images

Visual difficulties

Dizziness

Common Signs of Stress

Here are some very common signs and signals of a stress reaction:

Emotional	Behavioral

Anxiety	Changes in society

Guilt	Changes in speech pat-Grief	terns
Denial	Loss/Increase appetite Severe panic	Withdrawal Emotional Shock	Emotional outburst Fear	Pacing
Uncertainty	Startle reflex Agitation	Alcohol Consumption Intense anger	Inability to rest
Apprehension	Changes in sexual func-

Erratic acts
Loss of emotional con-trol or depression
complaints
Feeling overwhelmed	Antisocial behavior Inappropriate emotion- Non-specific bodily al response
Changes in communica-tion skills

* = Seek immediate medical attention