DFR Stress Management Team helping firefighters cope with critical incidents

To maintain and enhance the mental health of the City’s bravest, Dallas Fire Rescue (DFR) created the Critical Incident Stress Management Team (CISM).

CISM uses interventions administered by specially trained DFR employees to help members cope with critical incidents and get them additional resources if needed. The program gives DFR professionals a confidential way to share reactions, thoughts and feelings under the management of licensed mental health professionals.

Through phone calls, informal defusing sessions, formal peer and mental health professional discussions, observation and one-on-one structured interventions, CISM provides a lifeline to those in need of help. The program also keeps bad decisions from being made while operating city fire apparatus.

“We like to get eyes on the person, face-to-face,” said DFR’s David Lindsey. “We make sure the person is okay, can return to the job and do it successfully.”

DFR CISM members attend an intensive three days of group crisis and assistance training. The program is modeled after the Mitchell Model, a seven-phase, structured group discussion, usually provided one to 10 days after a crisis, and designed to mitigate acute symptoms, assess the need for follow-up, and if possible provide closure.

CISM can activate on a voluntary basis after a critical incident to those desiring assistance or in certain critical incidents, assistance is mandatory. “Last year, we responded to 39 calls,” said Lindsey. “But we have debriefed over 200 firefighters at one time.”

Learn more about the program and the DFR mission at http://dallasfirerescue.com/index.html.