WMEMS
Critical Incident Stress Management
Western Massachusetts CISM Team Serving
- Emergency Medical Services
- Fire Departments
- Police Departments
- Dispatchers
- Emergency Departments
- Hospital Staff
- Disaster Responders
- Ambulance Services
Definition of a Critical Incident
A critical incident is any
situation faced by emergency personnel that causes them to experience
unusually strong emotional reactions which have the potential to interfere
with their ability to function either at the scene or later.
Examples of Critical Incident
- Death of a peer in the line of duty
- Death of a child
- Mass casualties
- Prolonged situations
- Events with intense media coverage
Purpose of CISM
The purpose of Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)
is to accelerate normal recovery, for normal people, having normal
and necessary reactions to abnormal events. What we do
The Western Massachusetts CISM Team provides a simple yet effective
method to help those emergency workers trying to cope with stressful
experiences. CISM promotes the continuation of productive careers while
building healthy stress management behaviors. We offer
- Stress education geared towards emergency service professionals
- Support teams at the scene and after an incident
- Debriefing
and defusing services
- Family support programs including special
programs for spouses and significant others
- A resource and referral
network
Who we are
The Western Massachusetts CISM team
is composed of specially trained emergency service and mental health
professionals who volunteer their time, energy and resources. Team members
receive comprehensive training and participate in regular continuing
education sessions. The Western Mass CISM Team is one of over one hundred
teams serving emergency service personnel nationally and internationally.
We are dedicated to supporting our colleagues before, during and most of
all after a critical incident.
Where we go
We come to you.
Together we'll find a place near your agency for a quiet confidential
meeting. We primarily serve the Western Massachusetts region but are
willing to travel as far as necessary.
What you pay
There
are no fees for our service. When to call
Anytime
emergency personnel have experienced a situation which causes them
unusually strong emotional reactions. If you have any question of what
services might be needed why not discuss it with our coordinator on call.
To access the team call,
(413) 586-6065 (24 hours a day)
Educational Presentations
We would like to meet with your agency before we're needed.
We offer educational programs tailored to your specific needs.
Certain programs have been pre-approved for OEMS EMT continuing education
credit. An introduction to stress management and CISM should be included in
the training of all emergency services personnel. For education or any
further information, call Western Massachusetts Emergency Medical Services
at, (413) 586-6065 or email WMEMS@wmems.
org
Western Massachusetts CISM Team
c/o WMEMS
168 Industrial Drive
Northampton, MA 01060
Coordinators
Linda Moriarty
(413) 586-6065
Brian K. Andrews
(413)281-7209
Resources || Home