Emergency services providers are often involved in critical incidents. A critical incident is "any situation faced by emergency services professionals that cause them to experience unusually strong reaction, which have potential to interfere with their ability to function" (Jeffrey Mitchell, PhD - International Critical Incident Stress Foundation).

Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) is a psychological and educational team-approach to support emergency services professionals to appropriately manage the effects of traumatic stress. CISM includes defusings, debriefings, on-scene support, demobilization, one-on-one support, education, and family support.

Psychological First Aid (PFA) is an evidence-informed modular approach for assisting people in the immediate aftermath of disaster and terrorism: to reduce initial distress, and to foster short and long-term adaptive functioning.

Chaplain Holland has been involved with CISM/PFA since 1994. If you need CISM/PFA support services, please call 919.971.3064 or email mark@cifes.org.