Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Statement

On-the-job stress is one of the most serious psychological hazard facing modern police, fire and emergency service personnel.  Since 1988, King County EMS has coordinated the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) program and the all volunteer CISM Team. The motto of the CISM Program is: Helping the Helper Help.

The King County CISM team was developed to provide debriefing services to emergency response personnel following critical incidents.  The focus of the CISM Program is to minimize the harmful effects of job stress, particularly in crisis or emergency situations and support the efforts of emergency services personnel.  Confidentiality and respect for the individuals involved are the highest priority for the team.

The CISM Team is comprised of Mental Health Professional (Team Leaders) who are especially trained in PTSD, acute trauma and the emergency services profession, and a balance of emergency service peer support debriefers trained in advanced elements of critical incident stress and peer support.  King County CISM program is committed to King County emergency services agencies by providing services to keep their personnel in the highest state of readiness and psychological wellbeing.  To this end, the Program has established guidelines on how to develop an inter-department Peer Support Program and family support services.

In addition to Critical Incident Stress Debriefings (CISD), the CISM program also provides pre-incident education, on-scene support, post incident defusings and demobilizations to emergency service personnel.  The CISM team is registered with and provided services for the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation.  The King County CISM Program was instrumental in supporting the development of the Washington State Critical Incident Stress Management Network, a cooperative of CISM teams from across the state.