WMEMS CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS MANAGEMENT

*To access the team, please call (413) 586-6065 Available 24 hours a day/7 days a week

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. 

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.    

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

Coordinators:

Linda Moriarty

(413) 586-6065  

Brian K. Andrews

(413) 281-7209