Welcome to Episode 3 of Assuming Command. This episode is modified from a Peer Support class Bob gave with Jeff Buchanan from Las Vegas Fire and Rescue for the International Associations of Fire Chiefs Conference. In this episode, Bob and Jeff discuss peer support programs and the importance of mental health in the fire service. The class and the importance of the topic inspired Bob to do a series on mental health and wellness, so this episode will be part of a three-part series on the topic.
During the class, a game board for developing a peer support program is used as a reference point; that “game board” is available at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1S3VvIeKlu0LAUw1iRA_EW7CYGOiklPV5/view?usp=sharing. The path to building a program starts at denial; moves to recognizing the problem of life imitating art, especially in the case of larger scale events; requires the labor and management buy-in; should be built into the organizations mission, vision, and values; needs initial and ongoing training of team, supervisors, and staff; an SOP for deployment and utilization of the team should be developed; “messengers” should be identified, that is, who within the organization can serve as respected and trusted advocates; different technologies for connection between the peer support team and staff should be considered; recruits and staff should have access to regular meetings and communication with the peer support team; training on and knowledge of the SOPs should be built into the promotional process; the path does not end with development of the team and plan; and program success requires maintaining a performance and growth mindset.
Bob and Jeff also discussed the importance of understanding everyone will react to situations differently. Some people will come out of a larger critical event OK, but be impacted by a smaller event, and vice versa. It is important to have peer support available to the organization anytime they may be feeling stress or need someone to speak with. Peer support needs to be integrated into the culture of the organization from recruitment through retirement and beyond. Jeff spoke about using retirees as part of the peer support team to allow them to keep engaged with the organization and to take advantage of their wealth of experience. When building the team, management needs to consider the needs of the organization and how to tailor the model and branding to their team. It is vital to the success of the program that the people who will be utilizing it feel comfortable reaching out to the peer support team.
One popular model for developing and program is the Jeffrey Mitchell model. Jeffrey Mitchell Ph.D. co-founded the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc. to provide leadership, education, training, consultation, and support services for first responders or others affected by critical incidents. More about the Foundation and the resources and training they provide can be found at https://icisf.org/about-us/. A primer on Critical Incident Stress Management can also be viewed at https://icisf.org/a-primer-on-critical-incident-stress-management-cism/.
The draft Peer Support Program SOP mentioned can be viewed at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JQzAOEVmwZL_YC00KnmfgeyveFMsyhvx/view?usp=sharing.
Thank you for joining us and stay tuned for the next two episodes in the mental health and wellness series. Let us know what you think of the podcast by emailing us at impact@upstreamabi.com.
