Page 22 - InterPilot2019Issue2

CIRP PAGE 22

“Critical incident stress is a normal

reaction to an abnormal event or

situation.”

In follow-up conversations it was made very clear that our presence, compassion,
and support made a profound difference in the lives of those who were left to carry
on after the tragic event. The fact that the CIRP team was made up of peers from
other airlines helped to bring things into perspective. The entire airline was in shock.

The inclusion of a Critical Incident Response team is an essential part of any emer-
gency preparation plan. A critical incident is one that overwhelms a person’s normal
coping skills, leaving them feeling stuck and helpless.

A critical incident may drive us to seek assistance from others and can provoke a
powerful stress reaction that we may need help to overcome. If you find yourself in
a situation where you would say, “Nothing I have learned or experienced in life has
prepared me for this moment!” then chances are you are in crisis.

Critical Incident Stress can also be defined as a physical, cognitive behavioral, or
emotional reaction to a critical incident. If not properly managed by the individual
with or without support, it can have long lasting detrimental effects physically and/
or psychologically. Critical incident stress is a normal reaction to an abnormal event
or situation.

Critical Incident Response is not therapy, it is a healthy way to support healthy pilots
who are experiencing normal reactions to these types of situations. Pilots are very
resilient, and with a little help from a peer, they are generally able to resolve the is-
sue at hand.

The success of this approach tends to profoundly outweigh that of being told what
to do. Experience has shown that issues that can be solved at a peer level tend to
have a better outcome than something mediated or enforced at a management
level.

The mission of the Critical Incident Response Peer is to lessen the psychological
impact of the critical incident. This can be accomplished through active listening,
helping the individual find focus to resolve the issue at hand, and accelerate the re-
covery. If it does become clear that the person in crisis is in need of a mental health
professional, it is then the peer’s job to present them with the best professional
resources available.

The role of the peer is to help the individual find focus and resolve their issue. At no
time should the peer attempt to council anyone in crisis. Peers are not trained coun-
cillors or mental health professionals. Once the individual in crisis is focused, they
realize that they are healthy and that their reactions are normal.

Peer support programs work because pilot volunteers, speaking a common profes-
sional language and sharing common work experience, can help restore perspective.
Pilots often mistrust company representatives but rely on each other through the
nature of their profession.