Page 25 - InterPilot2019Issue2

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In many cases it is very helpful for a pilot to have an understanding ear in which to voice any con-
cerns or issues surrounding a critical event, but at no time should the peer ever take on the problems
of the person they are helping. An unwritten rule of peer assistance is do not do anything for this
person that they cannot do for themselves. It bears repeating that should it become clear during this
process that the person in crisis needs help beyond what the peer can provide, the peer then must
refer the person to the appropriate mental health professional.

Education is a huge part of helping someone through a critical incident. Peers are trained to rec-
ognize the signs of stress and in turn educate the individual in crisis on these signs and symptoms.
Once the person in crisis understands what to watch for, they are better equipped to deal with the
onset of any stress that may occur. For example, let’s say you have an inflight shut down of an engine
during a critical phase of flight. Two days later you can’t sleep, you may suffer from nightmares, you
may not have an appetite, or you could experience unwarranted shaking and trembling. Let’s say
you are yelling at your spouse and screaming at the kids for no reason. If you can identify that these
may all be signs of the underlying stress involved with your inflight shut down, you can then deal
with it more effectively and, if needed, seek professional help.
Following a critical incident, some of the tasks of the peer are to first secure the crew in a safe place,
away from the media, and tend to their immediate needs such as shelter, food and water. The peer
then gives the crew an opportunity to decompress and process the event that just took place, all
while being available to debrief, if and when the crew is ready.

In the event of a catastrophic accident involving loss of life and accident investigation, the peer takes
on a different role. During the process of investigating the accident, the investigators may come
across horrific situations and scenes necessitating the need to speak with a peer in a confidential
setting, sometimes on a daily basis. The CIRP peers are now available to other crew, surviving crew,
and families effected by incident.

Confidentiality is key in a peer-based program. Pilots must have the trust of the peer that what is
discussed in a conversation stays between the two parties involved. If the trust is not there the pilot
is unlikely to be forthcoming.

The exception to that rule is if the induvial the peer is speaking with makes it clear that they are
intending self harm or harm to others. In this case the peer has a responsibility to bring that informa-
tion forward to the appropriate mental health professional or authority.

Every time the crew member can talk about their experience with someone they trust in a private
setting, some of the stress goes away, some of the hurt goes away, and they can work to normalize
the situation.