Page 27 - InterPilot2019Issue2

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It should be made clear to all involved that participation in a CIRP debriefing or defusing must be volun-
tary by all parties involved. Participation should never be forced or mandatory.

CIRP programs must operate with trust and integrity for membership buy-in and deliver clear protocols
which results in stakeholder buy-in. All parties involved with a CIRP program must fully understand con-
fidentiality and it limits.

Each person may experience a critical incident differently. An event that may seem overwhelming to one
person may seem like a bad day for another and for this reason it is important to touch base with every-
one involved in an event.

It also gives the crew a confidential means to bring up things that they feel may have gone wrong on the
part of themselves or another crew member. Some examples include, inflight shut down of an engine, a
runway overrun, death, or a complete hull loss accident.

To give an example, we recently experienced the crash of a King Air northwest of Yellowknife. The ac-
cident happened to another airline, but it proved to be very relevant for many of our younger pilots who
had either worked with the crew or knew them from school or social circles working in the same com-
munity.

We received many calls from pilots who felt overwhelmed. For some of these pilots, this was the first time
they had experienced a loss related to their career. Aviation is a small community and when an event like
this takes place it has far-reaching effects.

The most common type of response by peers to a critical incident is a one-on-one style debriefing and
this is accomplished in person or over the phone. The debriefing is a multi layered process that is de-
signed to help mitigate the effects of stress and promote quicker recovery.

Debriefings are confidential and do not include management personnel, they are conducted to provide
support, promote recovery, and in some cases referral to professional help.

Defusing is a group interaction to discuss the crews’ shared experience, while offering support and edu-
cation so that the crew members can deal with the effects of the incident or accident. Depending on the
size of the group more than one peer may be used.

It is important for pilot groups and airlines to show support for your CIRP peer volunteers and the pro-
gram, make sure your CIRP team is part of your emergency response plan, and build the trust early so
that it is there when you need it most.

It is essential that anyone involved with an emergency response be educated in and have a basic knowl-
edge of CIRP so they can understand the process their peers are about to engage in. Trust and education
must go hand-in-hand. Get to know your team, build trust and run some mock emergencies to work
things out ahead of time.

The CIRP Peer program is “for pilots, by pilots” and it is essential that the program be maintained, ad-
ministered, and run by pilots. If you wish to have company buy-in, you must be transparent. The best
way to accomplish this is to have your management personnel attend regular training sessions. Keeping
management aware of current training and new procedures fosters trust between the two groups.

Management, who’s job is to manage, can feel secure that when they leave a crew in the hands of CIRP
peer, the crew is getting the best possible care. If the company and flight ops are unfamiliar with your
procedures it will be difficult to build trust. All parties involved with a CIRP program must also fully un-
derstand the constraints and limitations surrounding confidentiality.

IFALPA published a Pilot Assistance Manual in 2018 which includes a full section on CIRP. This manual
has information pertaining to best practices around the globe concerning all aspects of Pilot Assistance.

Also, do not be afraid to contact Member Associations and groups with CIRP programs. Most are more
than happy to share their expertise and experience with you.