Increasing Personal Resilience for Emergency Response Team Members. presented by Terri Howard

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1 Increasing Personal Resilience for Emergency Response Team Members presented by Terri Howard

2 objectives / overview

3 objectives / overview Workforce resilience is the critical element in business continuity planning after critical incidents Organizational best practices for workforce resilience in business continuity planning for critical incidents Individual needs before, during and after an event Questions

psychological debriefings for responders Provide organizations with a guide that

4 objectives Examine best practices of a resiliency program targeted for emergency responders Present specific guidance on resiliency training that focuses beyond psychological debriefings for responders Provide organizations with a guide that outlines training for emergency responders before, during, and after deployment

5 fei behavioral health In operation for over 30 years Over 150 companies Specialize in workforce resilience; individual-organization Crisis Management Services since 1998

6 list of responses

7 crisis responses Aviation incidents Severe turbulence Emergency landings In-flight incidents Ground operation incidents Crashes Health outbreaks Natural disasters Random shootings Sudden deaths Terrorist events Transportation accidents Workplace tragedies 9

8 crisis responses Crisis Year Crisis Year Sikh Temple Shooting 2012 Butte, Mont. Crash 2009 Hurricane Sandy 2012 Colgan Flight Tornados in AL and MO 2011 NWA Flight Accident Support UPS Flight Islamabad Bombing 2008 Shooting at Super Cuts 2010 TAM Flight Notre Dame Crisis Response 2010 Gulf Coast Hurricanes 2005 Haiti Earthquake 2010 Sheraton Brookfield Shooting 2005 Binghamton Shootings 2009 Pinnacle Air Flight 3701 Accident 2004 H1N1 Response 2009 Corporate Airlines Flight Islamabad Bombing

9 crisis responses Crisis Year Crisis Year Jakarta Bombing 2003 EgyptAir 990 Accident 1999 Air Midwest (US Air Express) 5481 Accident 2003 American Airlines 1420 Accident 1999 AirTransat 236 Accident 2001 Amtrak Train Derailment 1999 Terrorist Attacks-New York, Washington, Pennsylvania 2001 Littleton, CO Shootings 1999 Edgewater Technology Shootings 2000 Xerox Shootings 1999 Singapore Airlines 006 Accident 2000 Oklahoma City Bombing 1995 Alaska Airlines 261 Accident 2000 East Coast Hurricanes 1993 Executive Air Accident 2000 World Trade Center Bombing 1993 Saudi Arabian Airlines Hijacking 2000 So. California Earthquake

10 getting on the same page

11 Getting on the same page Campus continuity Workforce resilience Critical incident Crisis/Emergency Response Teams Workforce resilience risks associated with crisis situations Compassion Fatigue

12 campus continuity A business continuity plan is a roadmap for continuing operations under adverse conditions (i.e. interruption from natural or man-made hazards). CCP is an ongoing state or methodology governing how campus operations are conducted

workforce resilience Workforce resilience can be defined as an organization s ability to respond and adapt rapidly to threats posed to its workforce.

13 workforce resilience Workforce resilience can be defined as an organization s ability to respond and adapt rapidly to threats posed to its workforce. Organizations that can build resiliency into their human capital are more likely to protect their most valuable resources and maintain continuous operations in the event of a crisis.

14 critical incident A critical incident is any event or situation that threatens people and/or their homes, infrastructure, or community. While we often think of floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, or armed assailants as posing critical incidents, the true definition of a critical incident includes any situation requiring swift, decisive action involving multiple components in response to and occurring outside of the normal course of routine business activities.

15 compassion fatigue Secondary Traumatic Stress Burnout

16 secondary traumatic stress vicarious trauma Natural consequence resulting from exposure to another s traumatizing event Can occur following the exposure to a single traumatic event PTSD symptoms can be nearly identical to those of the survivor

17 burnout Process occurring over time Accumulation of stressors at work Perceived demands outweigh perceived resources Sense of powerlessness to achieve goals Does not necessarily alter our view of the world, but our view of the workplace Can happen in any occupation

18 risk factors personal life situations (+/-) Dedicated/Perfectionistic Family Dynamics: Marriage/Separation/Divorce Children/Stepchildren Aging parents Health issues Personal experience of trauma/loss

19 organizational best practices for workforce resilience

20 understanding the critical workforce resilience dimensions of a business continuity plan Policies and communication Organizational culture Team/employee education and support Workforce Resilience HR systems and reporting infrastructure Job training

21 planning for the human side of crisis

22 fundamental world view Safe Predictable Routine activities No threat to life People are trustworthy then, something tragic happens

23 shattered world view The world is unsafe Life is threatened Sense of meaninglessness I have no control I can t trust anyone

irritability Difficulty separating work and personal life Increased isolation and

24 individual signs of distress Physical Sleep difficulties Headaches Exhaustion Stomach aches Increased susceptibility to illness Behavioral Increased irritability Difficulty separating work and personal life Increased isolation and avoidance Ineffective or selfdestructive coping behaviors Increased sense of personal vulnerability

25 psychological signs and symptoms Emotional exhaustion Distancing Negative self image Reduced ability to feel sympathy and empathy Depression Intrusive imagery or disassociation Heightened anxiety or irrational fears Cynicism/Loss of hope Sense of ineffectiveness

26 professional signs of distress Anger and irritability Diminished sense of purpose / enjoyment of work Decreased productivity Disruption of world view Dread of working with certain clients Impaired ability to make decisions Increased absenteeism

27 The truth is that for all the pain, these symptoms are a blessing. They point out to us that our life is out of balance and needing intervention. ~ Gentry, 1998

28 Natural or man-made disaster Speed of onset / duration Degree of real / perceived life threat Potential for recurrence general factors affecting reactions Level of exposure to death / destruction Number of persons affected by the event

29 Locus of responsibility for event Previous life experiences Cultural / Social aspects Age Personality characteristics Coping skills Support systems personal factors affecting reactions

30 integrated world view The future is not predictable People are generally trustworthy Expanded insight into self Appreciation for the value of life More realistic view of the world

31 enhancing resilience

general principles of stress management Become aware of symptoms of stress before they become severe Establish clear, realistic stress management goals

32 general principles of stress management Become aware of symptoms of stress before they become severe Establish clear, realistic stress management goals Incorporate all the support and planning necessary to make it work The challenge is to find the optimal level of stress each of us requires in order to thrive

33 assessment & planning Before an event Have we had a critical incident? What did we learn from it? What was the fall-out and how did it affect our staff? Did we identify any strengths following the event? Do we have an operational plan and adequate training for our staff?

34 assessment & planning Before an event Leadership is vital Assessment of risks Develop a plan that is operational for the organization Two-way communication plans Protocols to respond to acute/ongoing needs of employees/families Identify resources/prearrangements in the local community

organizational needs Before an event having information redundantly and easily available from multiple sources, cross-training employees finding backups for

35 organizational needs Before an event having information redundantly and easily available from multiple sources, cross-training employees finding backups for suppliers and presently outsourced work functions, and documenting what employees do and know Social and cultural changes within the organization must be recognized

36 training & exercises Crisis support and communication Team-specific training Peer support Next-of-kin notification Notification drills Tabletop exercises Full scale drills Before an event

crisis-related benefits (cash, housing, insurance)

37 personal needs Individual/Family emergency plan Update contact information Pre-arrangement for crisis-related benefits (cash, housing, insurance) Understanding of emergency response role Before an event

38 self-care for deployments physical Eat healthy Rest and relaxation Exercise that is fun Positive indulgences Dancing Walking/Jogging with friends

39 self-care for deployments emotional & psychological Humor laugh often Allow yourself to cry Balance work and personal life Use your support system

40 self-care for deployments emotional & psychological Coping strategies Engage in positive community activities Ongoing monitoring

41 organizational needs During an event Visible and effective Leadership Communication of information to employee, customer and family inquiries at the time of an emergency Track employee and customer location, status, and contact details Compassionately outreach to those affected and track needs and services

organizational needs During an event Communicate continuity plans, operational information, updates and organizational needs to employees Documentation of

42 organizational needs During an event Communicate continuity plans, operational information, updates and organizational needs to employees Documentation of response activities and report provided Mitigate the effects of trauma on your employees, victims, and victims' family members Create a supportive recovery atmosphere

43 personal needs During an event INFORMATION!! Basic needs safety, food, rest Normalization of responses to event Emotional support Increased support for managers Helpline and HR resources for employees and their families

44 organizational needs Recovery of operations Debriefing for response teams and employees Communication to stakeholders Assessment of health and morale of staff After action reporting After an event Integration of Lessons learned into plan Revise, drill and review

45 personal needs Ongoing communication Personal connection Return to routines Physical activity Additional resources and support as needed After an event

46 how do you spell relief?

47 one cannot predict the unpredictable or guess the unguessable, all one can do is train and prepare to face the challenges that these events present Dr. Patrick Lagadec, 2003

48 It is a privilege to be in the presence of survivors to witness their courage, their strength and their commitment to healing themselves and our world. It is also a privilege to be in the company of all of us here for those very same reasons... ~ Anonymous

49 questions

50 thank you

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FEDERAL OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH. We Care, Just Call. FEDERAL OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH Employee Employee Assistance Assistance Program Program SUPERVISOR S GUIDE We Care, Just Call. I called the EAP for advice on helping an employee who was having difficulties