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Introduction
Respondent’s stress is one of the unpleasant consequences of emergency events. People who are the first to experience such crises experience significant psychological and physical pressure (Feuer, 2021). The Massachusetts Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) does not currently address respondent stress (Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, 2019). Therefore, identifying, managing, mitigating, and responding to this problem are relevant tasks. This recommendation memo aims to address these points and develop a plan for reacting to respondent stress.
Identification and Response
The respondent stress means the state of burnout to which people are exposed by interacting with traumatic events. First, such pressure is most likely among the first respondents who directly operate in crisis areas: police officers, emergency services, and medical personnel. However, management personnel, such as the heads of the Emergency Operations Centers, also face similar challenges when forced to make challenging decisions. Therefore, as target groups, all the structures closely related to correcting the consequences of catastrophes should be considered.
Two directions should be developed as part of the measures to identify stress and respond to it. First, it is required to increase self-awareness by disseminating information allowing event participants to independently note the symptoms of pressure (“Disaster responder stress management,” 2022). This will enable them to be involved in organizational stress management programs, the creation of which is the second point of planning. Thus, identifying the respondent stress is distributed between the respondents and administrative units, for which general instructions should be created similar to CEMP.
Management and Mitigation
The means to manage and mitigate the respondent stress can be divided into two categories: personal and structural. To increase the level of self-awareness, it is necessary to disseminate information about this stress. Such data should include both general information and details related to the specific role of the respondent (“Emergency responders,” 2018). Within this method, general plans must be created, which can be adjusted by specific units following their needs. It can also be helpful to utilize frameworks such as The Stress Continuum, initially used by the US military in combat situations (“The stress continuum,” n.d.). With the help of such a system, respondents can independently assess their condition, transferring this information to supervisors, allowing timely inclusion of a person in a more extensive program.
An example of such methods implemented at the departmental level is peer support teams. Using evidence-based approaches such as Psychological First Aid, such groups can effectively address a person’s post-stress needs and mitigate the effects of dealing with emergencies (Feuer, 2021). This method is based on three elements: Listen, Protect, and Connect, each of which is aimed at consistently resolving existing problems and redirecting a person to more specialized structures. Considering that the current plan is being developed from the state’s perspective, the possibility of drawing up a common framework is beneficial.
Conclusion
Thus, the current respondent stress response plan for Massachusetts consists of the following items. First, within the framework of measures to identify stress, employees of all structures interacting with emergencies should be considered potential victims. The response to stress should be the development of programs that allow it to be identified, managed, and reduced in time. It is proposed to conduct briefings to increase self-awareness and use positively proven schemes, such as The Stress Continuum. In addition, it is necessary to create peer support teams within departments based on the Psychological First Aid approach. This will allow victims of the respondent’s stress to promptly receive assistance and be referred to specialists.
References
Disaster responder stress management. (2022). Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Web.
Emergency responders: Tips for taking care of yourself. (2018). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web.
Feuer, B. S. (2021). First responder peer support: An evidence-informed approach. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 36(3), 365-371. Web.
Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. (2019). Comprehensive emergency management plan (CEMP). Web.
The stress continuum. (n.d.). Responder Alliance. Web.
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