Butte Critical Incident Stress Management Team

 

Serving Police • Fire • EMS Personnel

STRESS PRESS Newsletter

Volume 7, Issue 03 ~~~~ March, 2004

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Next Meeting Date:
April 02, 2004
Call-up Person: Cheryl Marden

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Editor's Notes:

     Thanks Ann for another wonderful presentation. April's meeting is a practice debriefing, modeling some of what we learned. The players are already selected, so it is safe to show up. I received documentation from ICISF about sponsoring a conference and will share it at the meeting.
     Every 15-Minutes in Chico was a success.
     Enjoy health and happiness.
       Gene

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Marlene's Musings

     Not only did I remember we had a meeting, but I even remembered to show up - opps forgot the donuts. We had a small but very interactive group for March's meeting.
     Ann thank you for your presentation, you did very well in recognizing us fire & police folks "just like the facts mam", the presentation was short with the key elements we needed to grow as CISM team members. We had an excellent discussion by the group after the presentation. The group talked about the progression of the "Mitchell model" and that we would like to add a little more to our education phase. Helping give our "brothers & sisters" a little more ownership and education to leave with. We talked about how just stating, "DON'T go drink alcohol or coffee and get some exercise", is not always taken seriously. We would like to develop a more positive education statement that has a greater impact or rather more "positive" affect on our folks when they leave.
     Therefore, our meeting in April will be a mock defusing with Anne and Marlene as team members demonstrating what Anne's presentation was all about. And as a reminder, Curtis, Renee, Linda and Scott volunteered to by our responders.
     Additionally, I gave a brief update on our business side of things. The plan is for Curtis, Jennifer and myself to meet and put together a draft of our by-laws and a draft of an agreement statement that I can take to the Fire Chiefs. The presentation will include a request to become a sub-group of their organization thus giving us the ability to have non-profit status. In addition, the financial support from each agency will help maintain a high quality of training for our team's personnel. Then we will take the presentation to the county's Police Chief's. If we have a draft I will be asking for several of you to step up to the plate to review and edit.
     And our ever-diligent Gene Dunning will be researching into what it would take to have ICISF come to our wonderful town of Chico and do a 2, 3, or 4-day conference.
     Thanks everyone for reminding me of what an excellent team we are and why I keep coming back for more!

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Trauma: Mind, Body & Brain (It's role in CISD)

By Ann Osborn

     The brain has 3 parts directly involved in trauma. And you debriefers want to know how these parts work. The first, the amygdala is the base part of the brain responsible for breathing, urination, defecation and fight or flight. Keeping you safe - freeze - you are at risk and what is going to save your life? "The body keeps score" refers to the amygdala. It screens in and out information.
     The other two parts of the brain; one is directly connected to the amygdala is the medial prefrontal cortex and it is significant because it involves movement. Not words or thoughts move physical tension through the body. The movement is significant because tension means we had to physically interrupt the follow through hence this makes tension. (Some people refer to tension as anxiety - make a plan for movement).
     The second part, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is memory for plans of action. Hence, at the other end of debriefing, in talking through what plan they have for exercise, diet, engaging social contact helps prevent PTSD.

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How is it that a careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?
All of us can take a lesson from the weather. Pay no attention to criticism.

    

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ICISF Training Calander

** ICISF Conferences 2004 **
*West Coast*
San Francisco Bay Area, April 22-25
Bakersfield, August 05-08
Las Vegas NV, October 21-24
*Other Areas*
Nashville TN, April 29-May2
Syracuse NY, May 20-23
Biloxi MS, June 03-06
Oklahoma City OK, June 24-27
Columbia MD, July 13-18
Denver CO, August 19-22
2004 International CISM Coordinators' Conference: Sacramento, Oct 22-23

For a complete list of ICISF trainings and to register online, go to their web site. ICISF, Inc. www.icisf.org or call 410-750-9600 or 750-9601 fax.

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~~BCISM Book~~
~~Lending-Library~~

     Our library consists of books and videos. They can be accessed each month at our meeting. Please return items by the second meeting after you borrow them.

~~BCISM/ICISF~~
~~Article List~~

     We have a variety of articles available. Some can be downloaded direct from our website and some are linked to the ICISF website.
     If you have articles to share with others, drop them off at the meeting or e-mail them to gene@aleprechaun.com so they can be posted.

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T-Shirts

Do you still need to order a t-shirt? Order yours at this month's meeting or contact Linda at 895.4912 or TUDYE4@aol.com.
They cost only $14.00. That's a deal for a quality shirt.

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Reminder!

Changes have been made to the phone list and can be downloaded from the web site at www.ears.net/bcism in the secured section. The logon name is bcism. For the password, give me a call or ask me at the next meeting. Gene


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