By Hélène Fortier, Eastern Townships Zone and CISM Instructor (heyuhu33@yahoo.ca)
More than 90 members of the CSP are available across Canada to assist you in case of a critical incident. CISM assists first responders, and others who have been involved in critical incidents, to help them to understand reactions that might occur after an event, overcome those reactions, and return to a normal lifestyle. I have personal experience; hence the will to help others after similar situations.
Do you want to support your fellow patrollers when needed? The CSP offers two basic courses in CISM intervention: The Group Critical Incident Stress Management course and the Individual Critical Incident Stress Management course (to follow up individually with a peer after a group debriefing session).
The first French individual course class was recently offered in Victoriaville and more are planned. A number of patrollers have received their official Individual CISM certificates. Classes are soon to be available in Québec and Newfoundland as well.
Brian Bennett and I are two CSP CISM instructors. We can organize classes to train more CSP members. For more information, please contact Brian Bennett at 416-894-6015 (cismtraining@outlook.com) or Hélène Fortier at 514-462-2609 (heyuhu33@yahoo.ca).
This post is also available in: French