Demobilization

Demobilizations are an intervention designed for large scale trauma events or a disaster where there are many responders from different disciplines. The intervention, like a defusing, is designed to provide crisis intervention immediately after personnel are released from the scene and before they return to normal duties, but because the high number of responders, all providing different services, to provide a defusing to each separate response group would be overwhelming to the CISM team. Instead groups are organized to go through a demobilization center to receive their services.

The demobilization process consists of two main segments. The first segment is informational in nature designed to help understand and manage their stress reactions. This is about a 10-15 minute presentation. The second segment is a 20 minute period of time to rest and eat before returning to the routines of there lives. Large scale events may go on for days and involve multiple shifts. It is not necessary and contraindicated to repeat the demobilization process each time a shift ends. It is best served after the initial exposure to the incident.  Should there continue to be distraught individuals, one-on-ones are the intervention of choice. Large events require the workers to continue to suppress difficult material in favor of maintaining their ability to work. Repeated demobilizations or defusings will defeat this purpose as it brings up the difficult material to the conscious which will then interfere with their ability to provide adequate services.

Demobilizations while similar in goals of a defusing are more complicated and present a challenge to a CISM team. The requirements consist of:

• Several pre-designated centers in a jurisdiction.
• Two large rooms in each center.
• Moveable furniture.
• Adequate supplies of chairs.
• Ample supplies of food, juices and water.
• At least one demobilization manager.
• Six to eight CISM team members to present the information.
• A check in desk.
• Staff.
• Parking to accommodate several emergency vehicles at a time
• People to control or deny access to the media and other interested parties.

Do to the the requirements, planning is often necessary to be successful in organizing successful demobilizations. The concept, authorization and cooperation of administration and command beforehand is crucial. Seeing this as an integral part of the recovery process is key. Providing instructions for use, pre-designation of sites, arrangement for food, pre-printed handouts and presenting a written plan are all pre-disaster activities. Others include:

• Additional training for CISM members.
• Cooperation and agreements with all neighboring jurisdictions.
• Development of brief ten minute stress presentation.
• Practice sessions for CISM team.
• Practice with emergency personnel at disaster drills.
• Written authorizations from the pre-designated sites.
• Emergency numbers of officials who control the sites.
• Education to superiors so they know what to expect.
• Education to the media to inform them of the purpose to minimize any disruptions for the recovery process.

As you can see this is a large scale operation and should not be done on the fly although for obvious reasons, sometimes it may have to. Either way keep in mind:

• Supervisors and commanders must be familiar with the process. It is they who will bring their workers over.
• Communication between the ranks may be poor.
• The overwhelming nature of the incident may minimize the priority of the demobilization process in the minds of the leaders.
• Announce that the demobilization center is open.
• Have adequate CISM personnel available.
• Have a constant flow of food and liquid.
• While the center is not to be at the scene, it should be close enough so that getting there is not prohibitive.
• Keep units or teams together as best you can.
• Workers are ending their shift and are to go home after the demobilization. Make sure they understand this prior to the services. Inappropriate referrals will happen if there is poor communication and risk receiving an inappropriate intervention thus creating further harm.

Go to Flash Presentation for diagram and flow of demobilization process.

Demobilization Presentation. PDF

Not a function of EAP Onsite Services.