Dear CISM Practitioner,

In today's update, we provide a new article written by Jeffrey T. Mitchell, PhD, CTS, ICISF President Emeritus, as well as links to two articles written by George S. Everly, Jr., PhD, F.A.P.M., Chairman of the Board Emeritus of ICISF. The information is both timely and appropriate for those anticipating or considering deployment to the areas impacted by hurricane Katrina. I urge you to read all three of these articles and to share them with others whom you feel could benefit from the information.

Easy Does It
Jeffrey T. Mitchell, PhD, CTS
ICISF President Emeritus

It happens in almost every disaster and it is happening on the Gulf Coast now. Some folks just cannot resist the temptation to self-deploy. Truthfully, some independent responders have been helpful under certain circumstances in the past. Freelance responders, however, are more likely to inadvertently generate further problems for people already in the disaster zone.

Because self-deployed people do not always have the "big picture" in mind, they may end up in areas where they are not needed or where their services compete with organized response programs. Independent responders usually run out of supplies quickly and lack the benefit of an organized supply system. Frequently they request additional supplies from already strained stockpiles of disaster relief goods that organizations have shipped into the area to do their work. Needless to say, feelings of resentment on all sides can be easily stimulated under such circumstances.

Unfortunately, some people, who attempt to function in disaster areas on their own, find more trouble than they anticipated. They experience numerous difficulties finding food and water; they have no real base of operations and no dependable lodging. Often they lack communications and have no liaison with organizations such as the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the National Organization of Victim Assistance and the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation.

In the past, a few people with fragile health self-deployed to disaster zones. They became sick and needed to be rescued. That, of course, further strained already overworked rescue and healthcare services. Others, who chose to work in areas where civil order was not yet restored, have become victims of robbery, violence and sexual assault. In summary, independent response adds further pressure to the rescue, health care, security and recovery systems that are attempting to restore order and reduce chaos.

Please, rather than self-deploying, we urge all of you to join with existing appropriate non-profit disaster response organizations like the Red Cross, Salvation Army, National Organization of Victim Assistance and the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation. If you are not able to go to a disaster zone, your donations to any of those organizations helps more than you can imagine. Joining up or donating funds or volunteer time enhances the possibility that your resources and skills will be used in the most effective manner. There are huge benefits when our response to a disaster is part of an organized, comprehensive, integrated, systematic and multi-component approach. Please, do not freelance in a disaster. Thank you!

The following articles by George S. Everly, Jr., PhD, F.A.P.M., are being distributed with the permission of Chevron Publishing.

Toward a Model of Psychological Triage: Who Will Most Need Assistance?

Early Psychological Intervention: A Word of Caution

In anticipation that ICISF will be requested to deploy CISM Teams for hurricane Katrina (NOTE: there have been NO definitive requests for assignments through ICISF as of yet), please be aware of the priority system that will be applied in fulfilling such requests:

A). ICISF will contact State CISM Team Coordinators / CISM Teams in geographic concentric circles outward from the location of the agency making the request.

B). First priority of contact within those states will be ICISF CISM Teams that are listed as "Current" in our files. Once we have exhausted ALL "Current" Teams,

C). ICISF will contact, within those states, ICISF CISM Teams that are listed as "Not Updated" in our files. Once we have exhausted ALL "Not Updated" Teams,

D). ICISF may reach out to those CISM Teams who are not listed in our database.

E). The last priority will be those individuals who are not affiliated with a CISM Team. There may be some additional useful needs / assignments for those individuals as well.

I would suggest that you view the list of CISM Teams on the ICISF website (see link below) to determine if your Team is "Current." Should you wish to update or list your Team, please contact Rev. George Grimm, ICISF Hotline CISM Team Program Manager, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Team List

I also ask that each CISM Team and each CISM Team member understand that the impact of this disaster is coming back to you. It comes in the form of returning USAR Teams, DMORT Teams, Fire/Police/EMS/Communications groups and faith-based groups, as examples, that have responded from around the country and may now have been impacted and in need of CISM services. Remember, to make a significant contribution to those affected by this tragedy, one doesn't have to get mud on their shoes, blood on their sleeves or see "firsthand" the devastation. Some of the most important services you can provide are far away from the impact zone. Please provide your services when formally requested by any reputable agency, where you are needed, not where you want to be.

The impact of this situation will last for months to come and so will the need for CISM Services.

Also, keep in mind that all folks, to include emergency services personnel, are resilient by nature, therefore assure that your interactions are both timely and appropriate.

Further updates will follow as more information is obtained.

Donald Howell, Executive Director
International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, In.
Ellicott City MD 21042-2272
http://www.icisf.org
410/750-9600
Fax: 410/750-9601

KAT-05-04