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Information on
managing stress
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support staff
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Critical Incident Stress:
self-screening guide
You may nd your current stress reactions are more
intense and overwhelming than usual, particularly if
you have been involved in previous critical incidents
or have had some history of emotional issues, for
example, depression, anxiety or intense grief.
The following questions are a guide to help you decide
if you should consider seeking more information or
assistance.
1. Have you had trouble sleeping? Yes / No
2. Have you had nightmares or thought about the
event when you did not want to? Yes / No
3. Have you tried hard not to think about it or went
out of your way to avoid situations that reminded
you of it? Yes / No
4. Have you been constantly on guard, watchful or
easily startled? Yes / No
5. Have you felt numb or detached from others,
activities or your surroundings? Yes / No
6. Are you drinking more than usual? Yes / No
These and other symptoms will usually decrease over
time (about three to four months). However, if the
symptoms are interrupting your return to normal life,
DEC has support services available to you and your
family members. You can access more information and
assistance via the following contact numbers.
The call is condential.
DEC Peer Support
0429 686 900
(08) 9219 9780
http://intranet/csd/People_Services/rm/Documents/
Peer%20Support%20Contacts.pdf
PPC Employee Assistance Program (24/7)
1300 361 008
PPC Manager Hotline
1300 361 008
Acknowledgments
Assistance from the following groups is gratefully acknowledged
for their contribution to the content of this brochure.
PPC Worldwide
Viclorian Deparlmenl ol Suslainabilily and Lnvironmenl
Pisk Managemenl Seclion, Deparlmenl ol Lnvironmenl
and Conservalion
Physical health
Mainlain as normal a schedule as possible, including ealing
and sleeping regularly. Lal a good breaklasl each day, no
matter what the shift hours. Be careful about using sleeping
pills to get to sleep they can be dependence forming and
can affect important stages of sleep.
Make sure you drink plenly ol luids such as waler and
juices. Lal heallhy snacks regularly such as lresh lruil and
increase your intake of complex carbohydrates (for
example, breads and mullns made wilh whole grains) lo
keep your brain luelled and your blood-sugar level even.
Avoid consuming loo much calleine and sugar. Shorl
lerm, lhey provide lemporary 'highs' lhal ollen end in
laligue or a 'crash' laler. You'll leel more relaxed, less
jillery or nervous, and you'll sleep beller.
Avoid overusing drugs or alcohol. While using alcohol or
drugs mighl seem lo ease slress, il's a lemporary lx. Don'l
mask the issue at hand; deal with it head on and with a clear
mind.
Emotional and mental health
Talk aboul your experiences and emolions lo process
whal you have seen and done.
Talk lo people when you leel like il. You decide when you
wanl lo discuss your experience. Talking aboul an evenl
may be reliving il. Choose your own comlorl level.
Cive yoursell permission lo leel rollen. you are in a
dillcull silualion.
Pecurring lhoughls, dreams, images or lashbacks are
normal do nol lry lo lghl lhem bul allow lhem lo
come and go. They will decrease over lime.
Communicale wilh your loved ones al home as lrequenlly
as possible. Slay in louch wilh your lamily and lriends.
Use your Lmployee Assislance Program counsellors can
simply be a 'sounding board' lo help you process lhe
experience.
My family is often worried when Im
ghting res. What can I do?
Prolonged lre lghling places pressure nol jusl on people
direclly involved in lghling lres, bul on lriends and lamilies
loo. Parlners may leel helpless and worried aboul your
salely. Then, ol course, lhere are all lhe usual day-lo-day
pressures ol running a household, which increase when one
ol you is heavily occupied oulside lhe home.
Communicale honeslly and openly, ralher lhan shulling
down. Your parlner or spouse may nol be able lo 'lx'
whal's going on, bul il lhey know whal's happening lor
you, lhey can supporl you. 8e honesl when you've had a
bad day.
Work oul ways lo regain some lamily lime and lo
reconnecl wilh your spouse or parlner once you're home.
Lven !0 or !5 minules kicking lhe looly will work
wonders for you and the kids.
Negoliale whal will happen on lhe home lronl while
you're away. Work oul whal lhe immediale priorilies are
around the house and what can wait.
No maller whal your role, lghling lres can be physically
and mentally demanding. Although some people may feel
run down and lired aller working on a lre, lhey will gel
back lo lheir usual way ol lile lairly quickly. Olhers may have
slronger, more inlense emolional reaclions. Some people
may reacl days, weeks and somelimes monlhs aller lhe
evenl. This brochure will provide you wilh some lips lo help
you bounce back lrom lhe slrain ol working on a lre.
Ive been ghting res for a few weeks.
What can I do to manage stress on
the job?
Shift structure and tasks
Take lrequenl, briel resl breaks as praclicable. Menlal
laligue over long shills can place people al greally
increased risk of injury as concentration begins to wane.
Make good use ol your resl periods make sure you
use lhem lor resling and relaxing, nol working or placing
additional demands on yourself.
Walch oul lor each olher. Co-workers may be locused
on a particular task and may not notice a hazard nearby
or behind.
8e conscious ol lhose around you. People who are
exhausled, leeling slressed or even lemporarily
dislracled may place lhemselves and olhers al risk. Pair
up with someone else from your crew so you can monitor
one anolher's slress.
Pecognise and accepl whal you cannol change lhe
chain ol command, organisalional slruclure, wailing,
equipmenl lailures and so on.
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