The Metro CISM Team believes in first responders, and they believe in us.
"Several years ago, while working as a Paramedic, I responded to a particularly difficult child death. After experiencing three days of sleeplessness, repeatedly replaying the event, and having several other post event stress reactions I was given the opportunity to attend my first debriefing. After attending the debriefing I was back to sleeping that very night. The intrusive thoughts stopped and I was back to functioning at a performance level I had come to expect of myself.
The Metro CISM Team debriefing team gave me an important gift that day. They normalized the stress reactions I was having. Their skillful facilitation gave all the emergency providers present at the debriefing an opportunity to support and learn from each other."
- Cindy A., Paramedic and RN
"Our department has utilized the services of the Metro CISM Team a number of times over the last 10 years. We have benefited from the training provided to prepare for critical incidents and have received support after critical incidents involving our officers.
We are fortunate to have the team available to serve our officers with such care and compassion."
– Mike H., St. Louis Park Police Department
“Our officers have witnessed some tragic events within the past few years and most recently a serious traffic accident involving one of our officers who suffered a traumatic brain injury. The Metro CISM Team responded immediately and worked with the public safety personnel who were on the scene and then worked with public safety personnel who were not on the scene but were just as much affected by the accident. This is just one of the incidents in the past 4 years that we have requested their assistance. We are very fortunate and very appreciative of the professional services that the Metro CISM Team provides. ”
– Rodney S., Savage Police Department
“Our agency has a long history of utilizing the Metro CISM Team. The team has provided training in preparation of critical incidents and post-incident support after several incidents in our community over the years. A newly designed website would be beneficial, especially with training registration process. Websites need continually updates to stay fresh looking and any assistance would be helpful.”
– Kevin R., Edina Police Department
“I have been through a couple of critical incident debriefings with the Metro CISM Team. Each time I walked away from the session able to sleep much better at night…each time I was able to stop reliving specific parts of incidents over and over and over in my head. During one of the debriefings, something seemingly little and insignificant was said that instantly clicked in my head…it helped me to “clear up” an issue I had been having with an unrelated incident that I had never realized until that moment.”
– Garett F., Brooklyn Center Police Department
“The Metro CISM Team provides a high level of service to the agencies it serves. They quickly provide aid to defuse a bad day and very effectively debrief agencies when the time is right.”
– Mike D., St. Louis Park Fire Department
“I have had the opportunity to both receive and participate in the delivery of CISM services as a 20-year paid-on-call firefighter and 8-year Metro CISM Team volunteer. I have seen firsthand the positive impact that these services have had on emergency services personnel after a tragic event. I have heard police, fire, EMS, and public safety dispatch veterans of many years express deep appreciation for the Metro CISM Team intervention they had just participated in and asking why these career-saving procedures weren’t provided to them years ago during a different crisis event. They expressed how it would have made such a difference to them and their families if these services had been available after a traumatic fire or accident or homicide when they were first on the job.”
– Joe M., Bloomington Fire Deptartment
“The Metro CISM Team has been invaluable to the health and wellness of our police officers, fire fighters, first responders, and dispatchers. Our department has leaned on them several times to help our brave men and women navigate through difficult times. Without these dedicated volunteers, our first responders are left to deal with pain and emotion alone unless they seek their own help. Over years of experiencing death and other horrific events, first responders have a difficult time recovering. Early, immediate intervention is needed for the healing to begin and this is what CISM does. I want to Thank them for their dedication and devotion for giving first responders somewhere to turn.”
– Brian P., Brooklyn Center Police Department
“Having recently lost a Brother in a non-line of duty death I can attest first hand to the value of theMetro CISM Team. Too often we focus on the obvious physical injuries and neglect the mental and spiritual health of our employees.
– Scott C.
“Law enforcement and firefighting are both professions steeped in tradition and pride. They are also steeped in stress and tragedy. Imagine a profession where you go to work knowing you will see mankind at its worst and the same people you have the honor to serve may want to hurt you. I have spent more than 27 years as a police officer and 15 years as a firefighter. During that time I have seen large changes in the way we do business. One of the most important areas we have forged into is taking care of the front line personnel that have hands on with the worst possible things in life. Stress can kill individuals, relationships and happiness.
The Metro CISM Team use their free time to care for their peers and their profession. What better thing can a person do in their spare time then care for those they know and love who are hurting. Very few professions have personnel willing to donate their precious free time to save another person’s life and relationships. The Metro CISM Team takes this to the next level in the services that they provide.”
– Richard F., Police Sergeant
“In the 20 years I have served with the Metro CISM Team I have repeatedly been told by Emergency Service Providers how helpful it was for them to be able to come together and talk about the issues they face daily. Whether in a small group or individually responders are assisted as they process calls or other concerns. The Metro CISM Team structure makes a variety of specialties available and gives individuals options of who they want to work with. Team members are available 24/7, whenever they are needed. In an environment that wreaks havoc on the professional and personal lives of Public Safety professions, it is a BIG plus to have these resources.”
– Steve C., Emergency Service Chaplain
“The Metro CISM Team has provided services for our department on several occasions when we have had civilian deaths on the fire ground and firefighters seriously injured. The Team has responded, in some cases, within a few hours and provided immediate support to our personnel. Almost every police, sheriff and fire department as well as emergency medical responders in the metro area have used the Metro CISM Team. Dealing with the pain and tragedy these providers see far too often does build and compound stress and does have an affect on these first responders. TheMetro CISM Team provides an invaluable service of support, compassion and understanding to their peers. After utilizing their services and seeing the good they do, I have become a very proud member of the team.”
– David L., Fire Commissioner
“As a member of the Metro CISM Team, I have been lucky enough to work with police officers, firefighters and emergency medical service workers (peers) as they struggled to understand how a really bad call deeply affected them. The Metro CISM Team provides a framework for emergency service workers to process the emotions that they are not able to have in the heat of a call. No one goes into emergency services hoping to end up a cynical, heartless person. But repeated, untreated stress can make someone turn into that person. The Metro CISM Team helps peers work through their emotions so they can continue to meet and survive the great challenges of their careers and the enjoy the greatest reason for joining emergency services- to help others.”
– Corinne B., Detective
