Peer Support Helping Dispatchers Help Themselves
Support for Peer Support
CAL-EDA is dedicated to advocating for dispatchers and believes that strong peer support teams significantly increase dispatchers’ quality of life. Whether you are a member of an active peer support team or are interested in starting a team of your own, CAL-EDA will be there to support you. If you are aware of any upcoming training for peer supporters or want more information on peer support, please email mayers@cal-eda.org
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What is peer support?
Peer support is a formalized way of “being there” for your coworkers. It’s non-professional support from trained individuals who have a strong interest in keeping their coworkers happy and mentally healthy. Who better to know what a dispatcher is going through, than a dispatcher? Peer support can run the range from being there for a coworker during a divorce to assisting with a critical incident stress debrief. Many peer support teams find ways to include dispatchers’ families because families can be affected by the stress we bring home.
This article that gets right to the problem of dispatch stress:
Stress and the 911 Dispatcher
Resources:
• The Bay Area Critical Incident Stress Management Team
Articles and training.
• The California Peer Support Association
Has links to other agencies peer support policies and procedures.
• International Critical Incident Stress Foundation
• The Center for Living with Dying
An excellent resource for dealing with grief
• Ready Force
A whole body approach to stress management
Also note, if your agency is CALEA accredited, the new standards adopted in 2007 address the need for peer support and ongoing stress management.