Critical Incident Stress Management
What is Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)?
CISM is a method of helping first responders and others who have been involved in critical incidents that leave them emotionally and/or physically affected by those incidents. CISM is a term that refers to a comprehensive, integrative, strategic planning system complete with a multitude of crisis intervention tactics. The confidential process helps the impacted aquatic professional rebound from the effects of a critical incident, restore adaptive functioning and to return to active duty and their lives.
The International Lifeguard Critical Incident Response Alliance (ILCIRA) follows evidence-based industry best practice models for responding to critical incidents. The model, developed by Dr’s Mitchell & Everly focuses on using a peer relationship to help provide a sense of normalization and assists an impacted individual in re-establishing their disrupted normal coping strategies.
Experts in staff wellness and business continuity after traumatic events, our team ensures your aquatics team receive a standard of care consistent with industry best practices. Bringing compassion to all we do, our evidence-based approach ensures you have the support that fits your team and business.
Peer Support & Resiliency Training
Why Peer Support & Resiliency Training matter in aquatics?
Building strong Peer Support networks and resilience skills is one of the most effective ways to protect lifeguards and other aquatic responders from the psychological impact of critical incidents. Programs like Resilience First Aid Peer Support Certification equip staff and supervisors with practical tools to recognize early signs of distress, have supportive conversations, and connect teammates to help before problems escalate. When integrated into an aquatics organization’s training, supervision, and post-incident procedures, Peer Support becomes part of “how we do business” – normalizing help-seeking, reducing stigma, and strengthening team cohesion. This proactive, skills-based approach not only supports individual wellbeing, it also helps organizations maintain readiness, reduce turnover, and honor their duty of care to those who stand watch over others’ safety.
Come learn more about why Proactive Peer Support, Resiliency Training and formal Post Incident Support programs are essential to protecting aquatic teams.
Find out more by listening to the Association of Aquatic Professionals Discussions from the Deep End Podcast.
Consulting
Experience and expertise when you need it most. We offer a variety of services to help mitigate the effects of critical incident stress on your organization.
Training
From pre-incident management training and team resilience training to response and recovery courses, we have you covered.
Speaker
Our Clinical Directors and leadership are regularly invited to industry conferences and events to speak on critical incident management for aquatics professionals.
AqCIRT
Aquatic Critical Incident Response Team
ILCIRA helps aquatic organizations across our service area build psychological preparedness through the Aquatic Professional Assistance Program (APAP) — combining proactive, facility-level peer support and resilience building through Resilience First Aid Peer Supporters with structured post-incident Critical Incident Stress Management delivered by our ICISF Accredited Aquatic Critical Incident Response Team (AqCIRT). AqCIRT support is provided by ICISF-trained Lifeguard Peer Support Volunteers (LPSVs), under the supervision of our team's Clinical Director and Certified Employee Assistance Professionals, with referrals to Mental Health Providers made when appropriate. Built on ICISF standards and designed for the aquatic industry, our consulting helps organizations protect their teams and meet emerging psychosocial risk obligations
