International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc.
International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc.
By: Reverend Dr. Carol Truesdale, Fairfax County Community Chaplain
I am a member of the Fairfax County Community Chaplain Corp. The Fairfax County Community Chaplain Corps includes ordained clergy and faith leaders from various religions, working as part of an emergency or disaster team to provide chaplain care to community members impacted by the effects of a disaster or emergency. The Chaplain Corps serves under the direction of an incident commander and public safety staff. The Chaplain Corp is deployed to provide chaplain services to assistance centers, Emergency Shelters, Family Assistance Centers, family homes or locations in Fairfax County. Chaplains are deployed with Fairfax County Police officers on death notifications or to be with family and friends at scenes when a sudden death or suicide occurs.
. Our Chaplain Corp follows the National Incident Management System (NIMS) at the scene of a critical incident and report to the appropriate commanding officer, shelter director or coordinating chaplain. If NIMS is not activated, chaplains follow the directions of our county emergency management, police, fire, and rescue personnel.
One incident where I was deployed was a drowning of a 17-year-old on a lake located in a close-knit community. It was a deployment that required a great sense of self and a strong spiritual foundation of compassion, empathy, love and respect for humanity. I worked closely with the detective on the scene but my presence and role as Chaplain was to bring calm, peace, and hope. I walked around the neighborhood as the neighbors gathered to understand what was happening. I listened intently to their stories and all the while assessing for any immediate need for specialized care. I was prepared for this deployment through training our Chaplain Corp receives, and training is ongoing.
Some of my training includes:
ICISF- Emotional and Spiritual Care in Disasters
ICISF- Individual Crisis Intervention
ICISF- Pastoral Crisis Intervention I & II
ICISF- Psychological First Aid
ICISF- Suicide: Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention
ICISF- Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)- Group Crisis Intervention
ICISF- Advanced Group Crisis Intervention: Strategies and Tactics for Complex Situations
The neighborhood where this incident took place was very diverse. The Fairfax County Community Chaplain Corp serves individuals of all faiths and spiritual tradition. Our Chaplains come from various traditions and backgrounds. We support the faith and spirituality of every individual and group we serve. We do not Proselytize. We do not self-deploy. Training is paramount for every Chaplain serving in the Chaplain Corp because preparedness is the key for success. Many times, we are the eyes and ears for the first responding officers on the scene and we keep an eye on the first responders as well to detect fatigue.
Fairfax County Chaplain Corp is a unique team, and our training strengthens our effectiveness as a group. We check in with each other and emphasize self-care. Our goal is to be prepared, be alert and ready to go. Our community is depending on us!
Reverend Dr. Carol Truesdale
Fairfax County Community Chaplain
Executive Committee
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