International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc.
International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc.
It is with mixed emotions that ICISF will say goodbye to George Grimm after 23 years on the ICISF staff as the hotline team coordinator. There were years even before joining the ICISF where George worked closely with Jeff Mitchell in responding to CISM events. Over the years George has managed the CISM Teams. He also was very involved in the 9/11 incident, as well as being one of the five co-authors of the ICISF “Pastoral Crisis Intervention” CISM course, which helped to bring about and establish the role of the chaplain in CISM and is currently being taught worldwide.
So we say farewell to George and we wish him enjoyment in his retirement.
He has climbed the mountain and now it is time for him to enjoy the view!
By: Jeffrey T. Mitchell, Ph.D., CCISM
Fifty years ago CISM services were being introduced to the world. It was going to be a long journey. ICISF did not exist at the time. It would not be founded until 1989. But articles, documents, training and crisis support services were being provided through a small team of dedicated peers, chaplains, clergy and professionals who were trained in the early days before ICISF appeared on the scene. George Grimm was among the first people trained to provide CISM crisis intervention services. The work was headquartered in the basement of my home.
One year, in the early 1980’s, preparations for a World Congress on stress and trauma were underway. Volunteer University of Maryland, Baltimore County students were helping me put the program together. George Grimm, the lead Chaplain for the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services as well as the Howard County Police Department, asked what he might do to help out. I gave him a long list of tasks that needed to be completed before the World Congress. Within hours he was in my basement helping out. The next day he asked if we could provide some training slots to his fire service and police personnel. I gave him the number of training slots he requested. He told me he would try to get me additional people to help out with the Congress preparation. A few hours later, my doorbell rang. When I opened the door, there was George with the personnel from one fire station who had volunteered to help. With their help, all the preparations for the World Congress were completed on time.
That experience defines George Grimm. Dedicated, caring, helpful in a wide range of crises. He wasn’t just there in the complicated run up to that World Congress on Stress and Trauma in the 1980’s. He has been there for numerous World Congresses since. But, more importantly, he was there in times of tragedy for individual police officers, fire services personnel, their operational units, their families and the community at large.
George Grimm retired before, more than once. I joke with him that he is the only person I know who retired nine times but kept coming back to ICISF for more work. And he did that with a smile on his face, a twinkle in his eyes and a glow in his heart that radiated outward to everyone who met him.
I cherish the work he has accomplished in his long and storied career(s). But, most important, I hold dear his friendship and support to me over these many years. He will not be forgotten.
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