1 of 28

CERT Basic Training

​

Unit 5: Disaster Psychology

2 of 28

Unit 3 Review

  • What techniques are available to aide in the control of bleeding?

​

  • What is the first action to take when approaching a survivor?

​

  • When approaching a survivor, what are the 3 things to do before treatment?

​

  • What is the correct way to position a patient to keep the airway clear?

CERT Basic Training Unit 4: Disaster Medical Operations – Part 2

4-1

3 of 28

Unit 5 Objectives

  1. Understand disaster trauma for survivors and rescuers, including CERT volunteers
  2. List steps to take for personal and team well-being
  3. Demonstrate key steps to apply when providing aid to someone with survivor’s trauma

PM 5-1

CERT Basic Training Unit 5: Disaster Psychology

5-1

4 of 28

Self-care

CERT Basic Training Unit 1: Disaster Preparedness

1-2

  • We all have different life experiences. Discussing disasters and emergency response will affect each of us differently
  • Acknowledge your feelings
  • Breathe
  • Take breaks if needed

5 of 28

Causes of Disaster Reactions

  • Dealing with your own personal losses
  • Working in your neighborhood
  • Assisting neighbors, friends, or coworkers who have also been injured
  • Feeling unsafe and insecure

PM 5-2

CERT Basic Training Unit 5: Disaster Psychology

5-2

6 of 28

Expectations?

​

  • Living conditions will be different
  • Normal routines will be uprooted

7 of 28

How Stress is Handled – the Lizard Brain

  • Freeze: “Stop, look, and listen,” or be on guard and watchful
  • Flight: Flee
  • Fight: Attempt to combat the threat
  • Fright: Tonic immobility when in

contact with a predator, or playing dead

  • Faint: Fear-induced fainting

PM 5-2

CERT Basic Training Unit 5: Disaster Psychology

5-3

8 of 28

Psychological Symptoms of Trauma

  • Emotional
    • Irritability or anger
  • Cognitive
    • Lack of focus
  • Spiritual
    • Loss of hope

PM 5-2

CERT Basic Training Unit 5: Disaster Psychology

5-4

GRAPHICWITHART VIA GETTY IMAGES

9 of 28

Physical Symptoms of Trauma

  • Loss of appetite
  • Headaches or chest pain
  • Diarrhea, stomach pain, or nausea
  • Hyperactivity
  • Increase in drug consumption
  • Nightmares
  • Insomnia
  • Fatigue

PM 5-3

CERT Basic Training Unit 5: Disaster Psychology

5-5

10 of 28

Take Care of Yourself

  • Be aware of trauma that can follow a disaster
  • Explain to family members and friends what you need:
    • Let them know when you want to talk
    • Don’t force yourself to talk until you are ready

​

PM 5-4

CERT Basic Training Unit 5: Disaster Psychology

5-8

11 of 28

How to Reduce Stress

  • Get enough sleep
  • Exercise regularly
  • Eat a balanced diet
  • Balance work, play, and rest
  • Allow yourself to receive as well as give
  • Connect with others
  • Use spiritual resources

PM 5-4

CERT Basic Training Unit 5: Disaster Psychology

5-7

NPS photo

12 of 28

Self-Care Toolkit Discussion

  • This activity provides you with the opportunity to discuss a number of self-care tools you used during a recent crisis or emergency.
  • Break into small groups. When everyone has finished, your group will have the opportunity to share your responses. Pick a spokesperson to share your findings.

​

​

PM 5-5

CERT Basic Training Unit 5: Disaster Psychology

5-9

13 of 28

Six Emotional Phases of a Crisis

  1. Pre-Disaster
  2. Impact
  3. Heroic
  4. Honeymoon
  5. Disillusionment
  6. Reconstruction

PM 5-8

CERT Basic Training Unit 5: Disaster Psychology

5-11

14 of 28

Traumatic Crisis

  • A traumatic crisis is an event experienced or witnessed in which people’s ability to cope is overwhelmed by:
    • Actual or potential death or injury to self or others
    • Serious injury
    • Destruction of their homes, neighborhood,

or value possessions

    • Loss of contact with family or close friends

PM 5-9

CERT Basic Training Unit 5: Disaster Psychology

5-12

15 of 28

Effects of Traumatic Stress

  • Traumatic stress may affect:
    • Cognitive functioning
    • Physical health
    • Interpersonal relationships

PM 5-9

CERT Basic Training Unit 5: Disaster Psychology

5-13

16 of 28

Mediating Factors

  • Prior experience with a similar event
  • Intensity of disruption
  • Individual feelings about event
  • Emotional strength of individual
  • Length of time since event

PM 5-9

CERT Basic Training Unit 5: Disaster Psychology

5-14

17 of 28

Exercises

  • Survivor
  • Rescuer

18 of 28

Stabilizing Survivors

  • Assess survivors for injury or shock
  • Get uninjured people to help
  • Provide support by listening and empathizing
  • Help survivors connect with natural support systems

PM 5-10

CERT Basic Training Unit 5: Disaster Psychology

5-15

19 of 28

Listen, Protect, Connect

  • Listen to survivors and pay attention to what they say
  • Help survivors feel protected by providing support
  • Connect survivors to friends and loved ones

PM 5-10

CERT Basic Training Unit 5: Disaster Psychology

5-16

20 of 28

How to Be an Empathetic Listener

  • Put yourself in the speaker’s shoes
  • Listen for meaning, not just words
  • Pay attention to nonverbal communication
  • Paraphrase the speaker

PM 5-11

CERT Basic Training Unit 5: Disaster Psychology

5-17

21 of 28

What Not to Say

  • “I understand ”
  • “Don’t feel bad ”
  • “You’re strong ”
  • “You’ll get through this ”
  • “Don’t cry ”
  • “It’s God’s will ”
  • “It could be worse ”
  • “At least you still have…”
  • “Everything will be okay”
  • ”I know what you are going through.”

​

PM 5-12

CERT Basic Training Unit 5: Disaster Psychology

5-18

22 of 28

Say This Instead

  • “I’m sorry for your pain ”
  • “I’m so sorry this has happened ”
  • “Is it all right if I help you with…?”
  • “I can’t imagine what this is like for you ”
  • “What do you need?”

PM 5-12

CERT Basic Training Unit 5: Disaster Psychology

5-19

23 of 28

Team Well-Being

  • Actions can be taken before, during, and after an incident to help manage emotional impact of disaster response work
  • Knowing possible psychological and physiological symptoms of disaster trauma helps manage impact
  • Learn to manage stress:
    • CERT volunteers for themselves
    • CERT leaders during response

​

PM 5-4

CERT Basic Training Unit 5: Disaster Psychology

5-6

24 of 28

How Team Leaders Reduce Stress

  • Brief CERT personnel beforehand
  • Remember CERT is a team
  • Rest and regroup
  • Take breaks away from the incident site
  • Establish a culture of acceptance
  • Eat properly, stay hydrated
  • Be aware of changes in teammates
  • Rotate teams and duties
  • Phase out workers gradually
  • Defuse after shift

PM 5-7

CERT Basic Training Unit 5: Disaster Psychology

5-10

25 of 28

Managing the Death Scene

  • Cover the body; treat it with respect
  • Follow local laws and protocols
  • Talk with local authorities

PM 5-12

CERT Basic Training Unit 5: Disaster Psychology

5-20

26 of 28

Unit Summary (Unit 5)

  • Prepare yourself, as rescues may be unpleasant and uncomfortable
  • Know the psychological and physiological symptoms of trauma
  • Understand the six emotional phases of a disaster
  • Take steps to reduce stress, which affects cognition, health, and interactions
  • Stabilize individuals
  • Listen, protect, and connect to support survivors
  • Be an empathetic listener

PM 5-13

CERT Basic Training Unit 5: Disaster Psychology

5-21

27 of 28

Break(Unit 5)

CERT Basic Training Unit 5: Disaster Psychology

5-22

Return at

_______

​

​

​

After Break:

Disaster Medicine

Part 2

28 of 28

Homework Assignment (Unit 4)

  • Read units 6 (Fire Safety and Utilities) and 8 (Terrorism) to be covered in next session
  • Practice complete head-to-toe assessment on friend or family member

PM 4-13

CERT Basic Training Unit 4: Disaster Medical Operations – Part 2

4-22