‍

Our brave firefighters in our community protect and serve with dedication and integrity, and in doing so can experience both exhilarating rescues and the emotional toll of repeated exposures to tragedy and human suffering, often within a single event.

‍

Neuropsychology Associates was invited to present to the Critical Incident Management Committee at our local Fargo Fire Station #4 on the topic of Critical Incident Stress Debriefing.  Dr. Christianson led the discussion, with Dr. Meidinger also in attendance.  

‍

Objectives were to:

- learn to identify a critical incident (CI);

- know the primary symptoms of PTSD;

- understand how firefighters are at risk due to critical incident exposure;

- learn how CI’s alone do not cause PTSD;

- learn how to increase resilience to critical incident stress; and

- identify resources available to firefighters when they need help.

‍

Dr. Christianson and Dr. Meidinger were received with a warm welcome and an eagerness to learn that speaks to the exceptional caliber of our firefighters.  The discussion was thoughtful, insightful, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time at Station #4.  To leave wishing we could have spent a few more hours in the presence of their company is a compliment to these leaders and heroes.

‍

They even let us capture and post this fantastic photo! (Dr. Christianson is in the middle wearing the hard hat, and Dr. Meidinger is behind the camera).

To Fire Station #4 for the opportunity to share in this learning experience, and to ALL of our firefighters for your dedicated service,

‍

Thank You.

Dr. Ken Christianson, Dr. Amy Meidinger, & the staff of Neuropsychology Associates

‍