Questions to Ask Prior to Intervening

1. What happened?
2. When did it happen?
3. Is it ongoing or is it over?
4. How many people are affected?
5. What reactions are you seeing……..individual or group?
6. Are there any underlying issues with this group? blaming, mistakes made, etc.
7. What is the relationship with command?
8. What is the relationship with each other? Is this a cohesive group?
9. What is the history of this group? other recent critical incidents, prior CISD experience, how experienced is the group,
10. Are there written CISM protocols?
11. Is attendance mandatory?
12. How many will attend an intervention?
13. Are any of the participants related to the victim?
14. Will the participants be out of service?
15. Any issues you expect to come up? Any surprises?
16. Is there an ongoing investigation? Any criminal or legal issues?
17. Can we read the official report?
18. Do you have any newspaper clippings, video footage, photographs, can we go to the scene?
19. Are any participants CISM trained?
20. Any significant psychopathology in the group?