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Owensboro Fire Department outlines peer-support, CISD plans to address first-responder mental health
Summary
A battalion chief presented Owensboro Fire Department plans to expand peer support and develop Critical Incident Stress Debriefing protocols, reporting seven trained peer-support members and recent training that added four more; staff said thresholds for CISD implementation remain under development.
Owensboro — Battalion Chief Reibbelto Grant told the commission on Sept. 17 that the Owensboro Fire Department is building its peer-support program and refining Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) policies to better address first-responder mental health needs.
Grant cited national figures on mental-health challenges in the fire service, noted the department currently has seven trained peer-support members (four trained in a recent two-day course from the International Association of Fire Fighters), and said staff are developing protocols to define when CISD should be implemented. He described CISD as a group-based technique guided by a chaplain, peer-support members or outside participants to help personnel process traumatic events.
Grant said the department is working to reduce stigma, expand training, and collaborate with neighboring departments and state networks. He described recent local uses of peer-support members sent to a station after a traumatic incident and said the long-term goal is to make resources more accessible to responders.
Why it matters: First-responder peer support and clear protocols can affect responder retention, behavioral health outcomes and service continuity. The commission heard next steps to formalize thresholds and training plans.
