Learn about the Canadian Mountain Community CISM Team
Who can call for support?
Mountain associations in Canada joined to develop a Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Team of Peer Responders that offers debrief and defusing services, follow-up peer support, and other resources to mountain professionals who have experienced critical incidents.
Those associations are:
Association of Canadian Mountain Guides
Avalanche Canada
Backcountry Lodges of BC Association
Canadian Avalanche Association
Canadian Ski Guide Association
Canada West Ski Areas Association
HeliCat Canada
All folks in the professional mountain community who are also active members (or work for an active member organization) of a participating mountain community association can connect for peer support services.
At this time we do not have the capacity to support public recreationalists.
What can you expect from a Critical Incident Stress Debrief?
While the details will change based on the people involved and the nature of the incident, there are things you can expect.
The CISM team member won’t be there for an operational debrief or to extract technical details. They’re going to be interested in the person or people in front of them, what they’re thinking, how they’re feeling, and how they’re responding to what happened. CISM team members will listen a great deal and validate the difficult, overwhelming emotions that others will doubtlessly be feeling. They will give a bit of guidance for the days ahead. They may offer to reach out one or two more times, but they’ll create a boundary around a longer-term relationship.
The CISM team can respond on either an individual or group basis, depending on the nature of the incident and how many folks are involved. Visits can be done in-person or through video-conferencing, but in-person is greatly preferred when possible. We know that sometimes distances, schedules, and costs may prevent an in-person meeting, but every effort will be made to meet this request.
CISM team members can pass along contacts for further professional support.
What happens when I access the CISM Team?
The Canadian Mountain Community CISM Program is based on trained peers who are willing to provide volunteer support to persons who are impacted by an emergency incident or by cumulative stress following a critical incident. Peer Support Persons are trained volunteers who come from the mountain community; your fellows who intimately understand the stresses and emergent nature of mountain activities.
Peer Support Persons can be requested by a business, staff, or individuals who are members of our professional mountain community associations. Folks can reach the Peers by calling the CISM Dispatch phone number. Interventions can be conducted virtually, or in person, to groups or one-on-one. All interventions are confidential.
You will be asked to confirm the contact information of individuals needing support and should gather this information - and their consent to share it - prior to calling the CISM dispatch line.
Mountain community associations have paid initially to develop the Canadian Mountain Community CISM Program and to provide training to Peer Support Persons. They collectively cover the costs of managing the program, dispatching peers, and future training. Together, they make this service available to you.
The Canadian Mountain Community CISM Team is composed of volunteer peer support persons. Their time is not paid, but travel expenses will be covered. Therefore, while some support is provided virtually, requests for in-person support will have associated travel costs which can be borne by the requestor, employer, or association, depending on circumstances.
Training and Peers
Our volunteers embody the spirit of service, resilience, compassion and expertise, making them indispensable assets to our mountain community. Their dedication to supporting their fellows in the mountain community is the cornerstone of our success.
Skills our volunteer Peers bring to the community:
Expertise
Experience
Commitment
Resiliency
Compassion
Empathy
Community Connection
Team Collaboration
Interested in becoming a volunteer peer responder? Stay connected to our community mountain associations to learn about our next training intake.
