peer support

Responsibilities

Respond to the location where peer support is needed. This may be at an incident scene or other location.
Assist firefighters by providing support to address any identified or perceived emotional, psychological, or physical need.
Identify any signs of a complicated stress response which might indicate a need for intervention beyond peer support.
Meet the needs of firefighters' families as requested.
Assist firefighters in any other way consistent with the mission and goals of peer support and the PST.

The Austin Fire Department’s Peer Support Team (PST) is a mechanism for employees and their families, providing support to personnel experiencing personal and/or work-related stress. It also offers help during and following critical or traumatic incidents resulting from performance of duty. AFD’s PST is part of the department’s comprehensive response to a critical incident. The team is comprised of members trained in peer support, and functions as an adjunct to the department’s psychologists. Our goal is to minimize the likelihood of traumatization to firefighters and their families.