39-74-104. Definitions. As used in this chapter, the following definitions apply:

(1) "Critical incident" means an event that results in acute or cumulative psychological stress or trauma to an emergency service provider as a result of response to the incident.

(2) "Critical incident stress" means an unusually strong emotional, cognitive, or physical reaction that has the potential to interfere with normal functioning and that results from the response to a critical incident. This may include but is not limited to physical and emotional illness, failure of usual coping mechanisms, loss of interest in the job, personality changes, or loss of ability to function.

(3) "Critical incident stress management" means a process of crisis intervention designed to assist emergency service personnel in coping with the psychological trauma resulting from response to a critical incident.

(4) "Critical incident stress management and response services" means consultation, counseling, debriefing, defusing, intervention services, management, prevention, and referral provided by a critical incident stress management team member to emergency service personnel.

(5) "Critical incident stress management team" means the group of one or more trained volunteers or paid professionals who offer critical incident stress management and response services following a critical incident.

(6) "Critical incident stress management team member" or "team member" means an individual specially trained to provide critical incident stress management and response services as a member of an organized team or emergency services provider agency.

(7) "Emergency service provider" or "emergency service personnel" means a law enforcement officer, firefighter, emergency medical service provider, dispatcher, rescue service provider, or other personnel who provide emergency response services.

History: En. Sec. 4, Ch. 238, L. 2009.