Coping after a Critical Incident

Working in an emergency services environment uniquely exposes you to potentially traumatic events as a routine part of your role. While critical incidents are “part of the job”, psychologically these events are not normal. Exposure to death, serious injury, treat or repeated exposure to traumatic details through transcripts and evidence places significant demands on both mind and body.

Following incidents, it is common to experience distress, anxiety, sleep disruption, or emotional reactions such as anger that may persist for days or weeks. These are normal reactions to abnormal events.

What is a Critical Incident:

The term ‘critical incident’ is often used to refer to events that are potentially traumatic. Phoenix Australia, who is the leading national body on post-traumatic mental health, define potentially traumatic events as those that involve exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence, and can include experiencing the event personally, witnessing the event, learning that it happened to someone close to you, or through repeated exposure to the traumatic details of the event.

Critical incidents for NTPF and NTFES personnel are separated into two categories: Category A and Category B.

Category A incidents involve potentially traumatic events that have a profound impact on NTPF and NTFES personnel, such as:

An employee or volunteer has witnessed or been confronted by the death or serious injury of a colleague, family member or close friend.
Any incident involving serious threats from firearms, or in which a member is fired upon, or returns fire.
Any other situation in which there is a serious threat to the life or safety of an employee or volunteer (including the sexual assault of said person).
Situations involving serious injury to, sexual assault of, or the death of, a child.

Category B incidents involve events where:

An employee or volunteer, through the course of their duty, has witnessed or been confronted by a traumatic event in which a member of the public has died or sustained serious injury.

Events have the potential to be traumatic because they are often, although not always, sudden, unexpected and have the capacity to overwhelm usual coping mechanisms. Traumatic events cover a broad range of experiences and can be one-off events such as a car accident or assault, or long term or repeated events such as childhood abuse.

Understanding Reactions

There is no single “correct” way to respond to a potentially traumatic event. Reactions vary widely depending on personal history, support systems, and current life circumstances.

You may experience:

Physical reactions: fatigue, headaches, tension, nausea, increased heart rate

Emotional reactions: anger, anxiety, irritability, guilt, numbness, sadness

Cognitive reactions: intrusive thoughts, poor concentration, confusion, memory issues

Behavioural reactions: withdrawal, hypervigilance, changes in sleep or appetite, increased alcohol or substance use

Some people may feel little immediate impact. Others may feel significant distress right away, or even experience delayed reactions weeks, months, or years later. Some people will want to talk about their experience. Others won’t. All these responses are appropriate.

For most people, symptoms reduce over time, especially with the support of trusted networks and usual coping strategies.

Self-Care After Critical Incidents

Even if it feels difficult, the following strategies can support recovery:

Acknowledge your response: You have experienced something significant, give yourself permission to feel.
Maintain routine: Return to normal activities where possible, but pace yourself.
Stay connected: Spend time with people you trust, even if you don’t discuss the incident.
Limit exposure: Avoid repeated viewing of distressing media or incident details.
Give yourself time to re-evaluate: A traumatic event can affect the way you see the world, your life, your goals, and your relationships. Talking this through with others might help.
Care for your body: Prioritise rest, nutrition, and gentle physical activity.
Reduce stimulants: Limit caffeine, nicotine, and other substances that heighten arousal.
Avoid excessive alcohol consumption: It may mask distress but can worsen symptoms over time.
Make time for recovery: Include relaxation, enjoyable activities, and downtime each day.
Talk if ready: Share your experience when, and if you feel able. Writing can also help.

A Note on Delayed Reactions: It is not uncommon for reactions to emerge later. It may occur during court proceedings, similar incidents, life changes, or cumulative stress exposure. Delayed reactions can feel as intense as if the event has just occurred. If this happens, it’s important to seek support and revisit self-care strategies.

Organisational Support

Following a critical incident, Wellbeing Services coordinates timely, proactive psychosocial support for affected members and volunteers. The Critical Incident Notification (CIN) process ensures that anyone exposed to a potentially traumatic event is contacted, offered wellbeing support and followed up where needed. This is not an investigation or a reportable matter; it’s a confidential opportunity to talk about how you’re coping and whether you’d like additional support.

Depending on your needs, this may include:

a one-off check-in or follow-up from a psychologist or social worker
referral to counselling or the Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
psychoeducation, wellbeing information or self-care resources
coordination of group or peer support if several members were involved.

You don’t need to wait for a supervisor or colleague to submit a CIN any member or volunteer can complete a Critical Incident Notification form. Critical Incident Notification | NT Police, Fire & Emergency Services

When to Seek Professional Help

While most people recover over time, it’s important to seek support if: