Firefighters’ perspectives on critical incident stress debriefing as a post-critical incident intervention

Purpose The purpose of this study was to understand perspectives on critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) as a post-critical incident intervention among firefighters who have participated in the intervention. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected during January and February 2022 through open-ended survey questions about firefighters’ CISD experience and perceived impact via an online platform. A total of 191 firefighters in a major Midwestern city in the United States responded to all open-ended questions. Data were coded using structural and thematic coding. Findings We developed four themes related to CISD as a post-critical incident that firefighters commented on: environment, intervention design, intervention usefulness and the short- and long-term impact. Originality/value Our findings highlight the influence of intervention characteristics and implementation on firefighters’ perceptions of CISD, which may have implications for future research and practice. We also found an array of perceptions regarding CISD that suggests offering multiple intervention types may be necessary to meet the firefighters’ individual needs. Understanding the CISD intervention elements as described by firefighters, from their perspectives, may guide the refinement of CISD in the future and/or development of new interventions.