What is Air?
Post Event Regroup and Support
A-I-R Breakdown
AIR can take between 5-15 minutes.
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A - Acknowledge and listen:
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The team acknowledges that a challenging event has occurred
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It's okay to have different reactions, including no reaction
I - Inform and check-in:​
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Everyone can share where they' are on the mental health continuum or keep it to themselves
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Common reactions and how to deal with them are highlighted
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People are invited to identify what they need
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Resource information is given
R - Respond and follow-up:
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Make sure everyone is safe
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Pair team members with a buddy for support
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Plan for the leader to check in with each person individually a few days later.
Buddy Up
You can use the "buddy system" approach to connect with one or two people, or you can reach out to someone you don't know well.
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Choose how you want to connect, such as in-person, by phone, video or text.
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Check-in, it can be quick and simple, like a thumbs up/down, an emoji, or a color check-in (e.g. "What's your color today?").
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Make a plan and stick to it.
Acknowledge
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The first step is for the leader of the AIR intervention to acknowledge that something has happened. Using your own words like: “That was really hard.”
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The leader's job is to listen - not to fix the problem you can’t – but you can provide the group with some time to come together.
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The AIR discussions are voluntary so people do NOT have to participate in the conversation as some of them may not want to talk about the event in the group setting and will cope with it in your own way.
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This is not a debrief. The old model is no longer considered to be best practice.
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It is helpful for people to check in with themselves and label their reactions for themselves or out loud. You want to avoid people retelling what happens. This increases the emotional experience and is a risk for developing Trauma symptoms.
Inform
- Most individuals (80%) have some short-term reaction to operational stress or difficult events.
- Some people will have very little emotional reaction
- Some people might experience their reaction later as things settle in.Â
- The goal is for the person to feel safe (to re-set their fight or flight system). To notice that time is moving forward e.g. the passage of hours/days.
- Within 48-72 hours, with some rest, a few good meals, and a chance to talk and relax (3 hots and a cot), most people will return to their previous level of functioning and will not require any additional intervention.
- After acknowledging the event and providing the opportunity to talk, the leader should check in and normalize that it is okay to be distressed by the event (and it is okay to not be distressed) Â
- Provide some information about the common reactions to challenging events such as difficulty sleeping, feeling more on edge and being irritable, and crying. Â
- It can be tempting to use alcohol, marijuana, or other substances to cope after a challenging day. However, they can negatively impact sleep, decrease, mood, and raise anxiety during the time after a challenging event.Â
- Movement, talking to friends/family/buddy, hobbies, TV, or Music are more helpful strategies to get the body to understand that it is "safe" and to start working through the memories of the event.Â
Respond
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This step involves ongoing observation and support.
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You need to continue to check in and see how team members are doing.
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Initiate the buddy system so that people have someone available as a check in.
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Have a unit/department leader check in with staff after 48-72 hours to see if team members are still experiencing difficulties.
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Effective resources are available and can be sent to them.
