Stress First Aid

Stress First Aid is a framework to improve recovery from stress reactions, both in oneself and in coworkers. Stress First Aid was originally designed to support military personnel, and subsequently tailored to support a wide range of occupations, including wildland firefighters, emergency services personnel, law enforcement, and natural resource professions.

This method of assisting a co-worker undergoing stress recognizes that disasters and “critical incidents” are not the only stressors that professionals face. Stress can be ongoing and cumulative, resulting from multiple sources. While the source of stress is important, it is more important to recognize the intensity of the reaction to the stress. Stress First Aid introduces the Stress Continuum, to illustrate the characteristics and effects of increasingly severe reactions. Color coding simplifies how we talk and understand our stress reactions.

Updated Stress Continuum Model 2023

	READY (Green)	REACTING (Yellow)	INJURED (Orange)	ILL (Red)
Definition	Adaptive coping Effective functioning Wellbeing	Responding to multiple stressors at work and home Mild and transient distress	Responding to strong or multiple stressors Wear and tear Inner conflict Life threat Mild and transient distress More severe persistent distress or loss of function	Unhealed stress injury causing life impairment Additional stress or risk factors Clinical mental disorder (depression, anxiety, substance abuse, PTSD)
Features	In control Calm and steady Getting the job done Motivated Maintaining humor Sleeping enough Ethical and moral behavior	Increased energy / HR Change in focus ↑↓ Alert for threats Changes in mood (worry, anxious, irritable, angry) Physical changes (poor sleep, aches and pains) Social changes (isolation, hyperactive, loud, numb)	Loss of control of mood, social, or physical reactions (panic, rage guilt, shame, social numbing or isolation, poor sleep, moral compass affected) No longer feeling like normal self	Symptoms persist and worsen >30 days Severe distress Social or occupational impairment

Stress First Aid describes what elements are needed in order to recover from stress, but it doesn't define how to apply those elements. It is a practical, flexible model that is best implemented based on the people involved, the situation, and what resources are available.

Stress First Aid Resources

National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Stress First Aid Instructional Materials

All Stress First Aid program material is housed on the Wildland Fire Learning Portal. Our Agency/Interagency Stress First Aid Instructors have attended a Train-the-Trainer course instructed by Dr. Patricia Watson, co-author and Psychologist at the National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. All Agency and Interagency employees who have attended the Stress First Aid Train-the-Trainer course since 2017 have access to materials on the Wildland Fire Learning Portal.

For more information, including upcoming courses, contact employee Support and Wellbeing SM.FS.Employeesupp@usda.gov