It is a set of specific skills emergency response workers can use to prepare themselves mentally and emotionally in advance before they encounter a high stress critical incident.

It enables them to "lock into" their subconscious mind and nervous system a peak performance state and the ability to control their thoughts and emotions more effectively.

This peak performance state and can be triggered, cued or activated at anytime and anywhere as it is reinforced and by using repetition programmed into the subconscious mind and nervous system.

This allows them access to mental and emotional "resources" resulting in improved clarity, focus, concentration, strength, confidence and improved mental and emotional control during a challenging or unexpected situation.

Pre - Incident mental conditioning techniques were developed drawing from various mind technologies such as Psychocybernetics, Solution Focused Therapy, Neurolinguistic Programming, Cognitive Therapy and the insights from Milton Erikson.

Specific skills and drills are taught and demonstrated to equip firefighters, police officers, military personnel and any others involved in the field of emergency response or disaster management. The skills and drills enable them to prepare themselves mentally and emotionally ahead of time to control their thoughts and emotions more effectively by "firing off" a peak performance state within themselves. They can access and utilize "pre - programmed" resources within themselves before they encounter the unimaginable.

On a personal note, this writer has always wondered why such mind technologies are recognized and used in the field of business and sports and yet they seem to be left out of many training programs in organizations who are in the business of saving people's lives or risking their own in the process.

Practical Applications for Emergency Response Workers Pre - Incident Mental Conditioning is a set of specific skills emergency response workers can use to prepare themselves mentally and emotionally on a subconscious level in advance of encountering a high stress critical incident, the unexpected or the unknown.

These skills can be applied in the following ways;

To Enhance Current Skill Sets and Improve Performance

Locking into the subconscious mind and nervous system pre - programmed codes associated with excellence and peak performance that are accessible anytime, anywhere and in any situation improves the outcomes of any past or present training.

It also gives emergency response workers a way to improve in their areas of weakness and may assist them in recalling and complying with protocols and procedures during a high stress critical incident.

To Utilize Confusion and Chaos to Improve Clarity and Focus

Imagine being able to use high stress critical incidents, moments of confusion and chaos to actually "fire off" a neuro- program resulting in improved focus, sensory acuity, and enhanced emotional control.

PMC teaches people how to "talk to themselves". They discover that by changing their internal dialogue they can change and take charge of their mental, physical and emotional state.

To Trigger a Peak Performance State in the Team as a Whole or in Each Other Individually

How would things change in the field if the group had a common "Cue" or "Anchor" that fired off a neuro - program associated to power, strength, clarity, confidence and greater control of one's thoughts and emotions?

Imagine the incident commander shouting out a simple phrase or making a specific gesture that puts the group into a Peak Performance state?

Suppose an individual team member "freezes"?

Suppose they are in a critical situation and need to maintain their mental, physical or emotional control for just a few minutes longer in order to preserve their life or the lives of others and a team member coached them to access their internal resources they had already been familiar with through PMC training?

To Prepare Mentally and Emotionally in Advance for One's own "Worst Case Scenario"

Suppose you responded to a call that triggered a past traumatic event or something you had told yourself repeatedly "I would never be able to handle it if …."

Such a state could put your life or the lives of others at risk.

To Diminish the Emotional Intensity following a High Stress critical Incident

PMC techniques can be applied in the area of Critical Incident Stress Debriefing. Emergency response workers can apply them to help themselves individually or as a group as a debriefing technique or in concert with existing debriefing techniques.

To Get "What Needs to be Done" even if "You Don't Feel Like It"

Let's face it, in every job there are simply some things we have no interest in and don't "feel" like doing. In a business in which your life and lives of others are at risk certain actions must be taken for reasons of safety or the preservation of life. PMC techniques help you move beyond your feelings of resistance, hesitation and procrastination.

There are many other ways in which PMC techniques can be utilized by emergency response workers personally and in the field to promote teamwork, compliance to protocols and procedures, and the preservation of life in high stress situations.

PRE - INCIDENT MENTAL CONDITIONING HOW DOES THE TRAINING PROGRAM WORK?

The PMC training program is quite unique many different ways such as;

The department decides what it is they want to Learn

Instead of coming to a department with a pre-packaged program, each department receives a customized training program based upon their specific needs and specific areas they believe they may need to improve upon.

Some may want to know how to turn confusion and chaos into greater clarity, confidence and control. Some may want to know how they how they can create their own powerful set of cues triggers and anchors to fire off a peak performance state within the group. Some may want to know how they can get past negative feelings connected to one another in the team as interpersonal problems develop between group members in the hall. Some may want to learn how they can use PMC techniques to when working with victims in a high stress critical incident.

I make sure the department has clearly defined targets before I walk in and work with the group. These targets can be defined by either meeting with group ahead of time or having members complete a confidential survey. It seems to work best when everyone is involved in this process since it often reveals key common areas the group wants to be trained in.

Group Members Participate in the Training

Once specific training targets have been set by the group, customized techniques are then presented to the group. Usually it follows the format of education, example and activation. The group is first taught what the technique is for and how it works, then the technique is demonstrated on a volunteer and there is some discussion and review. We then have team members divide up into pairs and work with each other using the technique. Some PMC techniques involve the whole group while others are to be used either in pairs or individually.

When participants see and hear about the results experienced by those in the demonstrations it increases the credibility of the training and compliance among the group members.

How Long is the Training Program?

I have presented some elements of the program in a few hours however what it really needed is a full day. The training should also take place in a location other than the usual place of business in order to avoid any interruptions. A group lunch is also helpful to build cohesiveness. I also give out my e mail address to participants if they have any questions after the training session is over or if they want to know how to apply some the PMC techniques to situations of a personal nature connected to their work or personal lives.

What About Evaluations?

The training sessions are evaluated at the end of the day by the group. There is always room for improvement. I also have the training officer conduct post training surveys in order to validate the effectiveness of PMC techniques in the field and for research purposes.

What makes the Training Program Different?

I believe it is a one of a kind program that is unique and that it is proactive rather than reactive in terms of managing thoughts and emotions connected to high stress critical incidents in advance. Secondly, you learn only the skills your group wants to learn instead of receiving a pre-packaged meal. Thirdly, it focuses on the mental and emotional development of the team, an area in which I think for the most part is neglected in the field of emergency response. The program leaves participants with a set of tools they can use to "wire their own brains" either as individuals or as a group to more effectively manage old patterns and responses and create new ones that may save their life or the lives of others while in the line of duty.