1. A "defusing" on the same day as the incident may or may not be called for.  If the organization has been closed and the police have finished interviewing the employees (depending on incident), it can be helpful to have a brief meeting (defusing).  Most people are usually very tired after all of this, so it may be more beneficial to schedule a debriefing the next morning.  The purpose of a defusing is to provide some very general information for immediate use, get people home safely, prepare them for delayed responses, let them know resources if they need them during the evening, and preparing to come to work the next day.

2. A "debriefing" is more indepth and ideally takes place approximately 24-72 hours after the incident.  A debriefing is always recommended as a minimum response.  The time frame to delay the meeting is important because most people are not really able to begin to meaningfully process or discuss the event for about 24 hours afterward. 

3. When scheduling a defusing and/or debriefing, we recommend to schedule the entire group at one time, whether the employees were involved in the incident or not.  This helps to promote a sense of unity.  It may be more practical to schedule for the following day - this allows everyone to be notified.  An uninterrupted hour is the preferable amount of time, prior to the beginning or after the end of the work day is best.

LMA is flexible and will meet with employees in small groups during a workday or be available 1:1 or by telephone, or some combination.
(Back)