Serious injuries or fatalities of employees occurring within the fire service requires timely, organized and professional response. To prepare for incidents on or off of the job site, students of the Hospital and Family Liaison Course will gain an understanding of their roles and responsibilities of and for liaisons prior to, during and after an incident with classroom instruction and facilitated discussion. Course instructors will provide checklists, agency policies, benefits information and other useful tools for liaisons to support the injured employee or deceased employee’s family from onset to terminus of the incident. Attendees will receive instruction on supporting their team members involved in the incident as well as those on the periphery with workplace and emotional support. 

 
Additionally, students will complete exercises and participate in critical impact exposure and recovery practices to manage the effects of significant events beyond the immediate reaction. Preparation for events is a key component of effective program implementation during a critical time.

Hospital and Family Liaisons provide:

• advocacy for affected employees and their families;

• a connection to federal/state/municipal agencies, hospital and emergency care providers, Office of Worker's Compensation (OWCP), agency Human Resources departments, supervisors, safety officers, agency administrators, and external foundations and support organizations.