These are the first responder situational awareness and decision making issues and opportunities related to accountability.
Personnel Accountability Reports (PARs) are essential to helping commanders develop and maintain situational awareness. A quality PAR dials the commander into every crew’s size, their location and their progress. But the standard PAR has a fundamental flaw that can adversely impact the commander’s situational awareness. Here’s how…
A Walking PAR Can Improve Situational Awareness Read More »
This episode explores how situational awareness may be impacted when the first arriving officer establishes a “working command.” Length: 32 minutes click the YouTube icon to listen _____________________________________________________ If you are interested in taking your understanding of situational awareness and high-risk decision making to a higher level, check out
Episode 108 | Working Command and Situational Awareness Read More »
In this episode I interview Hagerstown Fire Chief Steve Lohr. After serving 30 years with Montgomery County Fire Department, Chief Lohr accepted a position with the Hagerstown Fire Department – a department much smaller than his previous department and with far fewer resources. We discuss the safety and the improvements
Episode 107 | Interview with Hagerstown Fire Chief Steve Lohr Read More »
Your highest level of situational awareness is formed when you are able to make accurate predictions about future events. In science we call this projection and it simply means you are able to predict, or project, the future events. This is accomplished through mental models you develop that are founded in your training and experience.
Time to Task Completion is Critical Read More »
I have witnessed a rather disturbing trend in my situational awareness classes over the past year. I have added a video where firefighters are on a roof that is clearly self-venting. The video then leads us into discussions on assumed risk versus created risk and changing outcomes versus getting in the way of outcomes that
Five Tough Questions Read More »
In this episode I interview Dr. Burt Clark, author of the recently released book “I can’t save you but I’ll die trying: The American fire culture” shares his passion for firefighter safety and the need to change our culture. Length: 79 minutes click the YouTube icon to listen _____________________________________________________ If you
Episode 38 – Interview with Dr. Burt Clark Read More »
In this episode I interview Dr. Chad Weinstein the author of “Thinking Aloud: Reflections on Ethical Leadership.” Dr. Weinstein works with fire departments to achieve extraordinary results through ethical leadership. Join us as we discuss the role of ethics in creating a safety culture and bringing accountability to an organization. Length: 49 minutes click the
Episode 37 – Interview with Dr. Chad Weinstein Read More »
This episode is PART 2 of a two-part interview with Winnipeg Firefighter Lionel Crowther. Listen in as Firefighter Crowther recounts his close call survivor story about an incident where he sustained 2nd and 3rd-degree burns and two of his comrades lost their lives while fighting a dwelling fire. Length: 65 minutes Click the YouTube icon
Episode 36 – PART 2 Interview with Close Call Survivor Lionel Crowther Read More »
This episode is PART 1 of a two-part interview with Winnipeg Firefighter Lionel Crowther. Listen in as Firefighter Crowther recounts his close call survivor story about an incident where he sustained 2nd and 3rd degree burns and two of his comrades lost their lives while fighting a dwelling fire. Length: 65 minutes click the
Episode 35 – PART 1 Interview with Close Call Survivor Lionel Crowther Read More »
This episode discusses the long-term impact of the economic downturn of 2008 on fire department staffing and how firefighting strategy and tactics should be adjusted to the “new normal.” In the near-miss segment, we discuss freelancing at a residential dwelling fire and one officer’s actions directed toward correcting the misbehavior. Length: 43 minutes click the
Episode 34 – Firefighting: A whole new ballgame Read More »
