These are the first responder situational awareness and decision making issues and opportunities related to complacency.
When I was in the police academy and went through Active Shooter training it was designed solely for police officers. There was never a mention of EMS or fire department response and how they could assist in these situations. It took approximately 8 years into my career until I went to a training that […]
Active Shooter Part 2 – Advice for Fire and EMS Read More »
My students often ask me: “Mr. Moldenhauer, what’s the worst call cops could ever go on?” My response is always the same, an active shooter call. I have had my share of terrible calls in my career that will stay with me forever (i.e. suicides, child deaths, and fatal car accidents just to name
Active Shooter Part 1 – Advice for Law Enforcement Read More »
This interview is with Bob Bemis, a retired Pennsylvania State Trooper who was struck and severely injured while attending to a vehicle fire on I-81 in eastern Pennsylvania. Sergeant (Ret.) Robert Bemis retired in 2017 as a Supervisor in the Operational Training Division at the Pennsylvania State Police Academy in Hershey. With over 30 years
Trooper Down on the Roadway. The Bob Bemis Story – SAM 387 Read More »
This interview is with Magnum Bower, a heavy duty tow truck operator who survived being struck on a roadway incident, resulting in him becoming a quadriplegic. On May 9, 2019, heavy duty tow truck operator, Magnum Bower, was struck while working on a roadside assist. The driver who struck Magnum was traveling approximately 25 miles
Hit on the roadway. The Magnum Bower Story – SAM 386 Read More »
In this episode, we preview the complacency chapter from the book, How Smart Workers Use Situational Awareness to Improve Safety. Complacency is a dangerous affliction and a very challenging barrier to situational awareness for workers in high-risk environments. When a worker becomes complacent they let their guard down. What does that mean? It’s a cliché
Complacency – SAM 369 Read More »
In this episode, Firefighter-Paramedic John Moore shares the story of how his life was changed forever after an off-duty accident resulted in a permanent paralyzing spinal cord injury. John Moore lives in Southwest Ohio with his wife of nearly 15 years and their two children (ages 7 and 9). He attended Sinclair Community College directly
My life changed forever in a split second. The John Moore Story Part 1 – SAM 363 Read More »
In this episode we discuss six red flags for danger that may get overlooked or ignored at a structure fire. The red flags discussed in the episode are clues and cues that provide conscious (overt) awareness of what is going on or subconscious (covert) awareness of what may be going on. The red flags
Six Red Flags for Danger – SAM 361 Read More »
In this episode we put the shoe on the other foot… and I am interviewed by Chris Crawford is a firefighter with the Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania Fire Department and a Public Administration major at Point Park University. Chris was writing a paper on firefighter training for his Applications of Fire Research Class and asked to
Conducting Realistic Fire Training – SAM 358 Read More »
This episode interviews four members of the Sioux Falls (South Dakota) Fire Department who experienced a near-miss event when the platform on Truck 7 came into contact with a 33 kV transmission line during a routine truck check at the station. First responders spend a lot of time together, on calls, in the station,
Contact with a 33kV Electric Line. The Sioux Falls Fire Department Story – SAM 357 Read More »
On June 2, 2011, the San Francisco Fire Department suffered the tragic loss of 2 firefighters at 133 Berkeley Way. The episode shares some valuable situational awareness lessons from this tragic incident. The San Francisco Fire Department conducted an internal review of the incident and issued a 156-page report on their findings. Many of the
Five Situational Awareness Lessons from a LODD Incident – SAM 354 Read More »
