These are the first responder situational awareness and decision making issues and opportunities related to culture.
In this article I am taking on a topic often discussed in my leadership programs more often than in my situational awareness programs – motivation. I’m not going to get in to depth on the topic of motivation as it takes me a solid four hours in a classroom session to demystify the topic and […]
Positive Reinforcement of Undesirable Behavior Read More »
Welcome to this, the last of the nine part series on dangerous mindsets. From the feedback I’m getting, this series hit some chords with readers. I appreciate the kind words about my observations and the advice I’ve dispensed throughout this series. In this installment I’m going to talk about the Synergist – the person who
Nine Dangerous Mindsets: Part 9 – The Synergist Read More »
Welcome to part eight of the Nine Dangerous Mindsets series. In this installment I’m going to take on one of the most challenging and perhaps one of the most frustrating mindsets – the Slacker. This mindset is dangerous to situational awareness because a Slacker does so little to ensure his or her personal readiness for
Nine Dangerous Mindsets: Part 8 – The Slacker Read More »
This episode is part 1 of a 2-part interview with Fire Chief Kevin LaChapelle from the Franklin, New Hampshire Fire Department sharing the details of mayday event that occurred in Franklin. Length: 60 minutes Click the YouTube icon to watch the full VIDEO __________________________________________________ If you are interested in taking your
Episode 231 | Kevin LaChapelle Interview Part 1 Read More »
Welcome to part six of this nine-part series on dangerous mindsets that can impact situational awareness. I appreciate all of the very kind feedback I have been receiving on this series on Facebook, Twitter and by email. Your positive feedback energizes me so much. Thank you. In this segment we’re going to discuss the Silent member.
Nine Dangerous Mindsets – Part 6: The Silent Read More »
Welcome to the fifth of the nine-part series on dangerous mindsets that can impact situational awareness and, subsequently, the safety of your team. In this article I am going to address the stubborn team member. This individual can be described as one set in their ways, closed minded and perhaps even defiant. Their narrowed view
Nine Dangerous Mindsets – Part 5: The Stubborn Read More »
Welcome to the fourth installment of the Dangerous Mindsets series. Previously I talked about the dangerous mindsets of the Starter, the Subordinate and the Specialist. This article addresses the Superior or, more appropriately, the Superior with personal issues and how that can impact situational awareness and team safety. It would be rare for a supervisor
Nine Dangerous Mindsets: Part 4 – The Superior Read More »
Being a subordinate is an inherently essential skill for first responders. Borrowing a line from the movie A Few Good Men “We follow orders or people die.” This is true. However, consistent with the outcome of the movie, sometimes BECAUSE we follow orders people die. An example of this would be when a decision maker
Nine Dangerous Mindsets – Part 2: The Subordinate Read More »
This episode is a review of the lessons learned from the August 5, 2014 structure fire incident that killed Assistant Fire Chief Jamie Middlebrook. Length: 36 minutes Click the YouTube icon to watch the full VIDEO __________________________________________________ If you are interested in taking your understanding of situational awareness and high-risk decision
Episode 226 | New Carlisle FD LODD Review Read More »
This episode is part 2 of a 2-part interview with firefighter Chris Baker, sharing a near-miss event at a Chevron Richmond Refinery in California. Disclaimer: The comments shared during this interview are of the individual and do not represent the views of any company, employer or agency. Length: 46 minutes Click the YouTube icon to
Episode 225 | Chris Baker Interview – Part 2 Read More »
