Search
Close this search box.

Culture

These are the first responder situational awareness and decision making issues and opportunities related to culture.

Special Episode 002 | Near Miss Expert Panel

Leave a Comment / Accountability, Communications, Crew Resource Management, Culture, Decision Making, Ego, Firefighter Situational Awareness, Human Behavior, Human Factors, Personal Protective Equipment, Risk Assessment, Safety, SAMatters Radio, Situational awareness, Size Up, Standard Operating Procedures/Guidelines, Tacit Knowledge, Teamwork /

Situational Awareness Matters Radio Show Special Episode 002 Topic: Firefighter Near-Miss Reporting System Expert Panel Discussion (from Fire-Rescue International, Dallas Texas) The purpose of the SAMatters Radio show is to improve situational awareness and decision making for individuals and teams who work in high risk, high consequence environments. The SAMatters mission is simple… To help […]

Special Episode 002 | Near Miss Expert Panel Read More »

Episode 14: The need for realistic training

Leave a Comment / Accountability, Building Construction, Competency, Culture, Decision Making, Equipment, Firefighter Situational Awareness, Leadership, Mental Models, Personal Protective Equipment, Repetition, Safety, SAMatters Radio, Simulation, Situational awareness, Situational Readiness, Size Up, Standard Operating Procedures/Guidelines, Tacit Knowledge, Teamwork, Training /

Episode 14: Interview with Dave Casey, Director of Louisiana State Fire & Emergency Training Institute on the need for realistic training. Length: 57 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 the Situational Awareness

Episode 14: The need for realistic training Read More »

house fire

The irrational obsession with loss

Leave a Comment / Complacency, Crew Resource Management, Culture, Decision Making, Ego, Fear, Firefighter Situational Awareness, Leadership, Mayday and RIT, Safety, Situational awareness, Stress /

There is a growing body of research revealing that many human’s have an irrational obsession with loss. Or, perhaps more accurately, an irrational obsession with AVOIDING loss. This phenomenon is something I have seen played out in my evaluation of many casualty incidents. Ironically, the human trait to avoid loss is the same trait that

The irrational obsession with loss Read More »

It’s Just a Vehicle Fire

1 Comment / Complacency, Culture, Firefighter Situational Awareness, Personal Protective Equipment, Safety, Situational awareness /

I’d like to thank one of the loyal Situational Awareness Matters readers (whose name and department I am holding in confidence) for sending me a picture and a story about a van fire, no, a ‘routine van fire‘ his department had recently. On the arrival of the engine the officer reported a working fire and

It’s Just a Vehicle Fire Read More »

Working Command and Situational Awareness

6 Comments / Accountability, Attention Management, Communications, Crew Resource Management, Culture, Decision Making, Firefighter Situational Awareness, Safety, Situational awareness, Size Up, Stress, Teamwork, Workload Management /

I seem to be getting asked a lot lately about what the first arriving company officer should do at a working structure fire. Specifically, the debate revolves around two basic premise. Should the first arriving company officer assume a fixed command position outside the structure and coordinate the activities of incoming units? Or, should the

Working Command and Situational Awareness Read More »

High Reliability Organizations – Traits

Leave a Comment / Accountability, Communications, Culture, Decision Making, Firefighter Situational Awareness, Human Behavior, Information overload, Leadership, Safety, Situational awareness, Situational Readiness, Teamwork, Training, Workload Management /

There’s a lot being talked about these days about the concept of high reliability organizations. The concept is being embraced by many hospitals throughout the United States and, arguably, for good reason. The principles of highly reliable organizations have direct application to first responders. This contribution focuses on helping you understand the overarching concept of

High Reliability Organizations – Traits Read More »

Thank you Stowe Fire Department

2 Comments / Accountability, Complacency, Culture, Decision Making, Ego, Firefighter Situational Awareness, Human Behavior, Human Factors, Incompetence, Neuroscience, Safety, Situational awareness /

In 2011 I had the opportunity to deliver a Mental Management of Emergencies class for the Stowe Fire Department. The program focused on how to improve first responder situational awareness and decision making processes under stress. I have been afforded the wonderful opportunity to share this message with many fire departments over the years. This

Thank you Stowe Fire Department Read More »

Fireground Safety: Mistakes and Best Practices

Communications, Culture, Decision Making, Firefighter Situational Awareness, Gasaway Consulting Group, Safety, Situational awareness, Teamwork /

Utah Winter Fire School: 117 more first responders are now “in the loop!” On January 13 I presented two sessions of Fireground Safety: Mistakes and Best Practices at the 2012 Utah Winter Fire School. There were 117 attendees in the two programs. The programs focused on 10 common mistakes and 10 best practices to fix

Fireground Safety: Mistakes and Best Practices Read More »

SA Matters to the Loveland Fire Rescue Authority

Leave a Comment / Culture, Decision Making, Firefighter Situational Awareness, Leadership, Safety, Situational awareness /

Thank you to Battalion Chief Rick Davis from the Loveland Fire Rescue Authority for sharing this article he wrote for Situational Awareness Matters. I had an opportunity to deliver a situational awareness program in Loveland for the North Range fire departments. When it comes to understanding the importance of firefighter situational awareness, Loveland Fire Rescue

SA Matters to the Loveland Fire Rescue Authority Read More »

© 2024 SAMatters.com. All rights reserved.

Created by: Torrch