These are first responder decision making and situational awareness issues and opportunities related to equipment and apparatus.
Primum non nocere is the Latin phrase that means “first, do no harm.” This is a commonly taught principle in healthcare. In fact, the Hippocratic Oath, taken by doctors, promises they will abstain from doing harm to their patients. The premise is it may be better to NOT do something or to do nothing at […]
First, Do No Harm! Read More »
One of the situational awareness best practices discussed during the Fifty Ways to Kill a First Responder program is the role played by the dispatcher during an emergency incident. As I have discussed this many times with first responders throughout the United States I have come to the conclusion that in some jurisdictions the dispatcher
Dispatchers Role in Situational Awareness Read More »
I received an email from a firefighter who was frustrated, disappointed, and angry. He came to work for his shift and, as he always does, started his day by performing a safety check of his personal gear and his self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). When he opened the cabinet door on the apparatus he could hardly
Situational Awareness Begins With Knowing Your Equipment Read More »
In this episode, we discuss 9 things you should consider when evaluating your purchase of incident command software. Length: 31 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 Matters
Episode 138 | Nine considerations when evaluating incident command software. Read More »
In this episode we look at how facilitated debriefings used in aviation safety to improve air travel can be applied to emergency services to improve responder safety. Length: 33 minutes click the YouTube icon to listen _____________________________________________________ If you are interested in taking your understanding of situational awareness and
Episode 124 | Facilitated Debriefings Read More »
I was invited to be an observer at a regional police tactical training exercise. The program was a multi-day event, starting with some classroom training and culminating in a series of simulations using mock weapons, flash-bangs and actors. The one thing that readily stood out to me was the tactical teams were not using radios
Radio Communications is Essential to Situational Awareness Read More »
On Saturday, September 13, 2014, the Brooklyn Park Fire Department was dispatched to a medical call that had the potential to be catastrophic for the members of their department, their EMS transport provider and their police department. Length: 41 minutes click the YouTube icon to listen _____________________________________________________ If you are interested in taking
Episode 30: Brooklyn Park Fire Department Carbon Monoxide Close Call Read More »
On this episode, I interview technology guru Darrell O’Donnell. Darrell runs a successful technology coaching and consulting firm where he works to bridge the gap between technology experts and first responders. Darrell has a special passion for technology that helps first responders develop, maintain and improve situational awareness by providing rapid access to critical information
Episode 28: Interview with technology guru Darrell O’Donnell Read More »
In case you missed the announcements made in the October newsletter, there are some exciting changes coming to the SAMatters community. This month (October 2014) marks the three-year anniversary since the launch of the SAMatters website and the popular “Get in the Loop” live tour events. And while we have enjoyed many wonderful accomplishments since
Exciting changes coming to SAMatters! Read More »
On this episode, I interview Firefighter Richard Marcus of the New Hartford Volunteer Fire Department in Connecticut. On May 5, 2006, Firefighter Marcus was in the officer’s seat of New Hartford Engine 1 responding to a report of a fire on the roadside.
Episode 24: A situational awareness driving lesson. Read More »
