These are the first responder situational awareness and decision making issues and opportunities related to human factors.
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, we preview the distractions and interruptions chapter from the book, How Smart Workers Use Situational Awareness to Improve Safety. Along a worker’s journey toward envisioning, developing, and implementing their plan to guide their (hopefully) successful outcome, they are likely to encounter two situational awareness barriers that can quickly derail their focus. Distractions
Distractions and Interruptions – SAM 368 Read More »
In this episode, we preview the short-term memory chapter from the book, How Smart Workers Use Situational Awareness to Improve Safety. Short-term memory can create a formidable challenge to situational awareness. Long-term memory is huge, some might argue it’s limitless. Short-term memory, not so much. The capacity of the average person’s short-term memory is about
Short-Term Memory – SAM 367 Read More »
In this episode, we continue our discussion with Dr. Donnie, talking about the health and wellness qualities that make for successful first responders at work and at home. Description Dr. Donnie explores the health and wellness qualities that make for successful firefighters and other first responders at work and home. He teaches how
Firefighter Wellness: Leading a balanced life. Dr. Donnie Hutchinson Part 2 – SAM 366 Read More »
In this episode, Dr. Donnie explores the health and wellness qualities that make for successful first responders at work and at home. Dr. Donnie explores the health and wellness qualities that make for successful firefighters and other first responders at work and home. He teaches how and why firefighters and first responders need to put
Firefighter Wellness: Leading a balanced life. Dr. Donnie Hutchinson Part 1 – SAM 365 Read More »
In this episode I share some of the more commonly asked questions that come up during live Situational Awareness events. This Q&A session addresses questions from recent live situational awareness programs. Much of the inspiration for the blog posts come from participant questions but this may be the first podcast episode dedicated to questions asked
Live Events Q & A – SAM 362 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 explores how situational awareness may be impacted when the first arriving officer establishes a “working command.” I get asked a lot of questions 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
Working Command – SAM 360 Read More »
In this episode we discuss 19 ways that communications issues can impact Situational Awareness. First responders spend a lot of time together, on calls, in the station, and in many cases in social settings outside of work. All of this interaction builds relationships that allow responders to trust their lives to each other. We’ll
19 Ways Communications can Impact SA – SAM 359 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 »
