What can you learn from someone who has survived a close call? The answer is… A LOT. When I launched this show in April 2014, the purpose was, as it remains, to help first responders improve situational awareness and decision making while operating in high stress, high consequence environments. This mission has been supplemented […]
Episode 62: Review of the most popular close call interviews Read More »
One of the essential components of well-developed situational awareness is being able to accurately predict the future. This prediction should be made during the initial scene size up and then it should be updated often as the incident progresses. In this episode we discuss the need to begin with the end in mind will
Episode 61: Begin with the end in mind: A situational awareness best practice Read More »
On this episode we discuss how to make decisions in dynamically changing environments and the importance of using situational awareness as the foundation for making good decisions under stress. It is the decisions that first responders make, while operating in high stress, high consequence, time compressed environments (using situational awareness) that drive successful or unsuccessful
Episode 60: Explaining the Dynamic Decision Making Process Read More »
This episode explores Tachypsychia, a neurological condition that results in the distortion of time. While there can be several causes, we’re going to focus on emergency scene stress as the trigger. Length: 40 minutes click the YouTube icon to listen _____________________________________________________ If you are interested in taking your understanding of situational awareness and
Episode 59: Understanding Time Distortion Read More »
A responder can become so dedicated to the mission at hand that critical clues and cues are missed, misunderstood or ignored. This episode explores the challenges of mission myopia. We also share a near-miss event where a cardiac arrest call turns into a haz-mat incident and flawed situational awareness is implicated as a contributing factor.
Episode 58: Mission Myopia Read More »
Speedway Fire Department (Indiana) Lieutenant Jeff Cheshire recalls an incident where his crew was overrun by changing fire conditions while operating on the third floor of an apartment building fire. Length: 63 minutes Click the YouTube icon to listen _____________________________________________________ If you are interested in taking your understanding of situational awareness and
Episode 57: Interview with Close Call Survivor Jeff Cheshire Read More »
It is amazing how many articles and videos I have watched lately in which they are talking about decision making based on “gut feel.” It is also disheartening how many first responders I have interviewed who have admitted to me that they have dismissed their gut feelings and proceeded to do things that resulted in
Episode 56: Explaining the neuroscience behind your gut feelings Read More »
In this episode, Cypress Creek Lieutenant Jason Corthell shares his close call survival story where he was operating on the second floor of an exterior stairwell at an apartment building fire. The stairwell, not involved in fire at all, unexpectedly collapsed, trapping Lieutenant Corthell and District Chief Sanchez under tons of steel an concrete. A
Episode 55: Interview with close call survivor Jason Corthell Read More »
In this episode, Dr. Richard B. Gasaway responds to five listener questions. Tune in as he shares the answers and provides some best practices for developing and maintaining strong situational awareness while working in high-risk, high consequence environments. Length: 21 minutes click the YouTube icon to listen _____________________________________________________ If you are interested in taking
Episode 54: SA Q&A Read More »
Atascocita Volunteer Fire Captain Brian Mulligan experienced a close call when his crew responded to routine gas leak call that turned out to be anything but routine. Tune in to hear how Brian almost got electrocuted at a gas leak call. Length: 50 minutes click the YouTube icon to listen _____________________________________________________ If
Episode 53: Brian Mulligan Close Call Survivor Interview Read More »
