Search
Close this search box.

firefighter situational awareness

The SAMatters Online Academy – An interview with Ed Mann – 395

In this episode, Dr. Gasaway is interviewed by Ed Mann, Director of Training and Education for Provident Insurance about the SAMatters Online Academy and why this training is so important for first responders.   Ed Mann, Director of Training and Education for Provident Insurance interviewed Dr. Gasaway on the Provident Podcast.  This episode is a […]

The SAMatters Online Academy – An interview with Ed Mann – 395 Read More »

Complacency: A Lesson Worth Sharing – The Eric Wappel Story – 390

    Captain Eric Wappel shares a tale of complacency and how he faced it head-on with his department. On January 3, 2022, the North Judson – Wayne Township Fire Department was dispatched for the second time to the same residence for a “furnace smoking.” Captain Eric Wappel wasn’t available for the first response, but

Complacency: A Lesson Worth Sharing – The Eric Wappel Story – 390 Read More »

Hands-Free Driving Laws are a Bad Idea

Before you get too upset and refuse to read this article, I’ll ask you to give me just two minutes to explain the situational awareness lesson behind this statement. The first premise is: We must acknowledge (and accept) that it is easy for drivers to get distracted and have their situational awareness impacted while talking

Hands-Free Driving Laws are a Bad Idea Read More »

Sensory Conflict and Mind Drift – A reading from the Smart Worker’s book (Episode 321)

Situational awareness barriers block a worker’s ability to perceive, understand or predict. I have uncovered and researched more than a hundred barriers to awareness. This episode talks about two of the barriers – sensory conflict and mind drift. We also briefly discuss the process for predicting future events. Length: 53 minutes Click the YouTube icon

Sensory Conflict and Mind Drift – A reading from the Smart Worker’s book (Episode 321) Read More »

Tracking of Personnel

Accountability: A critically important component of emergency scene safety when personnel operates in a hazardous environment. From the perspective of situational awareness, accountability plays several roles. The obvious role is personnel accountability facilitates the rapid deployment of rescue teams if something goes awry. Command knows the crew sizes and where they are operating and can

Tracking of Personnel Read More »

It’s Only A Vehicle Fire!

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 Only A Vehicle Fire! Read More »

Commanders in Turnout Gear

I recently read, with great interest, a very long thread on Facebook about whether or not an incident commander should wear turnout gear at a fire scene. As my focus and passion is improving first responder situational awareness, I would like to address this issue from that perspective. The feedback on Facebook was, as expected,

Commanders in Turnout Gear Read More »

Situational Awareness Lessons from a Line of Duty Death

Watch this  YouTube video detailing the circumstances of a firefighter line of duty death in which a firefighter from British Columbia was tragically killed when a shipping container exploded without warning. Oftentimes when a firefighter is killed in the line of duty the lessons are not shared. Credit to the department and the province for

Situational Awareness Lessons from a Line of Duty Death Read More »

Situational Awareness Matters!

Time to Task Completion is Critical for Situational Awareness

Your highest level of situational awareness is formed when you are able to make accurate predictions about future events. In science, we call this projection and it simply means you are able to predict, or project, future events. This is accomplished through mental models you develop that are founded in your training and experience. But

Time to Task Completion is Critical for Situational Awareness Read More »