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Decision Making

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

Creatures of Habit – SAM 353

Perhaps you’ve heard it said that we are creatures of habit. The more we do something over and over again, the more likely that behavior will be turned into a habit. This episodes explores how we create habits.      Good or bad, we all have habits. On an emergency scene good habits can save […]

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The Origins of Intuition – SAM 352

In this episode we explore the neuroscience behind causes your “gut feeling” – Intuition – and why you might want to pay attention to it. 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

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The Overconfident Incompetent – SAM 351

In this episode discusses the process for competency development and introduces the Dunning-Kruger Effect, a cognitive bias whereby unskilled people suffer from the illusion of having superior skills and knowledge.   Description         This discussion includes the four steps in the progression of competency: Step 1: Unconscious incompetence – being unaware of what you do

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The John Vanatta Story. Part 2 – SAM 350

This episode is Part 2 of a 2-part interview with Deputy Chief John Vanatta discussing a training exercise that went wrong and resulted in two firefighter injuries after falling 10 feet  on to concrete. Deputy Chief John Vanatta discussing a training exercise that went wrong and resulted in two firefighter injuries. Part 2 The Denver

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The John Vanatta Story. Part 1 – SAM 349

This episode is Part 1 of a 2-part interview with Deputy Chief John Vanatta discussing a training exercise that went wrong and resulted in two firefighter injuries after falling 10 feet  on to concrete. The Denver Drill that John discusses had been performed all week using two ladders and two firefighters at the sill.  But

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The Jason Corthell Story. The Next Chapter. Part 2 – SAM 348

On March 27, 2015, Cypress Creek District Chief Jason Corthell was trapped and injured during a fire where a stairwell unexpectedly collapsed at an apartment building fire in Texas.  This is Part 2 of his follow-up story and the road to physical and mental recovery. Back on Episode 55, then Cypress Creek Lieutenant Jason Corthell

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The Jason Corthell Story. The Next Chapter. Part 1 – SAM 347

On March 27, 2015, Cypress Creek District Chief Jason Corthell was trapped and injured during a fire where a stairwell unexpectedly collapsed at an apartment building fire in Texas.  This the follow-up story of his road to physical and mental recovery. Back on Episode 55, then Cypress Creek Lieutenant Jason Corthell shared his close call

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The Myth of Multitasking – SAM 346

This episode explores the challenges workers face while operating in dynamically changing conditions that require sharing attention to multiple, concurrent activities – a.k.a., multitasking.  If you are the type of person who can work on your notebook, listen to music on your iPod, talk on your cell phone and text message at the same time,

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The Dave Martin Story – Flashback to Episode 45 – SAM 343

On August 11, 2007, Captain Martin and his partner were over run by a fast-moving wildland fire. On retreat, his partner became entangled on a barbed wire fence. Captain Martin used a utility knife to cut away his partner’s ensnarled clothing and they both narrowly escaped death.   Description   Dave Martin’s crew was assigned

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Confabulated Realities Impact Situational Awareness – SAM 342

This episode explores how your brain can make up, or confabulate, its own reality.  A confabulated reality is one that we believe to be real but, in actuality, it is made up in our brain.  The problem with this is we rarely are able to distinguish between a confabulated reality and true reality until something

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