Training

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

Episode 200 | Chesterfield County Interview – Part 3

This episode is the third (and final) segment of an interview with Chesterfield County Battalion Chief Joy Knicely and Captain Rick Grassel.  Length: 50 minutes click the YouTube icon to watch the full VIDEO of this interview!       __________________________________________________ If you are interested in taking your understanding of situational awareness and high-risk decision making […]

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Episode 198 | Chesterfield County Interview – Part 1

This episode is part one of a three-part interview with Chesterfield County Battalion Chief Joy Knicely and Captain Rick Grassel.  Length: 46 minutes click the YouTube icon to watch the full VIDEO of this interview!       __________________________________________________ If you are interested in taking your understanding of situational awareness and high-risk decision making to a

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Every EMS Call Starts with Scene Safety

“Scene Safe, BSI.” These words have been uttered by every first responder who has ever received medical training. In fact, any responder who has performed a practical exercise for certification knows the first two mandatory skills to be completed on the evaluation checklist are: (1) Ensure the scene is safe before entering; and (2) Don

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Dispatchers Role in Situational Awareness

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

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Episode 192 | Amtrak Train Derailment Interview with Larry Creekmore

This episode is an interview with DuPont Fire Chief Larry Creekmore. Chief Creekmore was the third-in unit to the December 18, 2017 Amtrak train derailment in Washington state.   Length: 56 minutes click the YouTube icon to listen           __________________________________________________ If you are interested in taking your understanding of situational awareness and

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Developing Situational Awareness in Novice Responders

One of the most frequent questions I get asked during the Mental Management of Emergencies and Fifty Ways to Kill a First Responder programs is: How can a novice responder develop expert knowledge when the number of fires are going down? It’s a great question and a great concern because so much of situational awareness

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Episode 191 | Interview with Norfolk Assistant Fire Chief John DiBacco – Part 2

This episode is Part 2 of my interview with Norfolk Assistant Fire Chief John DiBacco talking about the after-action review process used by Norfolk Fire to learn lessons from significant incidents.   Length: 44 minutes click the YouTube icon to listen           __________________________________________________ If you are interested in taking your understanding of

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Episode 190 | Interview with Norfolk Assistant Fire Chief John DiBacco – Part 1

Episode 190 is Part 1 of a 2-part interview with Norfolk Assistant Fire Chief John DiBacco talking about the after-action review process used by Norfolk Fire to learn lessons from significant incidents.   Length: 36 minutes click the YouTube icon to listen         __________________________________________________ If you are interested in taking your understanding of

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Episode 187 | Standards May Harm Decision Making

  This episode discusses how training employees to written standards may actually harm decision making. Length: 27 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 Online Academy.

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Situational Awareness Matters!

Teaching Situational Awareness and Decision Making

Situational awareness is the foundation for good decision making. Situational awareness is formed by observing… and understanding what is happening in your environment, in the context of how time is passing. That “understanding” is then used to make predictions of future events. For those who have attended my full-day situational awareness classes you know this

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