Workload Management

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

Episode 33: A double close call at a residential dwelling fire

Leave a Comment / Accountability, Attention Management, Building Construction, Close Call, Communications, Complacency, Crew Resource Management, Culture, Decision Making, Firefighter Situational Awareness, Multitasking, Personnel location, Risk Assessment, Safety, SAMatters Radio, Situational awareness, Size Up, Staffing, Standard Operating Procedures/Guidelines, Teamwork, Workload Management / By

Wadesville Fire Department Deputy Chief Adam Farrar recounts a residential dwelling fire that resulted in two close call events for members operating at the scene.     Length: 43 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 …

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Exciting changes coming to SAMatters!

Leave a Comment / Attention Management, Close Call, Communications, Decision Making, Distractions and Interruptions, Emotions, Equipment, Firefighter Situational Awareness, Gasaway Consulting Group, Intuition, Leadership, Mental Models, Repetition, Safety, Situational awareness, Standard Operating Procedures/Guidelines, Tacit Knowledge, Teamwork, Technology, Training, Workload Management / By

In case you missed the announcements made in the October newsletter, there are some exciting changes coming to the SAMatters community. This month (October 2014) marks the three-year anniversary since the launch of the SAMatters website and the popular “Get in the Loop” live tour events. And while we have enjoyed many wonderful accomplishments since …

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Episode 18: Situational Awareness Lessons Learned in Two Minutes

1 Comment / Accountability, Attention Management, Auditory exclusion, Close Call, Communications, Crew Resource Management, Culture, Decision Making, Distractions and Interruptions, Ego, Emotions, Fear, Firefighter Situational Awareness, Human Behavior, Human Factors, Intuition, Mayday and RIT, Neuroscience, Safety, SAMatters Radio, Situational awareness, Size Up, Staffing, Standard Operating Procedures/Guidelines, Stress, Tacit Knowledge, Teamwork, Training, Tunneled Senses, Workload Management / By

This close call survival story is an interview with Aurora Fire Lieutenant Sean Dolan sharing amazing lessons from the house fire where he was caught in a flashover and sustained second and third-degree burns. Sean is very candid in sharing the details of what happened and how close he came to death. Length: 63 minutes …

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Episode 17: Situational awareness lessons learned from a double line-of-duty death

Leave a Comment / Accountability, Close Call, Crew Resource Management, Culture, Decision Making, Emotions, Fear, Firefighter Situational Awareness, Human Behavior, Line of Duty Death, Safety, SAMatters Radio, Situational awareness, Staffing, Stress, Teamwork, Training, Workload Management / By

“Lessons learned from the Athletic Club Hotel Fire.” This episode is an interview with Indianapolis Health & Safety Chief, Doug Abernathy. In 1992, Doug had been on the Indianapolis Fire Department for four years and was serving as a firefighter on Engine 13. He shares a powerful story about brotherhood, love of the job and …

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Episode 16: The impact of fatigue on situational awareness

Leave a Comment / Accountability, Attention Management, Communications, Crew Resource Management, Decision Making, Distractions and Interruptions, Emotions, Fatigue, Human Behavior, Human Factors, Information overload, Multitasking, Physical Fitness, Safety, SAMatters Radio, Situational awareness, Situational Readiness, Staffing, Standard Operating Procedures/Guidelines, Stress, Task Saturation, Teamwork, Workload Management / By

Episode 16: The impact of fatigue on situational awareness Back in episode 7 I answered a listener question about the impact of fatigue on situational awareness. I promised in that episode that I would dedicate more time to this topic in an upcoming episode. So I want to explore the issue of fatigue some more. …

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Working Command and Situational Awareness

6 Comments / Accountability, Attention Management, Communications, Crew Resource Management, Culture, Decision Making, Firefighter Situational Awareness, Safety, Situational awareness, Size Up, Stress, Teamwork, Workload Management / By

I seem to be getting asked a lot lately 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 a fixed command position outside the structure and coordinate the activities of incoming units? Or, should the …

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High Reliability Organizations – Processes

2 Comments / Accountability, Communications, Decision Making, Firefighter Situational Awareness, Human Behavior, Information overload, Leadership, Safety, Situational awareness, Situational Readiness, Teamwork, Training, Workload Management / By

Last month I wrote a piece on the traits of high reliability organizations (HROs) and received a lot of very positive feedback. Thank you! This article will focus on the processes used by HROs. These processes definitely provide some valuable lessons for public safety agencies. Compare your organization and see if you may find some …

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High Reliability Organizations – Traits

Leave a Comment / Accountability, Communications, Culture, Decision Making, Firefighter Situational Awareness, Human Behavior, Information overload, Leadership, Safety, Situational awareness, Situational Readiness, Teamwork, Training, Workload Management / By

There’s a lot being talked about these days about the concept of high reliability organizations. The concept is being embraced by many hospitals throughout the United States and, arguably, for good reason. The principles of highly reliable organizations have direct application to first responders. This contribution focuses on helping you understand the overarching concept of …

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Staffing for the Mayday/Rapid Intervention

6 Comments / Attention Management, Auditory exclusion, Communications, Crew Resource Management, Decision Making, Firefighter Situational Awareness, Mayday and RIT, Safety, Situational awareness, Teamwork, Workload Management / By

I recently received an inquiry from an SAMatters member asking my thoughts on front loading command personnel in the event of a Mayday. Specifically, the reader wanted to know if I thought it was a good idea. I could answer the question in one word: Yes. However, I like to help my readers build deep …

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When The Puzzle Pieces Don’t Fit

1 Comment / Attention Management, Decision Making, Firefighter Situational Awareness, Safety, Situational awareness, Workload Management / By

The med unit is responding to a report of a person down in a hotel room. While in route, dispatch notifies them that CPR is in progress. As they arrive a police officer meets them outside and tells them there now two victims and CPR is in progress on both. The officer further advises the …

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