It’s more than just Size-Up; Situational Awareness and Dynamic Risk Assessment

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Art Zern on February 11, 2009 at 2:46pm

Christopher,

Thank you for another great article

I completely agree that effective decision-making, especially in the early phases of a rapidly evolving/changing environment, requires the Incident Commander (IC), officers and firefighters to maintain situational awareness (SA). Easier said than done. This is further complicated by the fact that each of those members has a different perspective of the incident based on their location (inside, outside or on top of) and the task or tactic assigned. The IC must remain on the exterior in a “stationary” command position because they have to keep the big perspective in view and attempt to maintain an overall SA. The problem is that the IC, even with the best view has a limited perspective. He/she must rely on company officers, firefighters, safety officers and RIT/RIC to relay critical information from their perspective and based on their own SA to obtain and maintain the best perspective and overall SA. For example, an engine officer loses perspective as soon as they enter the doorway. The truck officer looses perspective once they ascend the ladder and step on the roof. The ability to obtain a more full and complete perspective and SA is only possible with a great deal of input from the various fireground perspectives and based on their individual SA and regular progress reports.

As you point out, the ability to properly assess ones SA is dependant on training, experience, attitude, culture and many other factors. Has our ability to correctly assess SA and to make timely, solid and informed decisions on the fireground decreased in relation to a steady decline in “fire duty”? Has the great turnover and loss of senior members over the past several years further eroded our ability to obtain and maintain SA? Can we effectively make-up for the lack of “real” experience in the classroom on the training ground and by reading books and watching videos?

Thanks again Christopher, your postings are always interesting and thought provoking.

Art

Permalink Reply by Christopher Naum, SFPE on February 11, 2009 at 3:01pm

Art;
Your last two sentences has some great and powerful insights related to the "big picture" that I'm certain most organizations have yet to come to grips with. Your ending comments would make for a great thread of discussion....." Has the great turnover and loss of senior members over the past several years further eroded our ability to obtain and maintain SA? Can we effectively make-up for the lack of “real” experience in the classroom on the training ground and by reading books and watching videos?"

Thanks for a great reply

Permalink Reply by Jeff Schwering on February 11, 2009 at 4:16pm

Gentleman,
I agree with both of you 100%. I honestly don't know if we can make up for the lack of real experience, but we must do our best, for our members. The question I have and I'm faced with regularly is, Where do we start trying to make up for real experience, when many folks BELIEVE we only do EMS, until a fire comes in and they do? This mentality reaches to the upper ranks at some depts in my little piece of the Fire Service. Ability to obtain and maintain SA, what's that? At times we take a step forward and 3 back.

Christopher, very thought provoking post! Makes me look for options, Thank You
Jeff

Permalink Reply by Todd Trudeau on February 13, 2009 at 10:29am

many folks BELIEVE we only do EMS, until a fire comes in and they do? This mentality reaches to the upper ranks at some depts in my little piece of the Fire Service.
Jeff,
I see the same thing here too. I don't see any way to make up for the lack of true fireground experience, but continuous discussion and training and reviewing the many videos of others fireground experiences can get us about as close as we can.
The attitude of not not having time to do these things because we might be busy with whatever should be just plain unexceptable, but the unfortunate reality is that some of the upper bosses have made this claim and some of the younger members have bought it. I don't know the answer, if anyone does, let me know.
KTF and bring everyone home

Permalink Reply by Sil Caggiano on July 22, 2012 at 11:42pm

Art you really hit the nail on the head. MY SA quality is DIRECTLY connected to my ability to obtain good information from my interior companies and my Safety Officer and visa versa. I have often modified my IAP based not on what I see but what I am hearing over the radio from my attack companies. I have also redirected interior attacks based on what I see outside that they can not. Communication is the key. 

As for your belief that the loss of older more seasoned personnel is effecting the fire service. It is well founded. My department is wondering the same thing. We have instituted "Mentering" and welcome back retired members to assist in training when possable but more often as of late when they leave the service its with a bitter taste in their mouth. Face it. We in the fire service have went from heros to zeros in 10 short years. The very same politicians that could not get enough of us in 2001 want to rip our pensions from us, replace us with bargan basement workers and make replacement of tired emergency vehicles a joke in 2012. Add to that the growth of light weight building construction and we face serious problems for the future. Were loosing well trained "Traditional Construction Fire"  firefighters and  facing a real shift in tactics for future firefighting.

Sil