SAMatters Radio: Recent Episodes
Dr. Richard B. Gasaway
The mission of the Situational Awareness Matters! Radio Show is to help you see the bad things coming... in time to avoid bad outcomes by improving your understanding of human factors, situational awareness and decision making under stress. Listen and learn from hundreds of incredible interviews with first responders who survived near-miss events.
The fire service is struggling with recruiting and retention. It’s also challenged by a mental health crisis and a growing apathy within the profession. The good news is, we have the power to fix it. Working in a team environment provides job satisfaction, psychological safety, and a feeling of community. Fire service leaders have the responsibility of developing teams; so, Dr. JT wrote a book on how to Forge Your Team.
Dr. JT started his career in 2000 as a U.S. Army Firefighter. He's worked for several fire departments around the world. Currently, he works at MCLB Barstow Fire & Emergency Service as an Assistant Chief of Operations.
He's led as an Army Sergeant, CEO and Fire Officer. At the age of 25, he opened a 24-hour health club and became a top 100 grossing franchisee.
He obtained a bachelor's degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing, a master's degree in leadership and a doctorate in strategic leadership. Dr. JT is credentialed through CPSE and works as an instructor for two colleges. He has achieved multiple life-saving awards and service distinctions throughout his career. Moreover, he has authored a book titled, Forging Your Team: Demystifying Team Development in the Fire Service and writes for multiple publications. He's also a mentor for transitioning veterans through American Corporate Partners. Dr. JT has a passion for serving people and developing teams. Throughout his career he has developed award winning teams and transformed organizations through his distinct strategies.
About the Host
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, CSP is widely considered a trusted authority on human factors, situational awareness and the high-risk decision making processes used in high-stress, high consequence work environments. He served 33 years on the front lines as a firefighter, EMT-Paramedic, company officer, training officer, fire chief and emergency incident commander. His doctoral research included the study of cognitive neuroscience to understand how human factors flaw situational awareness and impact high-risk decision making.
Contact us www.SAMatters.comwww.RichGasaway.com612-548-4424 (office)
Let’s Get connected Facebook: SAMatters LinkedIn: Rich Gasaway LinkedIn: Situational Awareness Matters Twitter: Rich Gasaway Youtube: SAMattersTV itunes: SAMatters Radio Stitcher Radio: SAMatters Radio Google Play: SAMatters Radio iHeart Radio: SAMatters Radio
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The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
In this episode, Dr. Gasaway discusses how to accelerating leadership growth and impact with Sean Glaze, author of Rapid Teamwork, The 10 Commandments of Winning Teammates, and Staying Coachable.
Sean Glaze is a leadership speaker, teambuilding facilitator, and author who delivers engaging experiences that ignite your team’s performance. Sean has worked with clients like Cisco, John Deere, the CDC, and Emory University to increase collaboration, boost productivity, and build more positive and workplace cultures.
As a successful basketball coach, Sean gained valuable insights on turning talent into teamwork – and now he travels around the country to share those lessons. Sean’s conference keynotes and custom team building events deliver laugh-out-loud moments and memorable take-aways that transform your people into winning teammates and more effective leaders.
Sean’s books, Rapid Teamwork, The 10 Commandments of Winning Teammates, and Staying Coachable are entertaining parables that help accelerate the growth of leaders and their teams!
About the Host
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, CSP is widely considered a trusted authority on human factors, situational awareness and the high-risk decision making processes used in high-stress, high consequence work environments. He served 33 years on the front lines as a firefighter, EMT-Paramedic, company officer, training officer, fire chief and emergency incident commander. His doctoral research included the study of cognitive neuroscience to understand how human factors flaw situational awareness and impact high-risk decision making.
Contact us www.SAMatters.comwww.RichGasaway.com612-548-4424 (office)
Let’s Get connected Facebook: SAMatters LinkedIn: Rich Gasaway LinkedIn: Situational Awareness Matters Twitter: Rich Gasaway Youtube: SAMattersTV itunes: SAMatters Radio Stitcher Radio: SAMatters Radio Google Play: SAMatters Radio iHeart Radio: SAMatters Radio
Subscribe to our newsletter
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SEAN GLAZE WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
EFFECTIVE LEADERS WEBSITE
https://effectiveleaders.live/
GREAT RESULTS TEAMBUILDING WEBSITE
https://greatresultsteambuilding.net/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanglaze
https://twitter.com/leadyourteam
TIKTOK
https://www.tiktok.com/@leadyourteam
https://www.facebook.com/GreatResultsTeambuilding?sk=wall
YOUTUBE
https://www.youtube.com/c/SeanGlaze
WHERE YOUR AUDIENCE CAN GRAB SEAN’S FREE RESOURCES -
GET FREE ACCESS TO SEAN’S TEAM LEADERSHIP TOOLBOX,
WITH OVER 50 USEFUL HANDOUTS & ACTIVITIES TO
CREATE A MORE POSITIVE AND PRODUCTIVE CULTURE!
VISIT - WWW.TOOLBOXSTUFF.COM
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
In this interview, Dr. Gasaway talks with Jeff Dill about the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance and their work to reduce firefighter suicides.
In 2010, Jeff Dill founded Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (FBHA). And since 2021, Jeff has served full time as the Behavioral Health Administrator for Las Vegas Fire & Rescue in Nevada.
Jeff travels the United States & Canada holding workshops to educate firefighters, dispatchers & EMS about behavioral health awareness, moral injury and suicide prevention. In 2010, FBHA began tracking and validating data on all FF, EMS and dispatcher suicides across the United States. In addition, FBHA offers ten workshops for first responders, counselors/chaplains, family members and preparing for retirement.
Jeff Dill holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling, is a retired Fire Captain at Palatine Rural Fire Protection District in Inverness, Illinois.
FBHA has been tracking and validating FF, EMS and Dispatcher suicides since 2010, We can discuss the data, how it is obtained, who uses it, what it shows us. Jeff has travelled over a million miles presenting educational workshops on behavioral health and suicide. As most non profits today it is a struggle to keep a float but FBHA is grateful for everyone's support including numerous times from Rich Gasaway!
About the Host
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, CSP is widely considered a trusted authority on human factors, situational awareness and the high-risk decision making processes used in high-stress, high consequence work environments. He served 33 years on the front lines as a firefighter, EMT-Paramedic, company officer, training officer, fire chief and emergency incident commander. His doctoral research included the study of cognitive neuroscience to understand how human factors flaw situational awareness and impact high-risk decision making.
Contact us www.SAMatters.comwww.RichGasaway.com612-548-4424 (office)
Let’s Get connected Facebook: SAMatters LinkedIn: Rich Gasaway LinkedIn: Situational Awareness Matters Twitter: Rich Gasaway Youtube: SAMattersTV itunes: SAMatters Radio Stitcher Radio: SAMatters Radio Google Play: SAMatters Radio iHeart Radio: SAMatters Radio
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Jeff Dill Contact Information
FFBHA.org
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
In this interview, Dr. Gasaway talks with George Esbensen, President of the Minnesota Firefighter Initiative (MnFIRE) about the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program.
During his 32 years in the fire service, George Esbensen served in many roles, from firefighter to chief. Today, he volunteers as Board President of the Minnesota Firefighter Initiative (MnFIRE), an advocacy nonprofit he co-founded in 2016 dedicated to providing Minnesota's firefighters with the tools they need to prioritize and protect their health. Chief Esbensen has been an advocate for firefighter wellness for his entire career, leading efforts to ban cancer-causing flame retardants, establish the Hometown Heroes Survivor Act, and, in 2021, pass the most comprehensive firefighter well-being legislation in the nation.
Hometown Heroes Assistance Program
The summer of 2023 marked the two-year anniversary of the Minnesota legislature’s passing of the Hometown Heroes Act. This win for the state’s fire service has since ensured that every Minnesota firefighter has access to a MnFIRE Assistance Program with expanded emotional trauma resources, including free visits to mental health professionals and ongoing peer support, an up-to-$20,000 critical illness policy that they’re automatically enrolled in, and ongoing health and wellness training, all at no cost to them or their department.
Firefighters across the country – and across Minnesota – are affected by serious health concerns including cardiac disease, emotional trauma and cancer at rates nearly twice as high as the general public. But since the legislation went into effect, the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program (HHAP), administered by the Minnesota Firefighter Initiative (MnFIRE), has changed thousands of lives through an array of confidential resources available to all active volunteer, paid-on-call, part-time and full-time Minnesota firefighters. In just over two years, the program has provided:
· Nearly 1,000 firefighter-focused mental health providers across the state to offer up to five no-cost counseling sessions per issue per year to firefighters and their families. To date the MnFIRE Assistance Program has facilitated nearly 1,600 visits with mental health providers.
· An expanded network of trained MnFIRE peer supporters, which has responded to more than 675 calls.
· 149 paid Critical Illness claims, totaling $1.9 million. Illnesses have included full-benefit cancer, COVID-19, post-traumatic stress disorder, skin cancer, other cancer, ALS, heart attack, sudden cardiac arrest, heart disease, kidney failure, coronary artery disease needing surgery and more.
· 1,118 MnFIRE trainings to 17,524 firefighters about the increased occupational health risks they face and how to cultivate a healthy lifestyle.
About the Host
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, CSP is widely considered a trusted authority on human factors, situational awareness and the high-risk decision making processes used in high-stress, high consequence work environments. He served 33 years on the front lines as a firefighter, EMT-Paramedic, company officer, training officer, fire chief and emergency incident commander. His doctoral research included the study of cognitive neuroscience to understand how human factors flaw situational awareness and impact high-risk decision making.
Contact us www.SAMatters.comwww.RichGasaway.com612-548-4424 (office)
Let’s Get connected Facebook: SAMatters LinkedIn: Rich Gasaway LinkedIn: Situational Awareness Matters Twitter: Rich Gasaway Youtube: SAMattersTV itunes: SAMatters Radio Stitcher Radio: SAMatters Radio Google Play: SAMatters Radio iHeart Radio: SAMatters Radio
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
George Esbensen Contact Information MNFireInitiative.com
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
In this interview, Dr. Gasaway talks with Vicki Quint and Rick Nickerson about PFAS, foam exposure and the risk to firefighters.
The Foam Exposure Committee Mission Statement - - To reduce firefighter / first responder exposures to perfluorinated chemicals used in firefighting foams in order to protect their health and lives. We will recommend a list of firefighting products for fire departments based on testing data and Committee review. First responders should have immediate access to safer fluorine-free firefighting foams.
About the Host
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, CSP is widely considered a trusted authority on human factors, situational awareness and the high-risk decision making processes used in high-stress, high consequence work environments. He served 33 years on the front lines as a firefighter, EMT-Paramedic, company officer, training officer, fire chief and emergency incident commander. His doctoral research included the study of cognitive neuroscience to understand how human factors flaw situational awareness and impact high-risk decision making.
Contact us www.SAMatters.comwww.RichGasaway.com612-548-4424 (office)
Let’s Get connected Facebook: SAMatters LinkedIn: Rich Gasaway LinkedIn: Situational Awareness Matters Twitter: Rich Gasaway Youtube: SAMattersTV itunes: SAMatters Radio Stitcher Radio: SAMatters Radio Google Play: SAMatters Radio iHeart Radio: SAMatters Radio
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
In this interview, Dr. Gasaway talks with Jeff Snider about the NIOSH 5 – or the five most often cited contributing factors in Line of Duty death investigations and lessons for leaders.
Jeff Snider has served with the Canadian military as a Special Forces Operator (3 CDO), a Correctional Officer at a maximum-security facility, and 28 years in the Fire Service, serving in the positions of Firefighter, Lieutenant, Captain, K9 Handler, Acting Training Officer and Assistant Chief, in both the Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services, and the Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service.
Jeff has been involved as an instructor in the Fire Service since 1997. Outside of the departments that he has worked for as a firefighter, he has been fortunate enough to have travelled all over BC, across Canada, and as far south as Mexico and Peru, in his role as an instructor/evaluator.
Jeff’s role now, as the Chief Instructor for the Practical N Tactical Training Group, allows him to work with like-minded, dedicated instructors, who understand that teaching is an outstanding opportunity to “pour back into” the community that has provided so much to them. He sees this as both a privilege and a pleasure.
When Jeff’s not at work, he is spending time with his “Much Better Half”, his “mutts”, his family and friends. Exercising brain and body is a priority so he will often be lifting something, rolling with his Jiujitsu buddies or reading something. Otherwise, you may find him hiking the woods, building unusual playhouses for his grandchildren or carving things with a chainsaw!
The NIOSH five are:
-
Improper Risk Assessment
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Lack of Incident Command
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Lack of Accountability
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Inadequate Communications
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Lack of SOPs or Failure to Follow Established SOPs
These are the top 5 causal factors that contribute to the ultimate outcomes in the investigated LODD reports. And while we are on the topic, please tell me you are reviewing, personally and with your crew, each and every NIOSH Line of Duty Death report. This is an invaluable resource, made available to all of us. When tragedy strikes our Fire Service family, it is imperative that we don’t lose the lessons that others have paid the highest price.
These five leading causes can also be attributed to the most common leadership failures, in the Fire Service, and many other organizations as well.
Here is an outline of what we’ll be talking about today: 1 - Inadequate communications
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Listen (verbal and non-verbal).
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How you communicate your message.
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Clear and concise message.
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Public speaking skills.
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No unnecessary messaging.
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Honest feedback.
2 - Improper risk assessment
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360 problems before you start making decisions.
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Understand the problem before solutions.
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Spend time with personnel.
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Understand personnel and their life challenges.
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Situational awareness.
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Preplan.
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Reading people.
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Self awareness: My values personal life, feelings, reactions.
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Character: Acting with integrity in line with your values.
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You can’t fire a canon from a row boat.
3 - Lack of incident command
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Someone has to be in charge.
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Decisive.
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Take your time when making decisions.
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Set your ego aside.
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Use the knowledge of others as a resource.
4 - Lack of accountability.
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Character, integrity, commitment, accountable.
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In line with your values.
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Be accountable to your personnel.
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Keep best interest of personnel in mind.
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Lead up the chain of command.
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Accountable to the chief.
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Accountable to the city’s elected and appointed officials.
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Keep the complaints internal.
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Focus your energy for good.
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Accountable to the community.
5 - Lack of, or failure to, follow standard operating procedures (SOPs).
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Train on SOPs.
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Officer need to know SOPs.
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Make sure SOPs are up to date.
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Be proactive to know and ensure SOPs are up-to-date.
About the Host
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, CSP is widely considered a trusted authority on human factors, situational awareness and the high-risk decision making processes used in high-stress, high consequence work environments. He served 33 years on the front lines as a firefighter, EMT-Paramedic, company officer, training officer, fire chief and emergency incident commander. His doctoral research included the study of cognitive neuroscience to understand how human factors flaw situational awareness and impact high-risk decision making.
Contact us www.SAMatters.comwww.RichGasaway.com612-548-4424 (office)
Let’s Get connected Facebook: SAMatters LinkedIn: Rich Gasaway LinkedIn: Situational Awareness Matters Twitter: Rich Gasaway Youtube: SAMattersTV itunes: SAMatters Radio Stitcher Radio: SAMatters Radio Google Play: SAMatters Radio iHeart Radio: SAMatters Radio
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Jeff Snider Contact Information
PracticalNTactical.net
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
On January 06, 2018, Lt. Matthew LeTourneau, a 42-year-old male and 11-year veteran of the Philadelphia Fire Department (PFD), died after becoming trapped from an interior structural collapse while engaged in interior firefighting operations. Two additional firefighters were injured during the collapse and one civilian occupant of the dwelling, who was removed during initial operations, also died. An After-Action Review (AAR) was conducted by the PFDs Health and Safety Office, at the direction of Fire Commissioner Adam K. Thiel, to provide insight into the event and PFD operations from the time of dispatch to the time the fire was placed under control, a time span of approximately 1 hour and 57 minutes.
A fire box assignment was dispatched at 08:51:43 for a reported dwelling fire on the 2200 block of N. Colorado Street. Responding units were forced to overcome significant impediments including: a snow and ice-covered street, temperatures of approximately 9°F with a wind chill of -10°F (NOAA, 2018) and limited apparatus access to the front of the fire dwelling. Engine 45, a crew of three firefighters supervised by Lt. LeTourneau, was the first-due engine company and the first unit to arrive on location. At approximately 08:55:05,
Lt. LeTourneau reported a two story, fifteen feet by thirty-five feet, middle of the row dwelling with fire showing on the first floor. Lt. Letourneau placed two engine companies and two ladder companies in service to begin the initial fire suppression efforts. Fire companies on scene had a difficult time obtaining a steady water supply and the fire dwelling was extremely cluttered with debris, which posed an extreme hazard and complicated interior operations. While working to overcome difficult conditions, firefighters gained access to the first floor, removed one civilian victim, and eventually accessed the second floor of the dwelling to attack the fire and complete a search for occupants. At approximately 09:33, almost 42 minutes after Engine 45’s dispatch, an interior “V” shaped collapse occurred trapping several firefighters, including Lt. LeTourneau.
Vince Mulray Bio:
VINCENT P. MULRAY is a 35-year veteran of the fire service and a retired (July 2023) Fire Deputy Chief with the Philadelphia (PA) Fire Department. He was last assigned to Division 02 and was responsible for all operations in the Northeast section of Philadelphia. He began his career in 1988 and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in 1993. He held the ranks of Lieutenant, Captain and Battalion Chief before his promotion to Fire Deputy Chief in January of 2017. He served as the department’s Health and Safety Officer from 2017 to 2019, and also served in multiple staff units at all ranks during his career. Before joining the fire department, he worked as a Railroad locomotive Engineer for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority.
Bobby Kennedy Bio:
BOBBY KENNEDY is a 16-year veteran of the Philadelphia (PA) Fire Department, currently serving as a Fire Battalion Chief in North Philadelphia. Chief Kennedy has been assigned to both engine and ladder companies, responding to all hazard’s emergencies in neighborhoods throughout the city and has served in several administrative staff positions. He was the primary author for the Philadelphia Fire Department’s After-Action Report for the Line of Duty Death of Lieutenant Matthew LeTourneau. Chief Kennedy has degrees in Fire Science and Emergency Planning and Management.
After Action Review-Line of Duty Death
About the Host
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, CSP is widely considered a trusted authority on human factors, situational awareness and the high-risk decision making processes used in high-stress, high consequence work environments. He served 33 years on the front lines as a firefighter, EMT-Paramedic, company officer, training officer, fire chief and emergency incident commander. His doctoral research included the study of cognitive neuroscience to understand how human factors flaw situational awareness and impact high-risk decision making.
Contact us www.SAMatters.comwww.RichGasaway.com612-548-4424 (office)
Let’s Get connected Facebook: SAMatters LinkedIn: Rich Gasaway LinkedIn: Situational Awareness Matters Twitter: Rich Gasaway Youtube: SAMattersTV itunes: SAMatters Radio Stitcher Radio: SAMatters Radio Google Play: SAMatters Radio iHeart Radio: SAMatters Radio
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
About the Host
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, CSP is widely considered a trusted authority on human factors, situational awareness and the high-risk decision making processes used in high-stress, high consequence work environments. He served 33 years on the front lines as a firefighter, EMT-Paramedic, company officer, training officer, fire chief and emergency incident commander. His doctoral research included the study of cognitive neuroscience to understand how human factors flaw situational awareness and impact high-risk decision making.
Contact us www.SAMatters.comwww.RichGasaway.com612-548-4424 (office)
Let’s Get connected Facebook: SAMatters LinkedIn: Rich Gasaway LinkedIn: Situational Awareness Matters Twitter: Rich Gasaway Youtube: SAMattersTV itunes: SAMatters Radio Stitcher Radio: SAMatters Radio Google Play: SAMatters Radio iHeart Radio: SAMatters Radio
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Burt Clark contact and link to his book:
www.AmericanFireCulture.com
drburtclark@gmail.com
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
This episode is part 1 of a 2-part interview where Dr. Gasaway talks with retired Philadelphia Deputy Chief Vince Mulray and Battalion Chief Bobby Kennedy about conducting a Line-of-Duty After Action Review following the death of Lieutenant Matthew LeTourneau on January 6, 2018.
After Action Review-Line of Duty Death
On January 06, 2018, Lt. Matthew LeTourneau, (LeTurnO) a 42-year-old male and 11-year veteran of the Philadelphia Fire Department (PFD), died after becoming trapped from an interior structural collapse while engaged in interior firefighting operations. Two additional firefighters were injured during the collapse and one civilian occupant of the dwelling, who was removed during initial operations, also died. An After-Action Review (AAR) was conducted by the PFDs Health and Safety Office, at the direction of Fire Commissioner Adam K. Thiel, to provide insight into the event and PFD operations from the time of dispatch to the time the fire was placed under control, a time span of approximately 1 hour and 57 minutes.
A fire box assignment was dispatched at 08:51:43 for a reported dwelling fire on the 2200 block of N. Colorado Street. Responding units were forced to overcome significant impediments including: a snow and ice-covered street, temperatures of approximately 9°F with a wind chill of -10°F (NOAA, 2018) and limited apparatus access to the front of the fire dwelling. Engine 45, a crew of three firefighters supervised by Lt. LeTourneau, was the first-due engine company and the first unit to arrive on location. At approximately 08:55:05,
Lt. LeTourneau reported a two story, fifteen feet by thirty-five feet, middle of the row dwelling with fire showing on the first floor. Lt. Letourneau placed two engine companies and two ladder companies in service to begin the initial fire suppression efforts. Fire companies on scene had a difficult time obtaining a steady water supply and the fire dwelling was extremely cluttered with debris, which posed an extreme hazard and complicated interior operations. While working to overcome difficult conditions, firefighters gained access to the first floor, removed one civilian victim, and eventually accessed the second floor of the dwelling to attack the fire and complete a search for occupants. At approximately 09:33, almost 42 minutes after Engine 45’s dispatch, an interior “V” shaped collapse occurred trapping several firefighters, including Lt. LeTourneau.
Vince Mulray Bio:
VINCENT P. MULRAY is a 35-year veteran of the fire service and a retired (July 2023) Fire Deputy Chief with the Philadelphia (PA) Fire Department. He was last assigned to Division 02 and was responsible for all operations in the Northeast section of Philadelphia. He began his career in 1988 and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in 1993. He held the ranks of Lieutenant, Captain and Battalion Chief before his promotion to Fire Deputy Chief in January of 2017. He served as the department’s Health and Safety Officer from 2017 to 2019, and also served in multiple staff units at all ranks during his career. Before joining the fire department, he worked as a Railroad locomotive Engineer for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority.
Bobby Kennedy Bio:
BOBBY KENNEDY is a 16-year veteran of the Philadelphia (PA) Fire Department, currently serving as a Fire Battalion Chief in North Philadelphia. Chief Kennedy has been assigned to both engine and ladder companies, responding to all hazard’s emergencies in neighborhoods throughout the city and has served in several administrative staff positions. He was the primary author for the Philadelphia Fire Department’s After-Action Report for the Line of Duty Death of Lieutenant Matthew LeTourneau. Chief Kennedy has degrees in Fire Science and Emergency Planning and Management.
About the Host
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, CSP is widely considered a trusted authority on human factors, situational awareness and the high-risk decision making processes used in high-stress, high consequence work environments. He served 33 years on the front lines as a firefighter, EMT-Paramedic, company officer, training officer, fire chief and emergency incident commander. His doctoral research included the study of cognitive neuroscience to understand how human factors flaw situational awareness and impact high-risk decision making.
Contact us www.SAMatters.comwww.RichGasaway.com612-548-4424 (office)
Let’s Get connected Facebook: SAMatters LinkedIn: Rich Gasaway LinkedIn: Situational Awareness Matters Twitter: Rich Gasaway Youtube: SAMattersTV itunes: SAMatters Radio Stitcher Radio: SAMatters Radio Google Play: SAMatters Radio iHeart Radio: SAMatters Radio
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
Dr. Gasaway, along with some special guests, celebrates the milestone of reaching our 400thepisode.
Description
The Situational Awareness Matters Show debuted on May 12, 2014. This episode highlights the journey Dr. Gasaway has taken to educate first responders about situational awareness and high-risk decision making.
About the Host
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, CSP is widely considered a trusted authority on human factors, situational awareness and the high-risk decision making processes used in high-stress, high consequence work environments. He served 33 years on the front lines as a firefighter, EMT-Paramedic, company officer, training officer, fire chief and emergency incident commander. His doctoral research included the study of cognitive neuroscience to understand how human factors flaw situational awareness and impact high-risk decision making.
Contact us www.SAMatters.comwww.RichGasaway.com612-548-4424 (office)
Let’s Get connected Facebook: SAMatters LinkedIn: Rich Gasaway LinkedIn: Situational Awareness Matters Twitter: Rich Gasaway Youtube: SAMattersTV itunes: SAMatters Radio Google Play: SAMatters Radio iHeart Radio: SAMatters Radio
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
In this episode, Dr. Gasaway interviews Vince Mulray, retired Philadelphia Deputy Chief, discussing the 2015 derailment of Amtrak Train #188 traveling from Washington DC to New York City.
On May 12, 2015, at approximately 9:20pm, Amtrak Train #188 traveling from Washington D.C. to New York City derailed and crashed on the Frankford Junction curve on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor. All seven cars and the electric locomotive left the tracks. The derailment and crash resulted in 8 deaths and over 200 passengers injured.
This incident required the rescue, extrication, treatment and transportation of over 200 passengers. The derailment and crash involved 7 passenger cars and one electric engine (#601) on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor at the Frankford Junction curve. Amtrak estimated that this accident would cost taxpayers approximately 9.2 million dollars. Initial responding companies remained on scene for one operational period. Fire Department assistance was required for approximately 5 days until service was fully restored. One accomplishment that should be noted was that no Fire Department injuries were reported for this response.
Frankford Junction is a former railroad station with an active rail yard approximately three miles from Amtrak’s North Philadelphia Station. Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor line travels through this area on four tracks that form an S curve with a 50-mile-per-hour speed limit for all trains, the slowest track speed limit between Washington D.C. and New York City, the train’s final destination. The junction was well known to first responders and local residents because of a previous accident. On September 6, 1943, the Congressional Limited, traveling nonstop from Washington D.C. to New York City, derailed in the same general area, killing 79 of the 541 passengers.
Amtrak train records indicated that on Train 188, an emergency application of its brakes occurred at approximately 9:20 p.m. The fire department’s 911 call center received its first notification at 9:27 p.m. and dispatched a full box assignment (4-engines, 2-ladders, 2-battalion chiefs and a medic unit) at 9:28 p.m. for a derailed train, which would be elevated to a four-alarm response before being placed under control. Approximately 180 firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and paramedics were summoned. The Philadelphia Police Department sent approximately 200 working district officers, who provided scene control and acted as stretcher bearers.
About the Host
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, CSP is widely considered a trusted authority on human factors, situational awareness and the high-risk decision making processes used in high-stress, high consequence work environments. He served 33 years on the front lines as a firefighter, EMT-Paramedic, company officer, training officer, fire chief and emergency incident commander. His doctoral research included the study of cognitive neuroscience to understand how human factors flaw situational awareness and impact high-risk decision making.
Contact us www.SAMatters.comwww.RichGasaway.com612-548-4424 (office)
Let’s Get connected Facebook: SAMatters LinkedIn: Rich Gasaway LinkedIn: Situational Awareness Matters Twitter: Rich Gasaway Youtube: SAMattersTV itunes: SAMatters Radio Stitcher Radio: SAMatters Radio Google Play: SAMatters Radio iHeart Radio: SAMatters Radio
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
In this episode, Dr. Gasaway talks with Phil Jose about tactical decision games.
Phil Jose, Deputy Chief, (Ret.), 30 years in Seattle Fire Department. He chaired the SOG and PIA committees. Chief of the Year 2013. FDIC Instructor 19 years with the highest attended class in 2023: The Art of Reading Smoke. FDIC 2008 Tom Brennan Training Achievement Award and author of Instructor 1 for Fire and Emergency Services (Clarion, 2022), Air Management for the Fire Service (PennWell, 2008) and Train the Trainer (2015), FE Handbook for FF 1 and 2 (2010); FE “Bread and Butter” video for SCBA (2012). In Addition to The Art of Reading Smoke Phil teaches In the Hot Seat: Tactical Decision Making on the Fireground.
Tactical Decision Games (TDG’s) are a low-tech, low-cost method of wargaming adapted to tactical decision training. Wargaming has been used to improve the strategic and tactical thinking of armies since at least the 1700’s and likely even before. The Prussian army instituted focused wargames using the colors red and blue for the opponents. The use of wargames spread among professional soldiers quickly as it demonstrated the ability to improve outcomes of war. Wartime leaders can use TDG’s as simple, cost-effective, and repeatable simulated battles to win wars and save lives. This class adapts those same wargaming techniques and introduces fire service trainers to their use.
Modern tactical decision gaming was re-introduced to the Marine Corps using monthly exercises called Tactical Decision Games (TDG’s) printed in the Marine Gazette. The articles laid out a battle scenario with information including maps, mission objectives, and information about the enemy and then posed the problem for readers to submit their response. Anyone, regardless of rank, could develop and submit their battle plan to the Gazette. A selection of responses is then published in the following issue. The format for these TDG’s was done in writing and around the world. This format is also used in person at the squad, company, and battalion level.
In the modern learning environment fire TDG’s can be done across extended learning platforms. This does not mean they must be expensive and complicated. Simple exercises using low-cost, or no-cost development techniques allows the fire service trainer to begin using a Fire Gaming philosophy, through Tactical Decision Gaming in person or across the web.
About the Host
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, CSP is widely considered a trusted authority on human factors, situational awareness and the high-risk decision making processes used in high-stress, high consequence work environments. He served 33 years on the front lines as a firefighter, EMT-Paramedic, company officer, training officer, fire chief and emergency incident commander. His doctoral research included the study of cognitive neuroscience to understand how human factors flaw situational awareness and impact high-risk decision making.
Contact us www.SAMatters.comwww.RichGasaway.com612-548-4424 (office)
Let’s Get connected Facebook: SAMatters LinkedIn: Rich Gasaway LinkedIn: Situational Awareness Matters Twitter: Rich Gasaway Youtube: SAMattersTV itunes: SAMatters Radio Stitcher Radio: SAMatters Radio Google Play: SAMatters Radio iHeart Radio: SAMatters Radio
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Phil Jose
Phil@ignitionpointtraining.com
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
In this episode, Dr. Gasaway talks with Retired Fire Chief Tom DeSorcy about how he quickly went from being a volunteer firefighter to career fire chief.
Tom DeSorcy joined the fire service in 1983 and became the first paid firefighter in his hometown of Hope, B.C., when he became fire chief in 2000. This followed a career in broadcasting in local radio and his talk show eventually was heard across Canada, via satellite from Vancouver in the early ‘90s. Now retired, his voice can be heard on the Firefighting in Canada - The Podcast and he lends his voice in narrating online training. Tom is married with 2 children, and 2 grandchildren. He is equally at home at a bonspiel (which for us lay people, is a curling tournament), on the golf course or in the kitchen, and he continues to enjoy his connections to the fire service.
Tom’s story may be unique as he quickly went from serving as a volunteer fire fighter to becoming the fire chief almost. The town of Hope was surrounded by two regional district electoral areas and each had their own fire department. When all of these areas were amalgamated into a District Municipality, 3 fire departments existed.
It became apparent that a single fire department needed to be created and thus a contract fire chief position was offered which Tom accepted the position. Originally this was supposed to be a 10 month contract however, Tom realized that it could be extended to a permanent position and began to seek out training opportunities to “put himself in a position to accept a job should it be offered”. That was in 1999. In 2000 the contract ran out and a permanent position was not being considered. This is when the existing volunteer chiefs put their pagers on the council table in a mass protest resignation until Tom was hired.
Tom then set out on the journey to create a “modern” fire department from the current social club that existed, all the while battling resistance to change not only from within, but from the community. This was a struggle to say the least. It was through various associations and the networking it brought to connect Tom the outside world of firefighting. He adopted a “Moss and Grass” approach to leadership where he supported positive growth and ignored naysayers that stood in his way.
Today, he’s come full circle in creating a succession plan where they now have a Fire Chief and Deputy in a progressive and busy department of professional volunteers.
During this episode we discuss:
The unique demographic of the community of Hope, British Columbia and the challenges it creates for the fire department.
How Tom became the fire chief when the three existing fire chiefs in the community all resigned.
Tom’s thoughts on the generational changes he’s observed since joining the fire service in 1983.
Tom’s application of his unique “Moss and Grass” leadership.
The role fire associations played in Tom’s personal development journey.
How Tom planned for succession and preparation for retirement.
Tom’s advice for firefighters preparing for retirement.
About the Host
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, CSP is widely considered a trusted authority on human factors, situational awareness and the high-risk decision making processes used in high-stress, high consequence work environments. He served 33 years on the front lines as a firefighter, EMT-Paramedic, company officer, training officer, fire chief and emergency incident commander. His doctoral research included the study of cognitive neuroscience to understand how human factors flaw situational awareness and impact high-risk decision making.
Contact us www.SAMatters.comwww.RichGasaway.com612-548-4424 (office)
Let’s Get connected Facebook: SAMatters LinkedIn: Rich Gasaway LinkedIn: Situational Awareness Matters Twitter: Rich Gasaway Youtube: SAMattersTV itunes: SAMatters Radio Stitcher Radio: SAMatters Radio Google Play: SAMatters Radio iHeart Radio: SAMatters Radio
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
The SAMatters Show is one of the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
In this episode, Dr. Gasaway talks with Dr. Burton Clark on the topic of Dyslexia in the fire service.
Dr. Burton A. Clark, EFO has been in the fire service for 53 years. He’s known he was a Dyslexic since early childhood and is passionate about reducing the stigma around firefighters with Dyslexia.
Dr. Clark was the Management Science Chair at the National Fire Academy. His degrees are in business and education. He served on 20 dissertation committees. He was a Visiting Scholar at Johns Hopkins University Center for Fire Safety Research and Policy.
He is a board member of the Fire Service Psychology Association and Expert Technical Reviewer for National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program. In 2021 he was inducted into the National Fire Heritage Center’s Hall of Legends.
His book is: “I Can’t Save You and Don’t Want Die Trying: American Fire Culture.”
About the Host
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, CSP is widely considered a trusted authority on human factors, situational awareness and the high-risk decision making processes used in high-stress, high consequence work environments. He served 33 years on the front lines as a firefighter, EMT-Paramedic, company officer, training officer, fire chief and emergency incident commander. His doctoral research included the study of cognitive neuroscience to understand how human factors flaw situational awareness and impact high-risk decision making.
Contact us www.SAMatters.comwww.RichGasaway.com612-548-4424 (office)
Let’s Get connected Facebook: SAMatters LinkedIn: Rich Gasaway LinkedIn: Situational Awareness Matters Twitter: Rich Gasaway Youtube: SAMattersTV itunes: SAMatters Radio Stitcher Radio: SAMatters Radio Google Play: SAMatters Radio iHeart Radio: SAMatters Radio
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Burt Clark contact and link to his book:
www.AmericanFireCulture.com
drburtclark@gmail.com
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
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.
Description
Ed Mann, Director of Training and Education for Provident Insurance interviewed Dr. Gasaway on the Provident Podcast. This episode is a shared recording of that show.
During this episode, Dr. Gasaway addresses the following topics:
Why is there such a lack of understanding in the fire service about what situational awareness is?
What is a working definition of situational awareness for first responders?
Why can’t a judging mind be a learning mind?
What role does staffing play in challenging situational awareness?
What is the traditional decision making process and why does it not work well for first responders?
How can fire departments be better prepared for high-risk, low-frequency events?
How do human factors impact situational awareness?
What are the five different situational awarenesses responders must develop?
About the Host
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, CSP is widely considered a trusted authority on human factors, situational awareness and the high-risk decision making processes used in high-stress, high consequence work environments. He served 33 years on the front lines as a firefighter, EMT-Paramedic, company officer, training officer, fire chief and emergency incident commander. His doctoral research included the study of cognitive neuroscience to understand how human factors flaw situational awareness and impact high-risk decision making.
Contact us www.SAMatters.comwww.RichGasaway.com612-548-4424 (office)
Let’s Get connected Facebook: SAMatters LinkedIn: Rich Gasaway LinkedIn: Situational Awareness Matters Twitter: Rich Gasaway Youtube: SAMattersTV itunes: SAMatters Radio Stitcher Radio: SAMatters Radio Google Play: SAMatters Radio iHeart Radio: SAMatters Radio
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Ed Mann Contact Information
info@providentins.com
The SAMatters Show is one of the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused programs on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
In this eposide, Dr. Gasaway sits down with Andrew Bozzo, Co-Founder of the Tablet Command Incident Management software.
Tablet Command is a mobile incident command and response solution that increases situational awareness, speeds incident response, streamlines incident management and improves firefighter accountability. With Tablet Command, an incident commander can tap and drag responding apparatus onto an emergency scene, track progress against critical checklists, and time-stamp every maneuver and benchmark throughout an incident.
Tablet Command is also a complete Mobile Data Terminal (MDT) replacement with features tailored to the needs of the Fire Service.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is proven, effective treatment to help first responders suffering from Post-Traumatic Event Brain Injuries.
This episode is provides first responders a look into a treatment option for Post Traumatic Event Brain Injuries called Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Dr. Deborah Korn, PsyD, an internationally renowned pioneer and expert in EMDR Therapy and author of the book Every Memory Deserves Respect: EMDR the Proven Trauma Therapy with the Power to Heal explains the EMDR process in detail.
Joining Dr. Korn is Dr. Richard Kamin, MD, FACEP, FAEMS. Dr. Kamin will share his first-hand experience as a patient who received EMDR following his response to the Sandy Hook school shooting. Dr. Kamin credits EMDR therapy for helping him deal with the aftereffects of that traumatic experience. He found EMDR to be extremely useful and effective personally and he promotes it as an excellent option in helping first responders and victims recover from acute/recent trauma.
As someone who has completed doctoral-level research focused on cognitive neuroscience, I found Dr. Korn’s book to be a fascinating and easy to understand. Many of the lessons of brain science she writes about in her book and spoke to us on the show about are the same topics I studied during my quest to understand how first responders make decisions under stress.
Dr. Korn’s focus is helping responders deal with traumatic events that are not properly processed by the brain, be that from a difficult emergency response, or from some other traumatic event in life.
To Learn more about Dr. Korn’s work and EMDR, visit: https://www.everymemorydeservesrespect.com
About the Host
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, CSP is widely considered a trusted authority on human factors, situational awareness and the high-risk decision making processes used in high-stress, high consequence work environments. He served 33 years on the front lines as a firefighter, EMT-Paramedic, company officer, training officer, fire chief and emergency incident commander. His doctoral research included the study of cognitive neuroscience to understand how human factors flaw situational awareness and impact high-risk decision making.
Contact us www.SAMatters.comwww.RichGasaway.com612-548-4424 (office)
Let’s Get connected Facebook: SAMatters LinkedIn: Rich Gasaway LinkedIn: Situational Awareness Matters Twitter: Rich Gasaway Youtube: SAMattersTV itunes: SAMatters Radio Stitcher Radio: SAMatters Radio Google Play: SAMatters Radio iHeart Radio: SAMatters Radio
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
Captain Saul burned while searching for a trapped child in a row home fire in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Captain Jeremy Saul, a Situational Awareness Matters Certified Master Instructor shared a harrowing story about being burned while searching for a three-year old child trapped in a row home fire in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The interview includes a discussion about lessons learned and some of his favorite topics to teach during situational awareness classes.
About the Host
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, CSP is widely considered a trusted authority on human factors, situational awareness and the high-risk decision making processes used in high-stress, high consequence work environments. He served 33 years on the front lines as a firefighter, EMT-Paramedic, company officer, training officer, fire chief and emergency incident commander. His doctoral research included the study of cognitive neuroscience to understand how human factors flaw situational awareness and impact high-risk decision making.
Contact us www.SAMatters.comwww.RichGasaway.com612-548-4424 (office)
Let’s Get connected Facebook: SAMatters LinkedIn: Rich Gasaway LinkedIn: Situational Awareness Matters Twitter: Rich Gasaway Youtube: SAMattersTV itunes: SAMatters Radio Stitcher Radio: SAMatters Radio Google Play: SAMatters Radio iHeart Radio: SAMatters Radio
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
Chief Ron Warren shares the valuable information about drone services provided by the North Central Pennsylvania Unmanned Emergency Services Department
While presenting a situational awareness program for the Fireman’s Association of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, one of the participants was Ron Warren. Ron is the founder and Department Chief of North Central PA Unmanned Emergency Services. He is a full-time state law enforcement officer and a veteran of the US Army, where he served two combat tours in Afghanistan. Prior to becoming a police officer in 2015, he was a civilian and military flight paramedic. He has been involved in emergency services since 1994.
The use of unmanned and remote technology in support of public safety is quickly gaining traction as a situational awareness enhancer. Incident commanders can gain a comprehensive on-scene perspective that has not been readily available in the past, leading to more informed decision-making and ultimately, enhanced safety and effectiveness of personnel and operations.
During this interview we discuss: How unmanned technology is being integrated into public safety agencies and operations.
How Unmanned Aerial Systems (Drones) are regulated for emergency services and public safety organizations.
Why a department, such as North Central PA Unmanned Emergency Services, would form as a stand-alone department instead of just integrating into a well-established fire or rescue department.
The behind the scenes operations that are required for a safe and effective drone response.
How unmanned technology can be used as a recruiting and retention tool for the next generation of emergency responders.
About the Host
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, CSP is widely considered a trusted authority on human factors, situational awareness and the high-risk decision making processes used in high-stress, high consequence work environments. He served 33 years on the front lines as a firefighter, EMT-Paramedic, company officer, training officer, fire chief and emergency incident commander. His doctoral research included the study of cognitive neuroscience to understand how human factors flaw situational awareness and impact high-risk decision making.
Contact us www.SAMatters.comwww.RichGasaway.com612-548-4424 (office)
Let’s Get connected Facebook: SAMatters LinkedIn: Rich Gasaway LinkedIn: Situational Awareness Matters Twitter: Rich Gasaway Youtube: SAMattersTV itunes: SAMatters Radio Stitcher Radio: SAMatters Radio Google Play: SAMatters Radio iHeart Radio: SAMatters Radio
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
Captain Eric Wappel shares a tale of complacency and how he faced it head-on with his department.
This episode is an interview is with Dr. James Densley, discussing his book: The Violence Project: How to stop a mass shooting epidemic.
Dr. James Densley is Professor and Department Chair of Criminal Justice at Metro State University, part of the Minnesota State system. He is also co-founder of The Violence Project Research Center, best known for its mass shooter database.
Dr. Densley is the author or co-author of seven books, including the acclaimed, The Violence Project: How to Stop a Mass Shooting Epidemic, 50 peer-reviewed articles in leading scientific journals, and over 90 book chapters, essays, and other works in outlets such as CNN, The Los Angeles Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.
Emergency services provide an invaluable service to communities and cities around the world. Research has shown these professionals encounter significant acute psychological stress throughout their work shifts. Acute stress has been shown to impact human performance in various realms, from increased risk-taking to cognitive decline. While the actual work varies between firefighters, law enforcement, and emergency medical services, a shared commonality is the operation of emergency vehicles. Emergency vehicle crashes are recognized as a serious issue by FEMA. The current work aimed to measure the impact of acute stress on emergency responders as measured by fatal emergency vehicle crashes in the United States using a new variable: the type of call to which they were responding.
Utilizing data maintained by the United States Fire Administration, the study reviewed fatality data of firefighters who died in the line of duty from 2000 to 2019. Deaths from vehicle crashes while responding to emergency incidents were coded using details from the fatality narratives. Crashes that led to multiple firefighter fatalities were coded as a single case, yielding 144 cases. These were then weighted using nationwide response statistics to create an exposure variable for each type of incident. The exposure was calculated based on the estimated number of responses to each incident type, as well as the typical number of vehicles that respond to each type of incident.
The results showed a considerably higher ratio of cases occurring while responding to fires compared to all other types of emergencies. Firefighters encounter over nine times the likelihood of being involved in a fatal crash while responding to a fire. Specifically, structure-fire responses were determined to pose the highest risk of encountering a fatal crash during response. When compared to emergency medical incidents, which are the most common type of calls to which fire departments answer, structure-fire responses posed nearly 20 times the risk of a fatal crash occurring.
These results indicate that attempts to reduce motor vehicle crashes among emergency services should focus on human factors, specifically creating and implementing tools to reduce the acute stress and urgency produced by responses to certain incident types.
About the Host
Richard B. Gasaway, PhD, CSP is widely considered a trusted authority on human factors, situational awareness and the high-risk decision making processes used in high-stress, high consequence work environments. He served 33 years on the front lines as a firefighter, EMT-Paramedic, company officer, training officer, fire chief and emergency incident commander. His doctoral research included the study of cognitive neuroscience to understand how human factors flaw situational awareness and impact high-risk decision making.
Contact us
www.SAMatters.com
www.RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424 (office)
Let’s Get connected
Facebook: SAMatters
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LinkedIn: Situational Awareness Matters
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Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Dusty Lambert
dustylambert@gmail.com
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
This interview is with Bob Bemis, a retired Pennsylvania State Trooper who was struck and severely injured while attending to a vehicle fire on I-81 in eastern Pennsylvania.
This interview is with Magnum Bower, a heavy duty tow truck operator who survived being struck on a roadway incident, resulting in him becoming a quadriplegic.
Eugene-Springfield crews were dispatched to a report of a residential fire with multiple callers confirming a residential dwelling fire. As the officer on the first-in engine was conducting his primary size-up from the front seat of the engine, a gunman opened fire on the engine, striking it several times. Firefighters were already advancing lines on the fire. They were also shot. This story is told from the perspective of the first-responding battalion chief.
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612-548-4424 (office)
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Jared Alden contact information:
jalden77@yahoo.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
Eugene-Springfield crews were dispatched to a report of a residential fire with multiple callers confirming a residential dwelling fire. As the officer on the first-in engine was conducting his primary size-up from the front seat of the engine, a gunman opened fire on the engine, striking it several times. Firefighters were already advancing lines on the fire. They were also shot. This story is told from the perspective of the first-responding battalion chief.
Contact us
www.SAMatters.com
www.RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424 (office)
Let’s Get connected
Facebook: Follow SAMatters
LinkedIn: Follow Rich Gasaway
Twitter: Follow Rich Gasaway
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Youtube: Subscribe to SAMattersTV
Itunes: Subscribe to SAMatters Radio
Stitcher Radio: Subscribe to SAMatters Radio
Google Play: Subscribe to SAMatters Radio
iHeart Radio: Subscribe to SAMatters Radio
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
Merry Christmas everyone! I know everyone’s feeling particularly festive this time of year and ole Santa is feeling the situational awareness love. Surely, you’ve heard of the “Twelve Days of Christmas.” – You know – Partridge in a Pear Tree and all that other stuff that no one really needs or wants, perhaps with the exception of five golden rings, of course. (Whisper) Just don’t wear them all at once. And you know that Santa has good situational awareness. He’s ALWAYS capturing clues and cues about good little girls and boys. And in the spirit of Christmas, ole Santa would like to share with you his list for how to develop and maintain strong situational awareness. Of course, like any child at Christmas, this list could be much longer than 12 items. So I encourage you to go back through the archives and read some of the more than 400 articles on the Situational Awareness Matters! And… they’re all FREE… that’s Santa’s gift to you!
Contact us
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612-548-4424 (office)
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Jared Alden contact information:
jalden77@yahoo.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
Lieutenant Alden is a paramedic and operations officer for the Akron (OH) Fire Department. He has 17+ years of experience as a firefighter and 15 + years as a paramedic. He is also a member of the SWAT Tactical Medic program. Alden has a master of arts degree in applied behavioral sciences from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, and a baccalaureate degree in sociology/criminology from Urbana University in Ohio. He served as an instructor in sociology at the University of Akron for six years.
In this interview, Lieutenant Alden helps us to understand how easy it is for homemade explosives to be made. He shares important information about blast effects and helps us understand how blast Injuries occur, how to identify assess and treat them. He also shares information about the Lethal Triad of Trauma and discusses the role law enforcement plays in assisting with patient treatments.
Contact us
www.SAMatters.com
www.RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424 (office)
Let’s Get connected
Facebook: Follow SAMatters
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Twitter: Follow Rich Gasaway
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Itunes: Subscribe to SAMatters Radio
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Jared Alden contact information:
jalden77@yahoo.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
Lieutenant Alden is a paramedic and operations officer for the Akron (OH) Fire Department. He has 17+ years of experience as a firefighter and 15 + years as a paramedic. He is also a member of the SWAT Tactical Medic program. Alden has a master of arts degree in applied behavioral sciences from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, and a baccalaureate degree in sociology/criminology from Urbana University in Ohio. He served as an instructor in sociology at the University of Akron for six years.
In this interview, Lieutenant Alden helps us to understand how easy it is for homemade explosives to be made. He shares important information about blast effects and helps us understand how blast Injuries occur, how to identify assess and treat them. He also shares information about the Lethal Triad of Trauma and discusses the role law enforcement plays in assisting with patient treatments.
Contact us
www.SAMatters.com
www.RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424 (office)
Let’s Get connected
Facebook: Follow SAMatters
LinkedIn: Follow Rich Gasaway
Twitter: Follow Rich Gasaway
Instagram: Follow SA_Matters
Youtube: Subscribe to SAMattersTV
Itunes: Subscribe to SAMatters Radio
Stitcher Radio: Subscribe to SAMatters Radio
Google Play: Subscribe to SAMatters Radio
iHeart Radio: Subscribe to SAMatters Radio
Jared Alden contact information:
jalden77@yahoo.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
John Gonzalez is a past District Chief of Toms River Fire District 1 in Ocean County, NJ and has been an active volunteer firefighter for over 30 years. Chief Gonzalez served as a fire officer for 15 years, including 6 at Chief level for one of the largest all volunteer departments in the state of New Jersey. Additionally, Chief Gonzalez served as a Deputy Fire Coordinator in the Toms River Office of Emergency Management for 4 years.
Prior to joining Florian ReApparatus, he worked full-time in the insurance industry for nearly 25 years, most recently in the Special Investigation Unit of a Fortune 100 Property & Casualty Insurance carrier.
Chief Gonzalez is an active member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs and has successfully completed the Chief Officer Leadership Symposium levels I & II. Currently, Chief Gonzalez holds the National TIM Training Certificate and is working towards attaining the National Traffic Incident Management Technician Certification.
Contact us
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Florian Re-Apparatus
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Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
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The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
On September 4, Grayhawk bass player, Darin Wall, stopped a potential mass shooting by preventing a man from gaining entry into a private party at an event where the band had played earlier in the evening.
Wall thought the man was acting strange, so he confronted him. The man pulled a gun and in the scuffle, Wall was shot in the leg. The man was quickly apprehended and, in his back pack, were several other guns and drum clips. Darin has participated in several media interviews, but this was to be his first full-length retelling of the event.
Stan Mettinger was setting up a training scenario that involved setting vehicles on fire. He was using diesel fuel to ignite hay inside the vehicle when the vapors flashed and set Stan on fire resulting in first, second and third degree burns.
On May 26, 2021, Monte Fronk, native American and Emergency Manager for the Mille Lacs Bank of Ojibwe received the most unimaginable news a father could receive. His daughter had been violently murdered.
This episode, dedicated to Monte’s daughter, Nada, chronicles the events surrounding her murder, the fire department’s response and the traditions of our spiritual journey. Monte closes with tips and advice for first responders on how we can reduce the impact of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW).
On May 26, 2021, Monte Fronk, native American and Emergency Manager for the Mille Lacs Bank of Ojibwe received the most unimaginable news a father could receive. His daughter had been violently murdered.
This episode, dedicated to Monte’s daughter, Nada, chronicles the events surrounding her murder, the fire department’s response and the traditions of our spiritual journey. Monte closes with tips and advice for first responders on how we can reduce the impact of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW).
In the early days of decision making research, most of the studies were conducted in college classrooms and laboratories. These settings were nothing like the high-risk, high-consequence environments faced by public safety providers. Nonetheless, the traditional decision making process does have its place and we’ll discuss where.
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Under the best of conditions there can be miscommunications. When you add stress, uncertainty, changing conditions, and risk, communications can become very challenging.
The first level of developing situational awareness is capturing the clues and cues from the environment. This includes capturing verbal clues and cues from dispatchers and responders. To miss radio communications is to miss clues and cues.
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Challenges to a decision maker’s situational awareness from issues related to staffing were among the most significant findings from my research. I can make this bold statement for several reasons.
First, from the multiple card sort exercise, forty‑three percent of the cards selected by commanders were for issues that related to staffing.
Second, when I evaluated existing studies on the barriers that challenge situational awareness, in no other high-risk, high-consequence decision making environment were decision makers impacted from issues related to staffing.
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Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
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Flawed situational awareness (SA) is one of the leading contributing factors to first responder near-miss and casualty events. In fact, it is nearly impossible to find a line-of-duty death investigation report that does not implicate flawed SA, or one of the barriers that flaw SA, as contributing to the tragedy. As often as flawed SA is implicated it almost seems tragic how little first responders actually know about how to develop and maintain it, how they lose it, and how they regain it if they do lose it. This episode focuses some aspects of the first two, developing and maintaining SA.
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Your highest level of situational awareness is formed when you are able to make accurate predictions about future events. In neuroscience, this is called projection and it simply means you are able to predict, or project, the future events. This is accomplished through mental models you develop that are founded in your training and experience.
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Your highest level of situational awareness is formed when you are able to make accurate predictions about future events. In neuroscience, this is called projection and it simply means you are able to predict, or project, the future events. This is accomplished through mental models you develop that are founded in your training and experience.
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Complacency is a dangerous affliction and a very challenging barrier to situational awareness for workers in high-risk environments. When a worker becomes complacent they let their guard down. What does that mean? It’s a cliché – to let your guard down. It means the worker is no longer paying attention to the dangerous environment they are in.
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Along a worker’s journey toward envisioning, developing, and implementing their plan to guide their (hopefully) successful outcome, they are likely to encounter two situational awareness barriers that can quickly derail their focus.
Distractions and interruptions occur for different reasons but have the same result. Both can draw a worker’s attention (and focus) away from goal setting and action planning.
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Short-term memory can create a formidable challenge to situational awareness. Long-term memory is huge, some might argue it’s limitless. Short-term memory, not so much. The capacity of the average person’s short-term memory is about seven pieces of unrelated information, give or take a few. We’ll discuss this challenge and some tips for how to work around this cognitive shortcoming.
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Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
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The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
Dr. Donnie explores the health and wellness qualities that make for successful firefighters and other first responders at work and home. He teaches how and why firefighters and first responders need to put their physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs first. Dr. Donnie educates first responders that the greater they care for themselves, the better they will be able to serve their communities and their families. His education process includes using interactive activities and discussions to identify who and what are important in firefighter lives and how to begin aligning your day-to-day behaviors with your priorities in life.
Dr. Donnie Hutchinson is an Army National Guard veteran, author, speaker, University of Dayton professor, Podcaster, and a Work-Life Balance instructor who works with firefighters, law enforcement officers and first responders on self-care and work-life balance strategies to improve their success at home, work, and life.
Dr. Donnie has been the work-life balance trainer and presenter for the past four years at the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF/ALTS) annual conferences and has delivered numerous workshops and webinars for law enforcement, EMS, local fire districts, state organizations, and the IAFC_ SHS division.
Dr. Donnie wrote Lead with Balance: How to Master Work-Life Balance in an Imbalanced Culture and co-authored Diversity and Inclusion in the Global Workplace: Aligning Initiative with Strategic Business Goals. His chapter on work-life balance addresses generational and cultural differences in managing employee work-life balance friendly policies. Dr. Donnie is an active and proud father of four children and resides in Dayton, Ohio with his wife Marlene. His son, a U.S Army combat veteran is studying and training to become a professional firefighter. His website is: www.donniehutchinson.com
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Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
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The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
Dr. Donnie explores the health and wellness qualities that make for successful firefighters and other first responders at work and home. He teaches how and why firefighters and first responders need to put their physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs first. Dr. Donnie educates first responders that the greater they care for themselves, the better they will be able to serve their communities and their families. His education process includes using interactive activities and discussions to identify who and what are important in firefighter lives and how to begin aligning your day-to-day behaviors with your priorities in life.
Dr. Donnie Hutchinson is an Army National Guard veteran, author, speaker, University of Dayton professor, Podcaster, and a Work-Life Balance instructor who works with firefighters, law enforcement officers and first responders on self-care and work-life balance strategies to improve their success at home, work, and life.
Dr. Donnie has been the work-life balance trainer and presenter for the past four years at the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF/ALTS) annual conferences and has delivered numerous workshops and webinars for law enforcement, EMS, local fire districts, state organizations, and the IAFC_ SHS division.
Dr. Donnie wrote Lead with Balance: How to Master Work-Life Balance in an Imbalanced Culture and co-authored Diversity and Inclusion in the Global Workplace: Aligning Initiative with Strategic Business Goals. His chapter on work-life balance addresses generational and cultural differences in managing employee work-life balance friendly policies. Dr. Donnie is an active and proud father of four children and resides in Dayton, Ohio with his wife Marlene. His son, a U.S Army combat veteran is studying and training to become a professional firefighter. His website is: www.donniehutchinson.com
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John Moore lives in Southwest Ohio with his wife of nearly 15 years and their two children (ages 7 and 9). He attended Sinclair Community College directly out of high school and earned his firefighter 2, fire inspector, and paramedic certifications. He worked part-time for Clearcreek Fire District before being hired by the City of Kettering Fire Department as a career firefighter-paramedic in October 2007. John worked as a firefighter paramedic until sustaining a paralyzing spinal cord injury caused by an off-duty accident in September 2008. John continues to serve the City of Kettering Fire Department full time in an administrative capacity.
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Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
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The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
John Moore lives in Southwest Ohio with his wife of nearly 15 years and their two children (ages 7 and 9). He attended Sinclair Community College directly out of high school and earned his firefighter 2, fire inspector, and paramedic certifications. He worked part-time for Clearcreek Fire District before being hired by the City of Kettering Fire Department as a career firefighter-paramedic in October 2007. John worked as a firefighter paramedic until sustaining a paralyzing spinal cord injury caused by an off-duty accident in September 2008. John continues to serve the City of Kettering Fire Department full time in an administrative capacity.
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This Q&A session addresses questions from recent live situational awareness programs. Much of the inspiration for the blog posts come from participant questions but this may be the first podcast episode dedicated to questions asked during live events. The three questions we address include:
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What can I do to improve my intuition?
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What can I do as first responders to combat information overload?
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How can I tell when my perception of reality is flawed?
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The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
The red flags discussed in the episode are clues and cues that provide conscious (overt) awareness of what is going on or subconscious (covert) awareness of what may be going on. The red flags are clues and cues that indicate things may not be right for an interior entry.
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I get asked a lot of questions 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 first arriving company officer assume a "working command" or "mobile command" position and engage in the firefight with their crew? This episode looks to answer that question and more.
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The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
First responders spend a lot of time together, on calls, in the station, and in many cases in social settings outside of work. All of this interaction builds relationships that allow responders to trust their lives to each other. We’ll discuss how peer pressure can be beneficial and detrimental to first responder safety.
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In this episode we put the shoe on the other foot… and I am interviewed by Chris Crawford is a firefighter with the Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania Fire Department and a Public Administration major at Point Park University. Chris was writing a paper on firefighter training for his Applications of Fire Research Class and asked to interview me about how to ensure firefighters are properly prepared for the job with consideration for what some might refer to non-realistic conditions during controlled burn evolutions.
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Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
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The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
First responders spend a lot of time together, on calls, in the station, and in many cases in social settings outside of work. All of this interaction builds relationships that allow responders to trust their lives to each other. We’ll discuss how peer pressure can be beneficial and detrimental to first responder safety.
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Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
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The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
First responders spend a lot of time together, on calls, in the station, and in many cases in social settings outside of work. All of this interaction builds relationships that allow responders to trust their lives to each other. We’ll discuss how peer pressure can be beneficial and detrimental to first responder safety.
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Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
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The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
The San Francisco Fire Department conducted an internal review of the incident and issued a 156-page report on their findings. Many of the lessons relate to situational awareness and it is from that perspective that I would like to share my assessment on several of their findings.
I dedicate this podcast to the lives of Lieutenant Vincent Perez and firefighter/paramedic Anthony M. Valerio and I applaud the San Francisco Fire Department for conducting an internal review and for sharing their findings with the fire service so we may all learn from tragedy.
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The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
The San Francisco Fire Department conducted an internal review of the incident and issued a 156-page report on their findings. Many of the lessons relate to situational awareness and it is from that perspective that I would like to share my assessment on several of their findings.
I dedicate this podcast to the lives of Lieutenant Vincent Perez and firefighter/paramedic Anthony M. Valerio and I applaud the San Francisco Fire Department for conducting an internal review and for sharing their findings with the fire service so we may all learn from tragedy.
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The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
Good or bad, we all have habits. On an emergency scene good habits can save your life and bad habits can result of tragic consequences. So it stands to reason that you would want to form good habits and avoid bad habits, right? But you can form bad habits and not be aware of it.
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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 first responders I have interviewed who have admitted to me that they have dismissed their gut feelings and proceeded to do things that resulted in bad outcomes. Let’s explore the origins of intuition.
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This discussion includes the four steps in the progression of competency:
Step 1: Unconscious incompetence – being unaware of what you do not know.
Step 2: Conscious incompetence – being aware of how much you do not know.
Step 3: Conscious competence – being aware of how much you know.
Step 4: Unconscious competence – being unaware of how much you know.
You will also be introduced to the Dunning-Kruger Effect. In 1999, two professors at Cornell University conducted a series of experiments and published their findings in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. What they uncovered is a cognitive bias where unskilled people suffer from the illusion of having superior skills and knowledge.
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The Denver Drill that John discusses had been performed all week using two ladders and two firefighters at the sill. But the crew on duty on this day was confident that they could perform the drill using one ladder and one firefighter. In the process of removing Chief Vanatta (the victim) from the window, the officer on the ladder had to assist in pulling him through the window, which caused Chief Vanatta to be inverted (face up versus face down). In an effort to correct his positioning, Chief Vanatta rolled off the ladder. The officer grabbed onto Chief Vanatta and both of them fell 10 feet to the concrete. Recovery from their injuries took 2-3 months.
Deputy Fire Chief John Vanatta Jr. joined the Siloam Springs Fire Department in January 2017. DC Vanatta is the department training officer, an adjunct instructor for the Arkansas Fire Training Academy, and is currently the President of the Northwest Arkansas Metro Chief’s Training Officers Association. He is also the Captain/Training Officer of the Lincoln, AR Volunteer Fire Department. His credentials include a Masters degree from Eastern Michigan University, the CPSE Chief Fire Officer credential, and NREMT Paramedic.
Prior to moving to Siloam Springs, Chief Vanatta retired from Clinton Township Fire-Rescue-EMS in Michigan at the rank of Battalion Chief. He also served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve as an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Chief, attaining the rank of Master Gunnery Sergeant. In 2008-2009, he deployed to Iraq and served as a military civil affairs liaison to the Iraqi Fire Service.
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The Denver Drill that John discusses had been performed all week using two ladders and two firefighters at the sill. But the crew on duty on this day was confident that they could perform the drill using one ladder and one firefighter. In the process of removing Chief Vanatta (the victim) from the window, the officer on the ladder had to assist in pulling him through the window, which caused Chief Vanatta to be inverted (face up versus face down). In an effort to correct his positioning, Chief Vanatta rolled off the ladder. The officer grabbed onto Chief Vanatta and both of them fell 10 feet to the concrete. Recovery from their injuries took 2-3 months.
Deputy Fire Chief John Vanatta Jr. joined the Siloam Springs Fire Department in January 2017. DC Vanatta is the department training officer, an adjunct instructor for the Arkansas Fire Training Academy, and is currently the President of the Northwest Arkansas Metro Chief’s Training Officers Association. He is also the Captain/Training Officer of the Lincoln, AR Volunteer Fire Department. His credentials include a Masters degree from Eastern Michigan University, the CPSE Chief Fire Officer credential, and NREMT Paramedic.
Prior to moving to Siloam Springs, Chief Vanatta retired from Clinton Township Fire-Rescue-EMS in Michigan at the rank of Battalion Chief. He also served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve as an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Chief, attaining the rank of Master Gunnery Sergeant. In 2008-2009, he deployed to Iraq and served as a military civil affairs liaison to the Iraqi Fire Service.
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Back on Episode 55, then Cypress Creek Lieutenant Jason Corthell shared his close call survival story where he was operating on the second floor of an exterior stairwell at an apartment building fire.
The stairwell, not involved in fire at all, unexpectedly collapsed, trapping Lieutenant Corthell and District Chief Sanchez under tons of steel and concrete. A mayday was called and a rapid intervention crew was able to remove the debris and successful rescue the two firefighters.
This episode chronicles Jason’s physical and mental road to recovery and he discusses his efforts to help other firefighters who may be experiencing trauma, on and off the job.
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Situational Awareness & Thermal Imaging Program on November 24 with Insight Training
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/thermal-imaging-situational-awareness-improving-decision-making-tickets-126653755793?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch&fbclid=IwAR1QQ-LyT5qR2J2OyomeQ1VPcp2G7R8As1GPcpKYiB-IGyuQaTLqxnKtU4Y
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
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The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
Back on Episode 55, then Cypress Creek Lieutenant Jason Corthell shared his close call survival story where he was operating on the second floor of an exterior stairwell at an apartment building fire.
The stairwell, not involved in fire at all, unexpectedly collapsed, trapping Lieutenant Corthell and District Chief Sanchez under tons of steel and concrete. A mayday was called and a rapid intervention crew was able to remove the debris and successful rescue the two firefighters.
This episode chronicles Jason’s physical and mental road to recovery and he discusses his efforts to help other firefighters who may be experiencing trauma, on and off the job.
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Situational Awareness & Thermal Imaging Program on November 24 with Insight Training
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Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
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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, (maybe all while driving) this episode is for you. Advances in technology have given us more opportunities to multitask than any other time in the history of humankind. We are bombarded with visual and audible stimulation, most of which is at our fingertips.
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Situational Awareness & Thermal Imaging Program on November 24 with Insight Training
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/thermal-imaging-situational-awareness-improving-decision-making-tickets-126653755793?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch&fbclid=IwAR1QQ-LyT5qR2J2OyomeQ1VPcp2G7R8As1GPcpKYiB-IGyuQaTLqxnKtU4Y
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
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The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
It’s been 5 years since my last interview with my son, Cameron Gasaway. At that time, he was serving as an apprentice firefighter in Madison, Wisconsin. In this episode, he will share his lessons learned and offer advice to firefighters just getting started in their career.
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Guest Contact Information
Cameron Gasaway
Cameron.Gasaway@yahoo.com
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Rick Mehaffey serves as an engineer for the Waynesville Fire Department, is combination department that runs 2500 calls a year out of two stations. (He has since been promoted to Captain.)
At the time of the near miss event the staffing levels was 1 person on-duty at each of two stations, supplemented by roughly 30 volunteers.
0759 the fire department was dispatched to a residential fire at 71 Cornerstone Ridge in Waynesville. Mehaffey was first on-scene of a working fire in a two-story wood frame structure with light smoke coming from the eves and smoke coming out of the chimney.
Mehaffey noted the rock chimney stood approximately 8 feet above the gutter line and was 4 foot in width. The size of the chimney led him to position my engine outside of what he would deem to be the collapse zone.
Mehaffey established command and completed a 360 degree size up. The second engine arrived and they initiated interior operations. The crew located the fire in the vaulted ceiling cavity around the chimney.
Exterior crews set a ladder up to access the porch roof. This ladder was directly under the chimney.
Mehaffey exited the structure and was stopped and asked a question by a mutual aid company. At that time they were directly in front of the chimney about 10 feet away from the house.
Then someone screamed the chimney was falling.
Hearing the scream, Mehaffey and the other firefighters he was talking to began to run.
As Mehaffey heard the crash of the chimney he turned to look back to see a few large rocks that, as he described, “almost appeared to be chasing me and where so close that as I turn my head to watch where I was running I was anticipating the pain of the rock taking my legs out from underneath me.”
As he reached the engine h stopped running, turned and looked back. The rocks had stopped rolling about 5 feet behind him.
An investigation revealed the chimney was a wood frame construction with large rock attached. Improper installation had contributed to the wood frame catching fire and spreading into the ceiling cavity, causing the chimney to fall.
As Mehaffey wrote to me: “In my opinion we almost had three LODDs that day due to my inability to remove my blinders and see a potential hazard,” a hazard that by his own admission he was concerned enough on his arrival to ensue he positioned his engine outside the collapse zone.
But, as he noted; “Once my boots hit the ground I got tunnel vision and it almost cost four firefighters lives.”
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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.
Dave Martin’s crew was assigned to the task of keeping the wildland fire from jumping Highway 97. Around 2100, Captain Martin and a member of the tribal fire management team were assigned to conduct a back-burn operation along the highway.
Unexpectedly, the fire blew up on them, eventually consuming 1,200 acres. While on a retreat from the fast moving fire, Captain Martin’s partner become entangled on a barbed wire fence. While being over run by hot embers and heavy smoke, Captain Martin used a utility knife to cut away his partner’s ensnarled clothing and they both narrowly escaped death.
Listen in as Dave shares his lessons learned that include:
- The need to trust your intuition – your gut feel when it tells you something is not right.
- The importance of standing your ground when you feel a mistake is being made by your partner.
- The consequences of overlooking critical clues and cues that indicate conditions are changing.
- How task fixation and mission myopia and serve as barriers that impact your situational awareness and flaw your decision making.
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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 bad happens. It will be at that point that we realize we were experiencing a flawed perception of reality.
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On July 28, 2011, the Asheville Fire Department was forever changed by the tragic LODD of Captain Jeff Bowen. During this interview, Fire Chief Scott Burnette talks about that fateful day and the significant changes that have occurred in the Asheville Fire Department – changes that every fire department can benefit from.
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NIOSH Investigation report
(Hyperlink): http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/pdfs/face201013.pdf
KMBC News video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOv27DH8aWk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNAvC7_jbcA
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
On July 28, 2011, the Asheville Fire Department was forever changed by the tragic LODD of Captain Jeff Bowen. During this interview, Fire Chief Scott Burnette talks about that fateful day and the significant changes that have occurred in the Asheville Fire Department – changes that every fire department can benefit from.
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Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
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NIOSH Investigation report
(Hyperlink): http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/pdfs/face201013.pdf
KMBC News video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOv27DH8aWk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNAvC7_jbcA
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
On May 22, 2010, John Glaser, a 33-year-old career fire fighter died while conducting a primary search of a residential house fire. Firefighter Glaser vomited in his SCBA face piece and then removed it, causing him to inhale products of combustion.
The fire was reported by automatic alarm at 8:55 p.m. Saturday at 13408 W. 75th Court, according to fire officials. When firefighters arrived, they found the home burning out of control. Neighbors told firefighters they thought two people and a dog were inside. Firefighters began attacking the fire and searching the home. As they were searching the home at 9:12 p.m., a mayday call went out because a firefighter was missing.
On May 22, 2010, John Glaser, a 33-year-old career fire fighter died while conducting a primary search of a residential house fire. Firefighter Glaser vomited in his SCBA face piece and then removed it, causing him to inhale products of combustion.
The fire was reported by automatic alarm at 8:55 p.m. Saturday at 13408 W. 75th Court, according to fire officials. When firefighters arrived, they found the home burning out of control. Neighbors told firefighters they thought two people and a dog were inside. Firefighters began attacking the fire and searching the home. As they were searching the home at 9:12 p.m., a mayday call went out because a firefighter was missing.
On May 5, 2014 Perry Hall was part of an engine crew conducting a search when he got separated from his crew and accidentally locked in one of the worst places he could be – in a basement stairwell with the fire below him. Perry tells the story of the event and the post-traumatic stress that, literally, changed his life forever.
On May 5, 2014 Perry Hall was part of an engine crew conducting a search when he got separated from his crew and accidentally locked in one of the worst places he could be – in a basement stairwell with the fire below him. Perry tells the story of the event and the post-traumatic stress that, literally, changed his life forever.
On Wednesday, February 18, 2009, Elyria Fire Captain Joe Pronesti responded to a fire alarm activation call on a college campus. The first arriving engine reported heavy smoke coming from multiple buildings. In search of the source of the smoke, crews would learn the fire was in a tunnel that connected multiple buildings on the campus – A tunnel that Joe would barely make it out of alive.
Scott Gieselhart served 24 years as a firefighter in Frazee, Minnesota. Along the way, several incidents contributed to Scott developing a Post Traumatic Stress Injury that resulted in him becoming a meth addict and attempting suicide. Then Scott found help and through a treatment known as EMDR, his PTSI was healed and how he serves as a mental health counsellor.
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Scott Gieselhart
SeeingInColorAgain.com
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Scott Gieselhart served 24 years as a firefighter in Frazee, Minnesota. Along the way, several incidents contributed to Scott developing a Post Traumatic Stress Injury that resulted in him becoming a meth addict and attempting suicide. Then Scott found help and through a treatment known as EMDR, his PTSI was healed and how he serves as a mental health counsellor.
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Throughout his 43-year career, retired fire chief Jim Arie had experienced multiple near-miss events. He’ll discuss a few of them but none were as sobering as the one that occurred in March 2020, when Jim and his wife were held-up at gunpoint in their driveway and their car was stolen.
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The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
Throughout his 43-year career, retired fire chief Jim Arie had experienced multiple near-miss events. He’ll discuss a few of them but none were as sobering as the one that occurred in March 2020, when Jim and his wife were held-up at gunpoint in their driveway and their car was stolen.
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Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
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While there are more than 100 barriers that can flaw situational awareness, this episode focuses on 7 that can be particularly challenging to first responders.
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You might think that by now the importance of completing a 360-degree size-up would be second nature for firefighters. But it’s not. In fact, failing to complete a proper size-up remains one of the most often cited contributing factors in NIOSH Line-of-Duty death reports. There are lots of reasons why proper size-ups are not completed. Here we will explore 10 of them.
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The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
The pandemic has been tough on everyone, especially first responders who have stepped up to the task. But for many first response agencies, the worst is yet to come as the economic fallout will likely create budget shortfalls that will, in turn, cause fire departments to reduce staffing and services. This show looks at the impact of reduced staffing on safety.
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The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
Bravado is defined as “a bold manner or a show of boldness intended to impress or intimidate.” A co-worker or boss displaying bravado can be dangerous because their need to impress or intimidate can cause them to miss critical clues and cues and flaw their situational awareness.
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There are three component parts to situational awareness – perception, understanding and prediction. There are barriers that can impact awareness on all three levels. The application of best practices can help incident commanders reduce the impact of barriers.
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The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
The fear of public speaking consistently ranks near the top of the list in fear surveys. This won’t come as a surprise for many. But the consequences of not speaking up can be catastrophic for organizations and for the individual gripped by this fear. This episode explores the fear of public speaking and offers some solutions.
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Misty Worrell and her partner on Cypress Creek EMS responded to a medical call that would result in two fatalities and the EMS crew being exposed to deadly Methyl Bromide. Because there is no cure for Methyl Bromide poisoning, Misty, a mother of five children, was instructed to get her affairs in order as she could be dead within 2 weeks.
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Misty Worrell
mrw1616@yahoo.com
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Misty Worrell and her partner on Cypress Creek EMS responded to a medical call that would result in two fatalities and the EMS crew being exposed to deadly Methyl Bromide. Because there is no cure for Methyl Bromide poisoning, Misty, a mother of five children, was instructed to get her affairs in order as she could be dead within 2 weeks.
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Misty Worrell
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The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
The mission of the Operational Mindset Foundation is to mentally, physically and emotionally prepare those who choose to place themselves in harm’s way every day for the benefit of others… and give them the opportunity to experience what safe feels like when they return home.
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Jeff Banman
https://www.opmindset.org
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
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.
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How Smart Workers Use Situational Awareness to Improve Safety
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In the early morning hours of January 17, 2016, Chesterfield County Fire & EMS responded to a residential fire on Wicklow Lane that would result in fire civilian fire fatalities, including 2 children. This three-part interview chronicles the event, the situational awareness challenges and the lessons learned from the first-in captain and the first arriving battalion chief.
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The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
In the early morning hours of January 17, 2016, Chesterfield County Fire & EMS responded to a residential fire on Wicklow Lane that would result in fire civilian fire fatalities, including 2 children. This three-part interview chronicles the event, the situational awareness challenges and the lessons learned from the first-in captain and the first arriving battalion chief.
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The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
In the early morning hours of January 17, 2016, Chesterfield County Fire & EMS responded to a residential fire on Wicklow Lane that would result in fire civilian fire fatalities, including 2 children. This three-part interview chronicles the event, the situational awareness challenges and the lessons learned from the first-in captain and the first arriving battalion chief.
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Episode 315 focused on the process for developing and maintaining situational awareness. The program was very engaging and there were over 40 questions asked. This episode is part 2 of a 2-part episode addresses the questions.
During this Pandemic, I have heard the term situational awareness spoken more times than I can ever remember. Media pundits, medical experts, emergency managers – they’re all telling us it’s important to maintain situational awareness. In one respect, this warms my heart because situational awareness has been my passion topic for more than 15 years.
But in other respects, it causes me to worry because most people have very little understanding about what situational awareness is or how to develop and maintain it. This program takes the mystery out of the concept and explains it all.
Episode 315 focused on the process for developing and maintaining situational awareness. The program was very engaging and there were over 40 questions asked. This episode is part 1 of a 2-part episode addresses the questions.
During this Pandemic, I have heard the term situational awareness spoken more times than I can ever remember. Media pundits, medical experts, emergency managers – they’re all telling us it’s important to maintain situational awareness. In one respect, this warms my heart because situational awareness has been my passion topic for more than 15 years.
But in other respects, it causes me to worry because most people have very little understanding about what situational awareness is or how to develop and maintain it. This program takes the mystery out of the concept and explains it all.
During this Pandemic, I have heard the term situational awareness spoken more times than I can ever remember. Media pundits, medical experts, emergency managers – they’re all telling us it’s important to maintain situational awareness. In one respect, this warms my heart because situational awareness has been my passion topic for more than 15 years.
But in other respects, it causes me to worry because most people have very little understanding about what situational awareness is or how to develop and maintain it. This program takes the mystery out of the concept and explains it all.
During this Pandemic, you might experience three types of stress: Acute stress, episodic acute stress and chronic stress. This episode explores how stress can impact your situational awareness and, equally concerning, how stress can have devastating long-term impacts on your health and wellness.
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The world made a major shift in March, 2020. Very quickly and unexpectedly, I lost 44 scheduled programs and now have no work scheduled until September. But I am not alone. This new world order, if we can even call it order, is impacting everyone. This episode will address some of my concerns about the situational awareness impact when there is so much worry, anxiety, frustration, confusion and information overload.
While attending the Maryland Fire & Rescue Institute’s National Fire Service Staff & Command School I had an opportunity to interview Washington, D.C. Fire Lieutenant, Jeff Dickey. Jeff was on the second alarm assignment to a structure fire incident where a firefighter fell through the floor and died. Jeff’s crew was able to locate and remove the fallen firefighter.
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Guest Contact:
Laverne and Chancy Friesen
ldfriesen25@yahoo.ca
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Laverne Friesen was a guest on Episodes 301 and 302, talking about his mental health near-miss. Upon the completion of the recording, he mentioned to me that his wife has a powerful story to share about how this journey has impacted her and their relationship. This is their joint mental health mayday story. You may want to also go back and listen to his previous interview which contains many additional details not included in this interview.
Show Notes
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ldfriesen25@yahoo.ca
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This interview with Battalion Chief Troy Elmore, Firefighter/Acting Captain Brian Oullette, and Firefighter/EMT Jason Shuck shares their powerful story and lessons learned from becoming victims of carbon monoxide poisoning while operating on the scene of an EMS call on September 11, 2019.
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Guest Contact:
Troy Elmore
TElmore@mukilteowa.gov
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This interview with Battalion Chief Troy Elmore, Firefighter/Acting Captain Brian Oullette, and Firefighter/EMT Jason Shuck, shares their powerful story and lessons learned from becoming victims of carbon monoxide poisoning while operating on the scene of an EMS call on September 11, 2019.
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Guest Contact:
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The fire service continues to be plagued by occupational health risks that have been directly related to the rigors of firefighting. The author has written about and published on these extensively terming it the three-legged stool. The three legs of the stool are fire service cardiovascular deaths and disability, occupational cancer threats and behavioral health disorders including suicide.
Sadly, all three of these occupational risks can be minimized but are often not through annual early detection exams. The notion of situational awareness is key to fire ground survival and that same concept of situational awareness of our health risk status is paramount to assuring survival. We know early detection is a key factor in better survival outcomes.
Yet, many firefighters are still not receiving annual wellness exams or ones that are specific to the unique health risks they face as firefighters.
________
Chief LeDuc began his emergency medical services training in Lowell, MA. in 1986 and completed his paramedic training at Northeastern University in Boston, MA. He served with the Broward County, FL. Fire Rescue service for the past 29 1/2 years, retiring as the Executive Assistant Fire Chief.
He served as Chief of EMS and Operations Chief in Broward County, which is the Nation’s 17th most populated county in America with 1.9 million residents. Broward County is the largest dual accredited fire department in the country.
Chief LeDuc recently joined Life Scan Wellness Centers as their Chief Strategy Officer. Life Scan Wellness provides 40,000 annual NFPA public safety physicals annually in 25 states. He has a master’s degree in executive fire service leadership and is credentialed as a Chief Fire Officer and Certified Emergency Manager. He also holds Fellow status in the Institute of Fire Engineers.
Chief LeDuc has conducted numerous department evaluations, strategic and master plans, accreditation site visits, consolidation feasibility studies and management efficiency reviews over the last twenty-five years internationally. He is a peer reviewer with the Center for Public Safety Excellence for both professional credentialing and agency accreditation.
He has published and lectured frequently on fire-based EMS and firefighter health and safety issues. He has served as the Charter President for the National EMS Management Association and is currently the elected Secretary of the International Association of Fire Chief’s Safety, Health & Survival Section. He is a reviewer and editorial board member for numerous EMS and fire service publications. He is editor of the recently released Penn Well book, Surviving the Fire Service.
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Guest Contact:
Todd LeDuc
Todd.LeDuc@lifescanwellness.com
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The IAFC’s Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System has been undergoing substantial changes in 2019 to improve functionality and provide better services to its users and stakeholders and 2020 looks to be no different. With a new technology partner, Envisage Technologies that oversees the Acadis Portal and FirstForward Training and Exposure Tracking, new deliverables are in the works to allow a better learning experience from near miss reports.
The Near Miss Program also is looking to further promote Human Performance Improvement to help fire departments at the operational level.
John Russ is an eighteen-year veteran of the fire service, currently working for the Brentwood (TN) Fire & Rescue Department as a Lieutenant/ Paramedic. He has been the Program Manager for the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System since January 2016.
John has worked in various facets of the Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System since its inception in 2005. John also has worked for numerous career and voluntary fire and emergency service providers to include prehospital emergency medical service providers, specialized technical rescue organizations, along with risk management and prevention entities.
He has a Master’s Degree from Middle Tennessee State University in Professional Studies and two Bachelor’s Degrees from Eastern Kentucky University; one in Fire & Safety Administration and one in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care. John also is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.
Show Notes
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Guest Contact:
John Russ, Program Director
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
International Association of Fire Chiefs
JRuss@iafc.org
(615) 207-2750
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The IAFC’s Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System has been undergoing substantial changes in 2019 to improve functionality and provide better services to its users and stakeholders and 2020 looks to be no different. With a new technology partner, Envisage Technologies that oversees the Acadis Portal and FirstForward Training and Exposure Tracking, new deliverables are in the works to allow a better learning experience from near miss reports.
The Near Miss Program also is looking to further promote Human Performance Improvement to help fire departments at the operational level.
John Russ is an eighteen-year veteran of the fire service, currently working for the Brentwood (TN) Fire & Rescue Department as a Lieutenant/ Paramedic. He has been the Program Manager for the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System since January 2016.
John has worked in various facets of the Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System since its inception in 2005. John also has worked for numerous career and voluntary fire and emergency service providers to include prehospital emergency medical service providers, specialized technical rescue organizations, along with risk management and prevention entities.
He has a Master’s Degree from Middle Tennessee State University in Professional Studies and two Bachelor’s Degrees from Eastern Kentucky University; one in Fire & Safety Administration and one in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care. John also is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.
Show Notes
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Guest Contact:
John Russ, Program Director
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
International Association of Fire Chiefs
JRuss@iafc.org
(615) 207-2750
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On July 3, 2019, the Atascocita Fire Department responded to a commercial building fire at Coach’s Sports Bar. First arriving units reported heavy smoke showing. This interview is with incident command staff: Fire Chief Mike Mulligan, Battalion Chief David Roark, and Battalion Chief Brian Mulligan. The interview is supported by dashcam video.
The episode is dedicated to the memory of Lieutenant Jared Snell, the officer on the first-in company. Tragically, Lt. Snell died in a motor vehicle accident three weeks following this fire.
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Guest Contact:
Battalion Chief Brian Mulligan: bmulligan@avfd.com
Battalion Chief Roark David: droark@avfd.com
Fire Chief Mike Mulligan: mmulligan@avfd.com
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On July 3, 2019, the Atascocita Fire Department responded to a commercial building fire at Coach’s Sports Bar. First arriving units reported heavy smoke showing. This interview is with incident command staff: Fire Chief Mike Mulligan, Battalion Chief David Roark, and Battalion Chief Brian Mulligan. The interview is supported by dash cam video.
The episode is dedicated to the memory of Lieutenant Jared Snell, the officer on the first-in company. Tragically, Lt. Snell died in a motor vehicle accident three weeks following this fire.
Show Notes
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Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
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Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Guest Contact:
Battalion Chief Brian Mulligan: bmulligan@avfd.com
Battalion Chief Roark David: droark@avfd.com
Fire Chief Mike Mulligan: mmulligan@avfd.com
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Laverne Friesen spent his career in a variety of first responder positions in Alberta, Canada. His experiences include healthcare, volunteer firefighter and a sworn law enforcement officer. This has exposed him to the best and worst of what people do to themselves and to others.
After his battle with mental illness, Laverne committed himself to starting conversations to destigmatize mental illness in first responders, which has led to the realization that the issues plaguing the emergency services applies to the public at large.
Laverne is trying to raise awareness around mental health in the workplace to encourage others to be observant of possible issues and to speak up.
His “human first” approach to his profession and personal life has made him a resource to those who are struggling with their mental health and known as someone who is always available to someone in need.
Laverne is happily married with two young children who keep him busy and enhance his situational awareness skills every day.
Show Notes
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Guest Information
Laverne Friesen
ldfriesen25@yahoo.ca
William Vavrek Photographer & Freelance Photojournalist
E: william@williamvavrek.com
F: http://facebook.com/williamvavrekphotography/
T: http://twitter.com/williamvavrek/ W: http://williamvavrek.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
Laverne Friesen spent his career in a variety of first responder positions in Alberta, Canada. His experiences include healthcare, volunteer firefighter and a sworn law enforcement officer. This has exposed him to the best and worst of what people do to themselves and to others.
After his battle with mental illness, Laverne committed himself to starting conversations to destigmatize mental illness in first responders, which has led to the realization that the issues plaguing the emergency services applies to the public at large.
Laverne is trying to raise awareness around mental health in the workplace to encourage others to be observant of possible issues and to speak up.
His “human first” approach to his profession and personal life has made him a resource to those who are struggling with their mental health and known as someone who is always available to someone in need.
Laverne is happily married with two young children who keep him busy and enhance his situational awareness skills every day.
www.SAMatters.com
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Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
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Guest Information
Laverne Friesen
ldfriesen25@yahoo.ca
William Vavrek Photographer & Freelance Photojournalist
E: william@williamvavrek.com
F: http://facebook.com/williamvavrekphotography/
T: http://twitter.com/williamvavrek/ W: http://williamvavrek.com/
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Ryan Pennington is the Lieutenant-Paramedic currently serving with the Charleston WV. Fire Department. Ryan is assigned to Ladder 456 in the Kanawha City area of Charleston. He has over 22 years of fire-EMS experience serving in various types of departments and has been serving the Charleston WV Fire Department for 11 years.
Ryan has lectured and trained thousands of firefighters and fire departments from across the United States and internationally both at their departments and at large conferences like Firehouse Expo,FDIC, Firehouse World, and FDIC Atlantic (Canada). He has been published in FireRescue Magazine, Fire Engineering, Firefighting in Canada Magazine,Firehouse, among others and has been interviewed on the top firefighter training podcasts and radio shows in the country.
He is the founder of ChamberofHoarders.com which is the leading Heavy Content Response website for fire departments worldwide.
Ryan blogs and podcasts about the views of a street level firefighter at JumpseatTraining.com and hosts a weekly podcast at Jumpseat Radio.
To Learn more about Heavy Content Firefighting and options for training your fire department, go to ChamberofHoarders.com or Contact Ryan at jumpseatviews@icloud.com and on twitter at @jumpseatviews
Show Notes
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Chief Miller
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Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
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Midwest Fire has been the Platinum sponsor of our show since 2014 and this episode showcases their company and allows our listeners and viewers to learn more about this amazing fire apparatus builder.
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Simsushare.com
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Guest Contact Information
Brett Jensen, Vice President & General Manager
Midwest Fire Equipment & Repair Co.
Direct: 1-507-690-2981
Office: 1-800-344-2059
Office: 1-507-283-9141
Email: brett@midwestfire.com
Web: www.MidwestFire.com
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Roree Payment has just completed his first year as the Chief of the Clearview Fire and Emergency Services. Prior to that he was the Deputy Fire Chief for the department for the previous 5.5yrs. Having a love for the fire service and being blessed with many great opportunities his 20-year career has taken him through 3 different departments including paid-on-call, composite and career. He is strongly supported by his family, all 5 ladies and very thankful for the people who have taken chances on him and given him opportunities.
On October 10, 2019, the department responded to a residential fire in a rural location. While the call started out relatively routine, things would quickly take a turn for the worse. While Roree and his partner staffed an attack line on the first floor, conditions rapidly changed, both outside and inside, resulting in flashover, a near-miss and ultimately the loss of the structure.
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Guest Contact Information
Fire Chief Roree Payment
Clearview Fire & EMS Department
rpayment@clearview.ca
705-428-6230 ext. 402
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Roree Payment has just completed his first year as the Chief of the Clearview Fire and Emergency Services. Prior to that he was the Deputy Fire Chief for the department for the previous 5.5yrs. Having a love for the fire service and being blessed with many great opportunities his 20-year career has taken him through 3 different departments including paid-on-call, composite and career. He is strongly supported by his family, all 5 ladies and very thankful for the people who have taken chances on him and given him opportunities.
On October 10, 2019, the department responded to a residential fire in a rural location. While the call started out relatively routine, things would quickly take a turn for the worse. While Roree and his partner staffed an attack line on the first floor, conditions rapidly changed, both outside and inside, resulting in flashover, a near-miss and ultimately the loss of the structure.
Show Notes
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Simsushare.com
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Guest Contact Information
Fire Chief Roree Payment
Clearview Fire & EMS Department
rpayment@clearview.ca
705-428-6230 ext. 402
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In this episode, we review the Overconfidence chapter of my new book, How Smart Workers Use Situational Awareness to Improve Safety.
Really smart and talented workers can drift over into a minefield of overconfidence – a place the organization really doesn’t want them to be. Unfortunately, the worker may not even realize they’ve drifted onto this dangerous minefield. What causes the drift? From my observation of hundreds of casualty events it is this: Shortcutting best practices while being rewarded with successful outcomes. This episode will talk about why this happens and how to combat overconfidence.
Show Notes
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Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
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Stress can have a significant, and undesirable impact on a worker’s memory and recall. This 2-part episode from a live presentation explains and demonstrates the undesirable impacts of stress
Stress can have a significant, and undesirable impact on a worker’s memory and recall. This 2-part episode from a live presentation explains and demonstrates the undesirable impacts of stress.
At the time of the call, Mike Beutler responded as a volunteer firefighter with the Happy Valley Fire District (Oregon) to a commercial structure fire in a strip mall in the neighboring community of Damascus. Upon arrival, they found a True Value Hardware store fully involved with flames through the roof and blowing out the front windows.
While operating a hand line from the exterior, Mike stepped under the mansard overhang to advance to the front windows of the now fully involved auto parts store. Moments later, a section of the overhang, approximately 30 feet in length (900 to 1,000 lbs per roofing square), collapsed directly on top of him, pinning him to the ground and surrounding him with flames.
At the time of the call, Mike Beutler responded as a volunteer firefighter with the Happy Valley Fire District (Oregon) to a commercial structure fire in a strip mall in the neighboring community of Damascus. Upon arrival, they found a True Value Hardware store fully involved with flames through the roof and blowing out the front windows.
While operating a hand line from the exterior, Mike stepped under the mansard overhang to advance to the front windows of the now fully involved auto parts store. Moments later, a section of the overhang, approximately 30 feet in length (900 to 1,000 lbs per roofing square), collapsed directly on top of him, pinning him to the ground and surrounding him with flames.
Ron Hunter is a Lieutenant with the Spartanburg (South Carolina) Fire Department, working out of the Southside station. He has been with the City for 23 years, starting out as a firefighter and advancing to the driver of the Rescue, to shift training coordinator, to the driver of the truck company, to his currently held Lieutenant position.
He is the recipient of the department’s life-saving awards in 1998 and 2005 and was named firefighter of the year in 1997.
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Contact our guest
Lieutenant Ron Hunter
Spartanburg Fire Department
864-596-2083
rhunter@cityofspartanburg.org
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The AskRail mobile app is a safety tool that provides first responders immediate access to accurate, timely data about what type of hazardous materials a railcar is carrying so they can make an informed decision about how to respond to a rail emergency.
AskRail® is a backup resource if information from the train conductor or train consist is not available. AskRail® was designed to give first responders immediate information about railcars carrying hazardous materials and be an invaluable tool for helping prepare those on the front line should a rail incident occur.
Couple this with emergency training and response planning, AskRail® augments the flow of information and specifics between freight railroads and the emergency first responders in communities along the nation’s 140,000-mile freight rail network.
I wrote the book “How Smart Workers Use Situational Awareness to Improve Safety to help front-line workers, supervisors, safety managers, and executives understand how to develop and maintain situational awareness and how to use situational awareness to improve high-risk decision making.
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SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
I wrote the book “How Smart Workers Use Situational Awareness to Improve Safety" to help front-line workers, supervisors, safety managers and executives understand how to develop and maintain situational awareness and how to use situational awareness to improve high-risk decision making.
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Randy Hanifen serves as a Captain and shift commander with the West Chester Fire Department near Cincinnati, Ohio. At the time of his near-miss event, Randy was a firefighter riding up in the officer position on an engine. While operating on the second floor of a residential dwelling fire, a rapid change of conditions forced Randy and his partner to bail out a second-story window to save their lives. By Randy’s admission, if he would have been in that environment for 30 seconds longer, he probably would have died. Randy explains what happened and shares some valuable situational awareness lessons.
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Randy Hanifen
West Chester Fire Department
Hanifen & Associates
randall@hanifen.org
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Brian Collins serves as a Battalion Chief with the Brentwood Fire Department in Tennessee. At the time of his near-miss event, he was serving as the company officer on an engine. While responding to a call, and while the apparatus was making a left-hand turn at an intersection, the door opened and, if not for wearing his seatbelt, Brian would have been ejected from the vehicle due to the centrifugal force being generated from the apparatus turning left. Brian explains how it happened and shares some valuable situational awareness lessons.
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Brian Collins
Brentwood Fire Department
Brian.Collins@brentwoodtn.gov
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In this episode, I am interviewed on the Coffee Talk Show with Carl Potter, founder of The Safety Institute. The Safety Institute is a resource for organizations that want to create workplaces where it’s difficult to get hurt.
Carl Potter works with organizations that want to put safety first in the minds of their employees so that everyone can go home every day without injuries.
After working in the electric utility industry for over 17 years, he started Potter and Associates International in 1992. Through his presentations and consulting, he now spends his time bringing his frontline, hands-on experience of personal responsibility and safety to companies all over the US, Canada, and other countries including Africa, Cuba, and Haiti.
He is the founder of The Safety Institute – a resource for organizations that want to create workplaces where it’s difficult to get hurt. In addition, it is a community of independent safety professionals who are committed to preventing every workplace injury.
Carl is a certified safety professional and certified management consultant. He is the author of 12 books, including the best-seller Who Is Responsible for Safety, authored hundreds of published articles, and writes a weekly safety blog read by thousands.
As a pilot who has owned and flown many different airplanes, he brings different perspectives to workplace safety. Carl is an Aircraft Commander and District Flight Safety Officer in the US Coast Guard Auxiliary – a division of the US Homeland Security He is involved in humanitarian efforts that involve safety and aviation including Angel Flight of Oklahoma and Mission Aviation Fellowship.
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Chris Tobin is a firefighter in St. Louis, Missouri.
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Skills to succeed in a world where there is no gray. IT'S NOT ABOUT HOW QUICKLY a paramedic can insert an IV or intubate a patient or victim in trouble. It's not about being able to recognize a heart attack from a panic attack. Until it is.
Medical knowledge is important in responding to life-and-death emergencies for paramedics. But just as important are the qualities of paramedics that allow them to act decisively in the chaos of prehospital emergency medicine. And those qualities include character attributes and interpersonal skills that serve them well under pressure in a world where there is no gray.
This book reveals the inside knowledge of what it takes to be the best paramedic: Understand the role of essential attributes such as humility, integrity, compassion, drive, and accountability. Practice the crucial interpersonal skills such as teamwork, assessment, and the ability to act. Put it all together by using principles of decision-making such as the ability to analyze and anticipate, and take a logical approach to every call.
In this book, two veteran paramedics explain the skills for success in the field when seconds matter and judgement means everything. One section is devoted to developing the expectations and evaluation skills of the paramedic who trains others.
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Chris and Sam Adams
Field Medics
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Skills to succeed in a world where there is no gray. IT'S NOT ABOUT HOW QUICKLY a paramedic can insert an IV or intubate a patient or victim in trouble. It's not about being able to recognize a heart attack from a panic attack. Until it is. Medical knowledge is important in responding to life-and-death emergencies for paramedics.
But just as important are the qualities of paramedics that allow them to act decisively in the chaos of prehospital emergency medicine. And those qualities include character attributes and interpersonal skills that serve them well under pressure in a world where there is no gray.
This book reveals the inside knowledge of what it takes to be the best paramedic: Understand the role of essential attributes such as humility, integrity, compassion, drive, and accountability. Practice the crucial interpersonal skills such as teamwork, assessment, and the ability to act. Put it all together by using principles of decision-making such as the ability to analyze and anticipate, and take a logical approach to every call.
In this book, two veteran paramedics explain the skills for success in the field when seconds matter and judgement means everything. One section is devoted to developing the expectations and evaluation skills of the paramedic who trains others.
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Charles Werner is the retired Charlottesville fire chief and 45-year public safety veteran. After retirement, Charles worked with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management from 2015 - 2017 as senior advisor/acting deputy state coordinator. Charles served in numerous leadership roles at the local, state, national levels on public safety communications, GIS, broadband, information sharing, thermal imaging, enhanced location technology, FirstNet and drones.
He chairs the National Council on Public Safety UAS and is a Certified FAA Remote Pilot. Charles also serves as Chief of Public Safety for DroneUp. Charles is an author with 120+ internationally published articles. Charles has received numerous recognitions for his work in the area of public safety technology.
In 2008, he was selected as National Career Fire Chief of the Year by Fire Chief Magazine and in 2018, was selected Homeland Security Person of the Year by Homeland Security Today Magazine for work on public safety initiatives.
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Charles Werner
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https://www.droneresponders.org
Link to drone presentation
https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=E1AAF7F39F55B61E!15837&ithint=file%2cpptx&authkey=!AIe7SARnQfgfSTk
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SPONSOR THIS SHOW The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
Situational Awareness, Decision Making, Firefighter, Police, EMS, Safety, Environmental Health, Aviation, Military, Medical, Medicine, Industry, Industrial Safety, Construction, Situational Awareness Matters, Situational Awareness Training, First Responder, High Risk Decision Making, Preventable, Optimize Human Performance, Human error, Human Factors, Decision Making Under Stress, Near Miss, Close Call, Communications Skills, Vigilance, Judgement, Tactical Decision Making, Resilience, DroneUp, Drone Responders, Charles Werner
Alex Charoni is a Captain with the South King County Fire & Rescue service in Washington. For more than a decade Alex has been developing his passion for understanding the root causes for firefighter near-miss events. Alex and I met when I was delivering a program for the Washington State Fire Training Officers Association Conference and that led to several follow up conversations and an invitation to be a guest on our show.
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Alex Charoni
South King County Fire & Rescue
Alex.Charoni@southkingfire.org
253-576-6677
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The Tactical Breakdown podcast is designed to support the men and women who keep our countries and communities safe by delivering real-world, actionable knowledge and experience from the best subject matter experts in the world.
Adam is a former infantry officer with the Canadian Armed Forces, he has had the honor to work alongside some of the best military and law enforcement instructors and educators in the world.
Now located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Adam spends his time training, coaching and consulting for security agencies across Canada. Adam is an accredited instructor and trainer under both the Justice and Solicitor General for Alberta and Manitoba Department of Justice. He is also an active member of the International Law Enforcement Educators & Trainers Association (LEETA).
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Adam Kinakin
The Tactical Breakdown
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The Tactical Breakdown podcast is designed to support the men and women who keep our countries and communities safe by delivering real-world, actionable knowledge and experience from the best subject matter experts in the world.
Adam is a former infantry officer with the Canadian Armed Forces, he has had the honor to work alongside some of the best military and law enforcement instructors and educators in the world.
Now located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Adam spends his time training, coaching and consulting for security agencies across Canada. Adam is an accredited instructor and trainer under both the Justice and Solicitor General for Alberta and Manitoba Department of Justice. He is also an active member of the International Law Enforcement Educators & Trainers Association (LEETA).
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We all know we have habits. Some of them are good habits. And some of them are...well...not so good. The less often talked about cousin of a habit is a routine.
Habits and routines can impact situational awareness in both good and bad ways. But where do habits and routines come from? Does a habit turn into a routine? Or does a routine turn into a habit? Do habits and routines prevent complacency or contribute to it? All good questions. This episode explore our comfort with complacency.
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Situational Awareness, Decision Making, Firefighter, Police, EMS, Safety, Environmental Health, Aviation, Military, Medical, Medicine, Industry, Industrial Safety, Construction, Situational Awareness Matters, Situational Awareness Training, First Responder, High Risk Decision Making, Preventable, Optimize Human Performance, Human error, Human Factors, Decision Making Under Stress, Near Miss, Close Call, Communications Skills, Vigilance, Judgement, Tactical Decision Making, Resilience, Complacency
There's a lot being talked about these days about the concept of high reliability organizations (HROs). 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
episode focuses on helping you understand the processes used by high reliability organizations.
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There's a lot being talked about these days about the concept of high reliability organizations (HROs). 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 episode focuses on helping you understand the traits of high reliability organizations.
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In the formation of situational awareness, you gather information – clues and cues. But there are two types of clues and cues: Positive and negative. We’ll explore their differences and explain why both are important to your understanding.
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This episode shares three examples of complacency, all happening within a 10-minute span of time. While the outcome was not tragic, the potential for tragedy was tremendous. And I got to witness all of it.
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This episode discusses why radio communications is a critical component to situational awareness and some of the challenges that are created when there is a lack of radio discipline.
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This episode discusses why it is so important for workers, supervisors and safety managers to understand what situational awareness is, how it is developed, how it can be impacted and how to recover once it has eroded.
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The ideas in your mind about problems and situations before you actually face the problem or situation is your pre-conception, or your pre-conceived notions about the problem or situation. There are two fundamental problems with pre-conception. First, it’s completely imaginary. And second, it’s likely to be partially or completely incorrect.
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Situational Awareness, Decision Making, Firefighter, Police, EMS, Safety, Environmental Health, Aviation, Military, Medical, Medicine, Industry, Industrial Safety, Construction, Situational Awareness Matters, Situational Awareness Training, First Responder, High Risk Decision Making, Preventable, Optimize Human Performance, Human error, Human Factors, Decision Making Under Stress, Near Miss, Close Call, Communications Skills, Vigilance, Judgement, Tactical Decision Making, Resilience, Pre-conception
Keeping track of how time passes is an important component to situational awareness. If you lose track of time, you are at risk of not comprehending how fast conditions are changing around you. When this occurs, your decision making may be adversely impacted.
Show Notes
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Matthew Marlow is the Chief of the Medway-Grapeville Fire District in New Baltimore, NY. He has been a member of the District for ten years, and has served as the company’s training officer for the past 6 years. He is the father of two children, Abigail, 8, and Joshua, 5.
When not volunteering his time with the Medway-Grapeville Fire District, he is the Chief of Operations for the Greenville Rescue Squad, an EMT with the Town of Coxsackie Ambulance.
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Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
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The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
Paul Speight’s role after 29 years in Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service changed from operational and road safety to virtual reality. He made the first 360 VR road safety film now being used globally in the aim at reducing the number of killed and seriously injured on our roads five further films have followed all covering different road safety dangers.
During this interview, he discusses the journey his department has taken to embrace this new technology and how Paul believes it will revolutionize the way firefighters are trained.
Show Notes
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
Listen in as I interview Evansville, Indiana Fire Chief Mike Connelly as he shares how he hosted not one… but FOUR… situational awareness programs over a two-year period that cost his department nothing. Not a penny. Nada, zip, zilch. In this candid interview, Chief Connelly reveals it all.
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
Tom Ehlers was working on the scene of fire at a pallet storage facility when a 14k volt line fell and struck him on his helmet and shoulder. The electricity entered through Tom’s left arm and exited his right foot. This story is full of situational awareness lessons for first responders and anyone who works with or near electrical lines.
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Midwest Fire
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Chief Miller
Instagram: @Chief_Miller
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
Tom Ehlers was working on the scene of fire at a pallet storage facility when a 14k volt line fell and struck him on his helmet and shoulder. The electricity entered through Tom’s left arm and exited his right foot. This story is full of situational awareness lessons for first responders and anyone who works with or near electrical lines.
Contact Us
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612-548-4424 (office)
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Get connected with SAMatters
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Premier Sponsor
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Associate Sponsor
Chief Miller
Instagram: @Chief_Miller
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
Take a peek into a segment of a live classroom presentation. The segment was also broadcasted on Facebook Live.
Show Notes
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612-548-4424 (office)
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Instagram: @Chief_Miller
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Fire-Medic Roy Lapid was working on Thornton Fire Truck 75 for a single-family residential dwelling fire. Roy entered the first-floor of the structure and started to complete a primary search. However, he quickly found himself falling through the fire-weakened floor into the basement below. This series chronicles Roy’s story, supplemented by observations from Captain Bret Wentworth and Lieutenant Cody Larson.
Show Notes
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Premier Sponsor
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Associate Sponsor
Chief Miller
Instagram: @Chief_Miller
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
Fire-Medic Roy Lapid was working on Thornton Fire Truck 75 for a single-family residential dwelling fire. Roy entered the first-floor of the structure and started to complete a primary search. However, he quickly found himself falling through the fire-weakened floor into the basement below. This series chronicles Roy’s story, supplemented by observations from Captain Bret Wentworth and Lieutenant Cody Larson.
Show Notes
Contact Us
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Premier Sponsor
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Associate Sponsor
Chief Miller
Instagram: @Chief_Miller
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
Fire-Medic Roy Lapid was working on Thornton Fire Truck 75 for a single-family residential dwelling fire. Roy entered the first-floor of the structure and started to complete a primary search. However, he quickly found himself falling through the fire-weakened floor into the basement below. This series chronicles Roy’s story, supplemented by observations from Captain Bret Wentworth and Lieutenant Cody Larson.
Contact Us
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612-548-4424 (office)
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Get connected with SAMatters
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Premier Sponsor
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Associate Sponsor
Chief Miller
Instagram: @Chief_Miller
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
Daniel Konzelman is an Eagle Scout so he was raised to “Be Prepared.” But what he was about to face on the morning of December 18, 2017 some could argue no one could be prepared for. Daniel was on his way to work when an Amtrak commuter train derailed, literally, right in front of him. In this interview, Daniel shares the first-hand perspective of what it is like to be a true first responder (on-scene before any trained personnel). This experience also inspired Daniel to pursue a career as a firefighter and he is now in week 6 of his recruit academy training with the Tacoma, Washington Fire Department.
Show Notes
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Midwest Fire
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Chief Miller
Instagram: @Chief_Miller
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
Joe Pronesti has developed a training program to help firefighters understand the special challenges we face when fighting fires in the old structures of the downtown that many communities have. Joe shares tips on tactics and special considerations about what you may face when your downtown is on fire.
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Midwest Fire
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Instagram: @Chief_Miller
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
Joe Pronesti has developed a training program to help firefighters understand the special challenges we face when fighting fires in the old structures of the downtown that many communities have. Joe shares tips on tactics and special considerations about what you may face when your downtown is on fire.
Contact Us
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Get connected with SAMatters
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Instagram: @Chief_Miller
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
Dr. Burton A. Clark, EFO has been in the fire service for 49 years from the local to international levels; working in urban, suburban, and rural environments for paid and volunteer organizations in operations, prevention, and education domains. He is the author of: "I Can't Save You But I'll Die Trying. The American Fire Culture."
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Burt Clark Contact Information
Cclark4949@aol.com
Promotion video for his book
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=s52mFlBnIX8&app=desktop
Link to Amazon for his book
https://www.amazon.com/Cant-Save-You-But-Trying/dp/1887654577/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=I+can%27t+save+you+but+I%27ll+die+trying&qid=1550446847&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
This episode is packed with lessons learned from an interview with German Township IC Deavron Farmer, with contributions from long-time German Fire Chief (ret.) John M. Buckman III.
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Associate Sponsor
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Instagram: @Chief_Miller
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
This episode is packed with lessons learned from an interview with German Township IC Deavron Farmer, with contributions from long-time German Fire Chief (ret.) John M. Buckman III.
Show Notes
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Our Sponsors
Midwest Fire
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Instagram: @Chief_Miller
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
This episode is packed with lessons learned from an interview with German Township IC Deavron Farmer, with contributions from long-time German Fire Chief (ret.) John M. Buckman III.
Contact Us
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612-548-4424 (office)
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Get connected with SAMatters
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Our Sponsors
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
The Situational Awareness Matters Show was launched in 2014 with the primary goal of providing a platform for near-miss survivors to tell their stories and their lessons learned. This episode summarizes the 10 most downloaded interviews.
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
Mental rehearsals allow a worker to pre-load experiences into their memory. This can improve safety and decision making by creating mental scripts the worker can access during periods of high vulnerability.
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Our Sponsors
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
Join us for a short visit to a situational awareness live training event at Syncrude Canada in Fort McMurray, Alberta as Dr. Gasaway shared with oil refinery operators how pre-arrival lens, task fixation, mission myopia and fear can impact situational awareness.
Show Notes
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Get connected with SAMatters
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Our Sponsors
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Instagram: @Chief_Miller
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
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Join us for a short visit to a situational awareness live training event at Syncrude Canada in Fort McMurray, Alberta as Dr. Gasaway shared with oil refinery operators how to develop the understanding component of the situational awareness process.
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
Merry Christmas everyone! I know everyone’s feeling particularly festive this time of year and ole Santa is feeling the situational awareness love. Surely, you’ve heard of the “Twelve Days of Christmas.” – You know – Partridge in a Pear Tree and all that other stuff that no one really needs or wants, perhaps with the exception of five golden rings, of course.
And you know that Santa has good situational awareness. He’s ALWAYS capturing clues and cues about good little girls and boys. And in the spirit of Christmas, ole Santa would like to share with you his list for how to develop and maintain strong situational awareness. Of course, like any child at Christmas, this list could be much longer than 12 items.
So I encourage you to go back through the archives and read some of the more than 400 articles on the Situational Awareness Matters! And… they’re all FREE… that’s Santa’s gift to you!
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
There are two ways you can develop the knowledge needed to improve high-risk decision making. First, you can experience events first-hand. This method can be slow and dangerous. Or, you can experience events second-hand. This can be a much quicker and much safer way to develop knowledge.
In this episode, we will discuss how to glean the most experience from:
- First-hand events
- Second-hand events
- Mental rehearsals
- Near Miss reports
- Casualty reports
- Simulations
- Training
Show Notes
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Our Sponsors
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Chief Miller
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
On November 14, 2014, Indianapolis Captain (then Lieutenant) Eric Dreiman was assigned on Ladder 19. His station was dispatched at 1159 hours to a reported residential dwelling fire on Holly Avenue, about a half mile from the station.
On arrival, the crew had heavy fire showing on the rear of the house and one occupant who had escaped reporting that her son was still inside. Dreiman, along with Firefighter Brian Kincaid made entry to conduct a primary search. Engine 19 was stretching an attack line and would soon follow… or so they thought.
The engine experienced a short delay in getting the line charged. Dreiman and Kincaid advanced into the house on the search. There was a sudden change in conditions and Dreiman made the decision to retreat.
As the approached the front door, the fire flashed over. Kincaid was exiting on to the front porch. Dreiman was behind Kincaid and was exposed to extreme fire conditions that burned his gear and burned him. Upon exiting, their gear was on fire and they had to be extinguished by the engine crew.
Listen to the amazing near-miss story where, if their decision to exit was delayed by only a few seconds, it would have likely resulted in a double line-of-duty death.
Observations and lessons learned included:
- Avoiding the “routine” call mindset.
- Wear all your gear properly.
- Train on fire behavior.
- Learn how to read smoke.
- Participate in flashover training.
- Don’t take the engine line advancement for granted.
- Realize when civilian lives are no longer savable.
- Understand you can suffer from auditory exclusion while operating in a high-stress environment.
- Time distortion can impact your awareness.
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
On November 14, 2014, Indianapolis Captain (then Lieutenant) Eric Dreiman was assigned on Ladder 19. His station was dispatched at 1159 hours to a reported residential dwelling fire on Holly Avenue, about a half mile from the station.
On arrival, the crew had heavy fire showing on the rear of the house and one occupant who had escaped reporting that her son was still inside. Dreiman, along with Firefighter Brian Kincaid made entry to conduct a primary search. Engine 19 was stretching an attack line and would soon follow… or so they thought.
The engine experienced a short delay in getting the line charged. Dreiman and Kincaid advanced into the house on the search. There was a sudden change in conditions and Dreiman made the decision to retreat.
As the approached the front door, the fire flashed over. Kincaid was exiting on to the front porch. Dreiman was behind Kincaid and was exposed to extreme fire conditions that burned his gear and burned him. Upon exiting, their gear was on fire and they had to be extinguished by the engine crew.
Listen to the amazing near-miss story where, if their decision to exit was delayed by only a few seconds, it would have likely resulted in a double line-of-duty death.
Observations and lessons learned included:
- Avoiding the “routine” call mindset.
- Wear all your gear properly.
- Train on fire behavior.
- Learn how to read smoke.
- Participate in flashover training.
- Don’t take the engine line advancement for granted.
- Realize when civilian lives are no longer savable.
- Understand you can suffer from auditory exclusion while operating in a high-stress environment.
- Time distortion can impact your awareness.
Contact Us
www.SAMatters.com
www.RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424 (office)
651-331-8518 (cell)
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Our Sponsors
Midwest Fire
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Chief Miller
Instagram: @Chief_Miller
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
A crew of three firefighters, including Cypress Creek Fire Lieutenant Jason Corthell, ascended an exterior stairwell on a fast-moving apartment fire. The fire was inside the apartment and in the attic. The stairs, constructed of steel and concrete, were not involved in fire.
The nozzleman was on the third floor landing preparing to attack the fire. Lieutenant Corthell and District Chief Sanchez were on the second floor landing advancing hose to the nozzleman. Suddenly, without warning or provocation, the stairwell collapsed, trapping the two firefighters who were on the landing. The firefighter that was on the third floor landing rode the debris down to the second floor landing and was uninjured.
Lieutenant Corthell’s radio was dislodged in the collapse and he could not call a mayday. The C-Sector commanding officer, noticing the collapse, called the mayday and deployed resources to successfully rescue the trapped firefighters.
Listen as Jason describes what was going through his mind as he was trapped and could not move. How he felt a sense of calm and came to peace with himself that he was going to die and how he prayed that God would take him quickly.
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
Recently I was having a conversation with a fire commander who shared an experience he had. He stopped by one of the stations for a visit and came upon a group of firefighters huddled around a computer screen watching fire videos and calling the responders in the video “stupid.” This episode discusses how he turned this into a teachable moment.
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters
On Saturday, September 13, 2014, the Brooklyn Park Fire Department was dispatched to a medical call that had the potential to be catastrophic for the members of their department, their EMS transport provider and their police department.
The call was for a person having a stroke. As the crew arrived and made entry through the front door of the house there was a man on the floor having a seizure. The two police officers on the scene were attending to the individual.
One of the firefighters on the scene, Jeff St. Martin, noticed a mess of exhaust and heard what sounded like a motor running. His quick actions prevented a catastrophic outcome. The levels of carbon monoxide measured in the home exceeded the capacity of the department’s carbon monoxide meter (in excess of 600 ppm).
Some takeaways from the interview include:
- How complacency can creep into our mindset that we are responding to “just another medical call.
- How strong situational awareness can alert us when the pieces of the puzzle don’t fit… and things don’t make sense.
- How intuition, when followed, can compel action that that can be lifesaving, even when you may not know why you are taking the action at the moment.
- How a CO monitor carried by first-arriving medical personnel (and perhaps police officers) can alert responders to the potential of highly lethal CO levels.
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
The first arriving crews attempted to knock down the fire from the exterior but were not success. Subsequently, companies went to the basement, expecting to find fire in the basement. The conditions were warm with very little smoke.
The basement design was complex. The BC had the lines charged and started the search for victims and the fire. The crews were cutting holes in the walls and ceilings looking for the source of the fire.
Chief Schaeffer arrived and noticed the conditions were getting worse. An order was giving to cut access holes from the exterior.
While the BC in the basement was reporting relatively clear conditions there was heavy smoke billowing out of a basement opening viewable from the exterior.
Chief Schaeffer became Division 1 (on the first floor). He reported light smoke on the first floor. Companies were doing primary and secondary search on the first floor and look for extension from the basement.
Soon, the conditions started changing quickly. Division 1 reported this to the basement Division. The first-floor crews were on their knees. Basement reported no smoke and cold conditions. Exterior reported a dramatic change in conditions.
The crew on the first floor was in complete darkness. The first-floor crew exited. However, the crews were still in basement. The conditions continued to change rapidly. An evacuation tone was ordered and Division 1 crews went to the basement, located and assisted the basement crews to safety.
Some takeaways from the interview include:
- You’ll learn how rapidly changing fire conditions can unexpectedly over run the crews.
- You’ll learn what can happen when the fire does not behave as expected (i.e., when the puzzle pieces don’t fit).
- You’ll learn how you can become normalized to your environment and may not see the severity of the conditions.
- You’ll learn how volumes of radio traffic on a single tactical channel can impact scene safety if at-risk crews cannot communicate via radio.
- You’ll learn how time distortion impacted the perception of speed at this incident.
Show Notes
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Our Sponsors
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
The house that was on fire was a vacant, dilapidated structure with a fire on the second floor. John was part of a crew that was looking for fire extension on the second floor of this large farm-style house. While on the second floor, John separated from his partner – by his estimates – approximately 20 feet or so, and entered a room where the floor was weakened – not from fire, but from rot. With no warning, John fell through the floor and was caught by his SCBA bottle.
This resulted in a Mayday and John’s successful rescue. During this interview, John will share some valuable lessons learned, including:
- The importance of not being complacent and letting your guard down. Simply because you are in an environment that does not contain a lot of smoke and fire, doesn’t mean you are not in danger.
- John recalls hearing someone announce the structure was in poor condition and the floors had been compromised – yet he still fell through a weakened spot.
- At the time, the department did not have a mayday policy and firefighters were not trained to a standardized mayday procedure.
- Where John is from it is procedure for a Rapid Intervention Team is identified by the dispatcher at the start of the call. John does not recall a specific department or company being names RIT for this incident, even though there were over 40 firefighters on the scene.
Show Notes
Contact Us
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Our Sponsors
Midwest Fire
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Instagram: @Chief_Miller
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
On this episode, I interview Firefighter Richard Marcus of the New Hartford Volunteer Fire Department in Connecticut. On May 5, 2006, Firefighter Marcus was in the officer’s seat of New Hartford Engine 1 responding to a report of a fire on the roadside.
While in route, they were cancelled and a discussion in the cab caused the driver to become momentarily distracted. For the brief moment that he had his eyes off the roadway, the engine drifted of the right side of the road. While the driver attempted to correct and recover, the engine veered out of control and struck a tree on the officer’s side of the engine. Listen as Richard tells his close call survivor story.
Show Notes
Contact Us
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612-548-4424 (office)
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Our Sponsors
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Instagram: @Chief_Miller
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
Most workers know, intuitively, that having strong situational awareness is important, but very few actually understand the process involved with how to develop and maintain situational awareness while working in high-risk, high-consequence environments. This episode discusses deadly situational awareness barriers and offers tips, tricks and hacks for improve awareness.
Show Notes
Contact Us
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www.RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424 (office)
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Get connected with SAMatters
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Our Sponsors
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Instagram: @Chief_Miller
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
Most workers know, intuitively, that having strong situational awareness is important, but very few actually understand the process involved with how to develop and maintain situational awareness while working in high-risk, high-consequence environments. This episode explains the full process and includes tips and hacks for improving situational awareness.
Show Notes
Contact Us
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www.RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424 (office)
651-331-8518 (cell)
Get connected with SAMatters
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Our Sponsors
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Instagram: @Chief_Miller
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR THIS SHOW
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us by clicking the “Contact us” tab at the top of the SAMatters.com website.
On June 30, 2015, the Franklin Fire Department was dispatched to a multi-family structure fire. The first-arriving officer reported heavy smoke showing and there was a possibility of people trapped. The crew started an interior operation, climbing a long set of stairs to the second floor. Conditions changed quickly and during the ensuing chaos the captain became separated from his crew. This episode shares their story.
Show Notes
Contact Us
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www.RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424 (office)
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Guest Contact Information
Chief Kevin LaChapelle
FranklinNH.org
603-512-0852 (cell)
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR REQUEST
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
On June 30, 2015, the Franklin Fire Department was dispatched to a multi-family structure fire. The first-arriving officer reported heavy smoke showing and there was a possibility of people trapped. The crew started an interior operation, climbing a long set of stairs to the second floor. Conditions changed quickly and during the ensuing chaos the captain became separated from his crew. This episode shares their story.
Show Notes
Contact Us
www.SAMatters.com
www.RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424 (office)
651-331-8518 (cell)
Guest Contact Information
Chief Kevin LaChapelle
FranklinNH.org
603-512-0852 (cell)
SAMatters Social Media
Facebook.com/SAMatters
Linkedin.com/in/richgasaway/
Twitter.com/RichGasaway
Instagram.com/SA_Matters
SAMatters TV
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SAMatters Radio iTunes
Stitcher
Google Play
Our Sponsors
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Chief Miller
Instagram: @Chief_Miller
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR REQUEST
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
The brain does not like confusion and in the absence of factual information it can make up its own reality, notwithstanding what true reality is. This episode explains how it happens and shares one police officer’s story of how he almost shot an unarmed man.
Show Notes
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https://twitter.com/RichGasaway
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Google Play
Our Sponsors
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MidwestFire.com
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Instagram: @Chief_Miller
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR REQUEST
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
Firefighter Jonathan Hancock and his partner made entry into a single-family residential dwelling fire. They were advancing a hose line when the face piece on his partner’s breathing apparatus become dislodged. His partner left abruptly. Until the safety officer tugged on this hose line from the doorway, Jonathan had no idea he was inside alone.
Show Notes
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact the guest
Jonathan Hancock
j.hancock145@hotmail.com
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On May 5, 2014 Perry Hall was part of an engine crew conducting a search when he got separated from his crew and accidentally locked in one of the worst places he could be – in a basement stairwell with the fire below him. Perry tells the story of the event and the post-traumatic stress that, literally, changed his life forever.
Show Notes
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact the guest
Perry Hall
fphall140@gmail.com
SPONSOR REQUEST
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
On May 5, 2014 Perry Hall was part of an engine crew conducting a search when he got separated from his crew and accidentally locked in one of the worst places he could be – in a basement stairwell with the fire below him. Perry tells the story of the event and the post-traumatic stress that, literally, changed his life forever.
Show Notes
Contact Us
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Google Play
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact the guest
Perry Hall
fphall140@gmail.com
Photo Credit
Town Police Department
SPONSOR REQUEST
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
On August 5, 2014 Assistant Fire Chief Jamie Middlebrook of New Carlisle Fire Department (Indiana) died after being trapped under a roof collapse while fighting a fire at a commercial storage building.
A defensive fire attack was initiated. The assistant fire chief was one of three fire fighters who had entered Side A of the structure to stretch a 2½-inch hoseline to protect equipment and acetylene cylinders.
The crew was operating approximately 50 feet inside the structure and then decided to change the 2½-inch nozzle to a portable ground monitor (deck gun). During the changeover, one fire fighter left the interior to go outside and charge the hoseline. The fire was already in the overhead truss system above the assistant fire chief and the fire fighter, and the fire was likely concealed by the ceiling.
As the third fire fighter got to the overhead door, a loud crash occurred. The truss system failed and the ceiling and roof assembly collapsed on the assistant fire chief and fire fighter. The assistant fire chief was killed by the collapsing truss system. The fire fighter, who suffered a broken leg, was able to crawl under some equipment before being rescued by a rapid intervention crew.
Show Notes
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Source:
A report from the NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/pdfs/face201418.pdf
Photo Credit
Town Police Department
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The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
Disclaimer: The comments shared during this interview are of the individual and do not represent the views of any company, employer or agency.
On August 6, 2012, the Chevron U.S.A. Inc. Refinery in Richmond, California, experienced a catastrophic pipe failure in the #4 Crude Unit. The pipe ruptured, releasing flammable, hydrocarbon process fluid which partially vaporized into a large vapor cloud that engulfed nineteen Chevron employees. All of the employees escaped, narrowly avoiding serious injury.
The flammable portion of the vapor cloud ignited just over two minutes after the pipe ruptured. The ignition and subsequent continued burning of the hydrocarbon process fluid resulted in a large plume of unknown and unquantified particulates and vapor traveling across the Richmond, California, area. In the weeks following the incident, approximately 15,000 people from the surrounding area sought medical treatment due to the release.
Show Notes
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Photo Credit
PhotoTaker(dot)Net
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
SPONSOR REQUEST
The SAMatters Show is the longest running, fastest growing, safety focused weekly program on the Internet. If you know a company that might be interested in advertising their product or service to our listeners and viewers, ask them to contact us at SAMatters.com.
Chemical Safety Board Report
https://www.csb.gov/chevron-refinery-fire/
Surveillance Video from the August 6 Accident at the Chevron Refinery in Richmond, CA
https://www.csb.gov/videos/surveillance-video-from-the-august-6-accident-at-thechevron-
refinery-in-richmond-ca/
Chevron Richmond Refinery Fire Animation
https://www.csb.gov/videos/chevron-richmond-refinery-fire-animation/
An August 6, 2012, release of flammable vapor led to a fire at the Chevron Refinery in Richmond, California. The CSB released three investigation reports into this incident – an Interim Report, a Regulatory Report and a Final Report.
https://www.csb.gov/assets/1/17/P1050400.JPG
https://www.csb.gov/assets/1/20/chevron_regulatory_report_draft_for_public_comment_
12162013.pdf?15101
Interim Investigation Report Chevron Richmond Refinery Fire
https://www.csb.gov/file.aspx?DocumentId=5913
https://www.slideshare.net/heathermlndz/chevron-refinery-fire-2012
CSB Releases Board Approved Regulatory Report on Chevron Refinery Fire
On August 6, 2012, the Chevron U.S.A. Inc. Refinery in Richmond, California, experienced a catastrophic pipe failure in the #4 Crude Unit. The pipe ruptured, releasing flammable, hydrocarbon process fluid which partially vaporized into a large vapor cloud that engulfed nineteen Chevron employees. All of the employees escaped, narrowly avoiding serious injury.
The flammable portion of the vapor cloud ignited just over two minutes after the pipe ruptured. The ignition and subsequent continued burning of the hydrocarbon process fluid resulted in a large plume of unknown and unquantified particulates and vapor traveling across the Richmond, California, area. In the weeks following the incident, approximately 15,000 people from the surrounding area sought medical treatment due to the release.
Show Notes
Contact Us
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www.RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424 (office)
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Google Play
Our Sponsors
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Instagram: @Chief_Miller
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Photo Credit
PhotoTaker(dot)Net
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Like many of you, I do my best work when I am not interrupted. Whether it’s someone trying to carry on a conversation, a phone ringing or a text message, an interruption disrupts my train of thought. And when the train of thought is disrupted, situational awareness can be adversely impacted.
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Contact Us
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Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
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On this episode (Part 2 of 2) I interview with Indianapolis Health & Safety Chief Doug Abernathy. At the time of the fire Doug had served on the Indianapolis Fire Department for four years. While this was a near-miss event for Doug, the incident resulted in the death of two of his comrades, Corporal Ellwood (Woody) Gelenius and Private John Lorenzano.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
www.MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Image Credit
Cleaning up after the Athletic Club Fire
Indianapolis-Marion County Library
Video Credit
Bryan Boyd
https://www.bryantheboyd.com
Link to register for the Evansville event
http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=fiqbqa9ab&oeidk=a07efiv4gp542f17fe6
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On this episode (Part 1 of 2) I interview with Indianapolis Health & Safety Chief Doug Abernathy. At the time of the fire Doug had served on the Indianapolis Fire Department for four years. While this was a near-miss event for Doug, the incident resulted in the death of two of his comrades, Corporal Ellwood (Woody) Gelenius and Private John Lorenzano.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Image Credit
Cleaning up after the Athletic Club Fire
Indianapolis-Marion County Library
Video Credit
Bryan Boyd
https://www.bryantheboyd.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On this episode (Part 2 of 2) I interview with Captain John Lightly. At the time of the recording of this episode John had served as a member of the Youngstown, Ohio Fire Department for 13 years. Youngstown FD has 8 stations and a sworn strength of 135 firefighters. John’s married and has twin daughters. So you can imagine how exciting… and hectic John’s life is. I really appreciate him sitting down with me and sharing his close call survivor story where he almost died as a result of being caught in a flashover. For reasons that will become obvious during the interview, I title this episode “3 feet from death” and dedicate to all the firefighters who’ve been caught in a flashover and did not live to tell their story.
Our sponsor:
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On this episode (Part 1 of 2) I interview with Captain John Lightly. At the time of the recording of this episode John had served as a member of the Youngstown, Ohio Fire Department for 13 years. Youngstown FD has 8 stations and a sworn strength of 135 firefighters. John’s married and has twin daughters. So you can imagine how exciting… and hectic John’s life is. I really appreciate him sitting down with me and sharing his close call survivor story where he almost died as a result of being caught in a flashover. For reasons that will become obvious during the interview, I title this episode “3 feet from death” and dedicate to all the firefighters who’ve been caught in a flashover and did not live to tell their story.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
I titled the original episode (#18) “What I learned in two minutes.” This is an interview with Lieutenant Sean Dolan from the Aurora Fire Department. On January 7, 2013 Sean, then serving as a firefighter on Engine 7 became a near-miss survivor when he entered a structure fire at 16562 East Asbury Place, a single story residential fire with confirmed people trapped.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
It’s not something talked about often, especially in high-risk work environments – overstaffing. Far more often the focus is on issues of understaffing which, coincidentally, can be a significant barrier to situational awareness and can have a catastrophic impact on safety. There can be, on occasion, scenarios where a worksite or an emergency scene can end up having too many people and that can cause problems.
Our sponsor:
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Some people confuse tunnel vision and task fixation. This episode explains the difference and provides best practices for developing and maintaining situational awareness.
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On May 5, 2015, Chicopee Fire Deputy Chief Dave Beauregard responded to a report of an electrical fire – reported to already be out – at an industrial facility on Meadow Street in Chicopee. Chief Beauregard discusses how his complacency contributed to a near-miss that if circumstances were just slightly different it could have killed him.
Our sponsor:
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Guest Contact Information
Dave Beauregard
davidbeauregard@chicopeema.gov
(413) 594-1635
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On May 5, 2015, Chicopee Fire Deputy Chief Dave Beauregard responded to a report of an electrical fire – reported to already be out – at an industrial facility on Meadow Street in Chicopee. Chief Beauregard discusses how his complacency contributed to a near-miss that if circumstances were just slightly different it could have killed him.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Guest Contact Information
Dave Beauregard
davidbeauregard@chicopeema.gov
(413) 594-1635
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On March 20, 2003, Twinsburg Firefighter-Paramedic Jim Woolf responded on Engine 4 to a reported electrical fire in an apartment building under construction. The fire was reported to have been extinguished by workers on-site. On arrival there was nothing showing and the crews went to the second floor to investigate. What happened next was entirely unexpected and, as Jim stated, could have easily killed him.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Guest Contact Information
Jim Woolf
Jwoolf82abn@aol.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On March 20, 2003, Twinsburg Firefighter-Paramedic Jim Woolf responded on Engine 4 to a reported electrical fire in an apartment building under construction. The fire was reported to have been extinguished by workers on-site. On arrival there was nothing showing and the crews went to the second floor to investigate. What happened next was entirely unexpected and, as Jim stated, could have easily killed him.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Guest Contact Information
Jim Woolf
Jwoolf82abn@aol.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In 2007, Situational Awareness Matters was founded, initially, to help first responder improve high-risk decision making. From a single program delivered at a conference a movement was started that now includes over 100,000 program attendees, newsletter subscribers and social media followers. This episode shares personal reflections from Dr. Gasaway and others who have been impacted by his teachings.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
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This was my 20th year presenting at the Fire Department Instructors Conference. This is the first time I’ve dedicated an episode of the podcast to observations I made from the classes I attended and the attendees I talked with.
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Tacit knowledge is that collection of life’s experiences, education and training that resides outside conscious awareness. It’s the knowledge one possesses that helps tap into intuition, a vital component to making high-stress, high-consequence, and rapid decisions.
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
If we’re being honest with ourselves, we know that not all team members are created equal. It is a situational awareness best practice to know the strengths (and weaknesses) of your team before engaging in high-risk, high-consequence activities.
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
Because individuals and teams frequently operate in environments where there are multiple auditory inputs (e.g., radio traffic, face-to-face communications, ambient sounds, etc.) they are often forced to prioritize what they listen to (or don’t listen to). This can cause issues with situational awareness.
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Arguably, to accomplish a mission, it would be very beneficial to have a shared set of goals that everyone understands and everyone is working on together in a unified way to accomplish. Shared goals can contribute to shared situational awareness – a common understanding of what is happening and what the plan of action entails – Answering questions like: What is being done and why? What is the strategy and why? What is each person’s role? How are the roles interconnected? It is easier to function as a team when the goals are well established and well communicated. But what happens when they’re not?
Our sponsor:
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Anyone who’s been frustrated knows it can consume a lot of your mental energy and thinking space. This can significantly impact your situational awareness. In fact, depending on the level of frustration, your brain can be hijacked by all-consuming thoughts about what is causing your angst. While operating in a high-risk, high-stress environment, frustration may draw your attention away from perceiving or understanding critical inputs that form awareness.
Our sponsor:
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
We make assumptions every day. Some of them are accurate. Others are not. Assumptions occur when there is an absence of complete information. Such is the case at just about every high-risk, high-consequence event you must deal with. Let’s explore how we make assumptions.
An assumption is a mental guess or estimate. In the absence of complete information, you are forced to fill in the missing information with your best guess. This guess is based on your collective knowledge (training, experience and an assessment of the current situation).
The more training and experience you have and the better your assessment of the current situation, the more likely your assumptions are to be accurate (or close to accurate). Conversely, the less training and experience you have, the less likely your assumptions are to be accurate.
Our sponsor:
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
We rationalize that because we are operating in conditions of stress and consequence, with urgency and a feeling of pressure to perform quickly, we can take shortcuts to our best practices.
Some even go as far as to rationalize that we SHOULD shortcut our safety best practices when faced with conditions that are urgent. This episode explores how shortcuts, rewarded with successful outcomes can lead to normalization of deviance.
Our sponsor:
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Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
The premise behind relationship bias is that we tend to be attracted toward (and like) people whom we know well and to whom we know share similar interests. The stronger our relationship with another person, the more likely we are to believe them when they tell us something. The weaker the relationship, the less likely we are to believe the other person.
Our sponsor:
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MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
When everything goes as planned, your expectations are met and situational awareness is easily formed and sustained. However, sometimes your expectations are violated. In other words, your beautifully constructed mental model of the outcomes of an event are flawed. When this happens, your brain can become overwhelmed with confusion. It can also lead to anger and frustration because your brain doesn’t like to be wrong. This, in turn, can impact your situational awareness.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In the early morning hours of January 17, 2016, Chesterfield County Fire & EMS responded to a residential fire on Wicklow Lane that would result in fire civilian fire fatalities, including 2 children. This three-part interview chronicles the event, the situational awareness challenges and the lessons learned from the first-in captain and the first arriving battalion chief.
See the FULL interview on YouTube at:
https://youtu.be/M0KHehMIQXc
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In the early morning hours of January 17, 2016, Chesterfield County Fire & EMS responded to a residential fire on Wicklow Lane that would result in fire civilian fire fatalities, including 2 children. This three-part interview chronicles the event, the situational awareness challenges and the lessons learned from the first-in captain and the first arriving battalion chief.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In the early morning hours of January 17, 2016, Chesterfield County Fire & EMS responded to a residential fire on Wicklow Lane that would result in fire civilian fire fatalities, including 2 children. This three-part interview chronicles the event, the situational awareness challenges and the lessons learned from the first-in captain and the first arriving battalion chief.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Podcast Guest
Jason Bonney
jbonney@cjcfpd.org
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Jason Bonney has been with the Central Jackson Fire Protection District in Blue Springs, Missouri for 15 years where he serves as the Assistant Chief of Training. Jason is working on his research paper for the Executive Fire Officer Program at the National Fire Academy. During the interview we talk about the connection between training and performing on high-risk events.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Podcast Guest
Jason Bonney
jbonney@cjcfpd.org
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Jason Bonney has been with the Central Jackson Fire Protection District in Blue Springs, Missouri for 15 years where he serves as the Assistant Chief of Training. Jason is working on his research paper for the Executive Fire Officer Program at the National Fire Academy. During the interview we talk about the connection between training and performing on high-risk events.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Podcast Guest
Jason Bonney
jbonney@cjcfpd.org
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Christo Motz is an International Consultant on Survival and Resilience. As a board member he writes articles for the Crisis Response Journal on topics related to self-reliance, survival and community safety during a crisis.
In this episode Christo interviews Dr. Gasaway in preparation for an article his is writing for the Journal.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Christo Motz
Email: info@fylgjur.com
Website: www.fylgjur.com/en
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Christo Motz is an International Consultant on Survival and Resilience. As a board member he writes articles for the Crisis Response Journal on topics related to self-reliance, survival and community safety during a crisis.
In this episode he interviews Dr. Gasaway in preparation for an article his is writing for the Journal.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Christo Motz
Email: info@fylgjur.com
Website: www.fylgjur.com/en
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Herd mentality occurs when individuals group together and follow each other for inexplicable reasons. This is sometimes referred to as the “mob mentality” and is observed during riots. When one-person yells loudly and charges forward, the herd (or mob) follows. This episode discusses how herd mentality might impact situational awareness and decision making at emergency scenes.
Notable Near-Miss Episodes
17 – Doug Abernathy – double fatal
18 – Sean Dolan - Flashover
19 – Steven Hough – Shot in the face
21 – Sean Balantic – Struck by a car
22 & 23 – John Lightly – Flashover
33 – Adam Farrar – 2 near misses at one fire
35 & 36 – Lionel Crowther – double fatal
42 – Steven Page – lost & disoriented during an evac order
43 & 44 – Scott Burnette – Death of Captain Jeff Bowen
45 – Dave Martin – Wildfire burn over
53 – Brian Mulligan – Contact with an electric line
55 – Jason Corthell – Structural collapse
57 – Jeff Cheshire – Over run by fire conditions
64 – Nick Miller – Two near-miss events on Christmas Day
67 – Todd Budd – Fell through the roof
80 – Morris Lentz – Trapped by structural collapse
81 – Tim Kohlbeck and Chase Longmiller – Rapid changing conditions.
83 – Tiger Schmittendorf – Water rescue
101 – Sioux Falls – Aerial contacted a 33kv line
103 & 104 – Eric Dreimen – Flashover
116 & 117 – Ryan Pyle – Residential fire that killed a FF
118 & 119 – Dan Phannensteil – Near miss at house fire
126 – Buddy Wilks – Managed a mayday
129 – Alan Mannel – Shootout incident
160 – Virginia, MN – smoke explosion
161 – Soldiers Township, MO – Tornado
162 & 163 – Lynchburg, VA – House fire evacuation
170 – Brad Davidson – Industrial fire
183-185: St. Charles, MO – House fire mayday
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On December 18, 2017 an Amtrak train bound for Portland from Seattle derailed on a busy overpass on Interstate 5 in DuPont, Washington. This interview is Chief Creekmore’s first hand perspective of the incident. He discusses the complexity of an incident that resulted in 3 fatalities and nearly 100 victims transported to area hospitals.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In October I was in Chesapeake to deliver two-days of situational awareness training and I caught up with one of my life-long friends, Norfolk Assistant Fire Chief, John DiBacco. John and I served together on our first fire department in Weirton, West Virginia. During the interview we talked about the process of after-action reviews John uses to gather and share lessons with his crews.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In September I was in Chesapeake to deliver two-days of situational awareness training and I caught up with one of my life-long friends, Norfolk Assistant Fire Chief, John DiBacco. John and I served together on our first fire department in Weirton, West Virginia. During the interview we talked about the process of after-action reviews John uses to gather and share lessons with his crews.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In reading casualty reports you will often see issues related to communications as a contributing factor. Miscommunications, lack of communications or too much radio traffic (to include overloaded radio channels) are often cited. It is the last of these issues I want to address. There is an inherent cognitive consequence from too much communications that can impact situational awareness. Essentially, you can stop listening… and it doesn’t happen on purpose.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In reading casualty reports you will often see issues related to communications as a contributing factor. Miscommunications, lack of communications or too much radio traffic (to include overloaded radio channels) are often cited. It is the last of these issues I want to address. There is an inherent cognitive consequence from too much communications that can impact situational awareness. Essentially, you can stop listening… and it doesn’t happen on purpose.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
This episode chronicles an event where responders were managing two cardiac arrest calls in a hotel room. Initial response teams did not consider the possibility of carbon monoxide as the potential cause and the outcome was almost catastrophic for the response teams.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Oftentimes employee training involves scenarios where workers learn how to perform to the scripted standards. On the surface, there’s nothing wrong with that.
However, the employee training scenarios are often developed to ensure the outcome of the training will be success. And, as many workers know, the complexity of many work issues can often require actions that are not consistent with the Standards. In other words, workers must veer from the written standard and be resilient problem solvers.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
If you have attended one of my situational awareness programs you have learned how stress is a game-changer when it comes to situational awareness and decision making quality.
Most employee training programs focus on developing cognitive knowledge and physical skills. Far less address the impact of stress on situational awareness and decision making and the seemingly irrational (some might even term it bazaar) behaviors manifested by some workers when they are under stress.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On January 3, 2014, the St. Charles Fire Department responded to a single-family residential dwelling fire on Nancy Drive. This podcast chronicles events (told by Captain Chip Ashford and Battalion Chief Dan Casey) as they unfolded. The thermal assault enduring by these firefighters resulted in injuries that included second and third-degree burns and a shoulder injury from bailing out a window.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Overhaul to Fireball Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/Overhautofireball/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On January 3, 2014, the St. Charles Fire Department responded to a single-family residential dwelling fire on Nancy Drive. This podcast chronicles events (told by Captain Chip Ashford and Battalion Chief Dan Casey) as they unfolded. The thermal assault enduring by these firefighters resulted in injuries that included second and third-degree burns and a shoulder injury from bailing out a window.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Overhaul to Fireball Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/Overhautofireball/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On January 3, 2014, the St. Charles Fire Department responded to a single-family residential dwelling fire on Nancy Drive. This podcast chronicles events (told by Captain Chip Ashford and Battalion Chief Dan Casey) as they unfolded. The thermal assault enduring by these firefighters resulted in injuries that included second and third-degree burns and a shoulder injury from bailing out a window.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Overhaul to Fireball Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/Overhautofireball/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On May 31, 2017, I delivered a presentation to the Colorado Springs Fire Department in Situational Awareness. During the program we engaged in a conversation about how they do their training. I was so impressed that I asked them to do an interview with me.
This is part 2 of a two-part interview with: Jason Buckingham, Lieutenant, Station 8; Jesse Weddle, Firefighter, Station 8; and, Brian Lynch, Lieutenant, Station 1.
Bryan Lynch is a Lieutenant assigned to fire station 1 in downtown Colorado Springs. Bryan has been a lead instructor for his departments annual Truck Academy and developed his departments Ground Ladder and Ventilation programs. He was instrumental in implementing Nozzle Forward in his department.
In 2008, Bryan was the Colorado Springs Professional Firefighters Local 5 Firefighter of the Year. He is the co-owner and co-founder of Irons and Ladders LLC.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Irons and Ladders
IRONSandLADDERS.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On May 31, 2017, I delivered a presentation to the Colorado Springs Fire Department in Situational Awareness. During the program we engaged in a conversation about how they do their training. I was so impressed that I asked them to do an interview with me.
This is part 1 of a two-part interview with: Jason Buckingham, Lieutenant, Station 8; Jesse Weddle, Firefighter, Station 8; and, Brian Lynch, Lieutenant, Station 1.
Bryan Lynch is a Lieutenant assigned to fire station 1 in downtown Colorado Springs. Bryan has been a lead instructor for his departments annual Truck Academy and developed his departments Ground Ladder and Ventilation programs. He was instrumental in implementing Nozzle Forward in his department.
In 2008, Bryan was the Colorado Springs Professional Firefighters Local 5 Firefighter of the Year. He is the co-owner and co-founder of Irons and Ladders LLC.
Accountability is a critically important component to the safety of employees when they are operating in hazardous environments. From the perspective of situational awareness, accountability plays several roles.
The obvious role is personnel accountability facilitates the rapid deployment of teams if something goes wrong. The person in-charge knows the team sizes and where the teams are operating at and can send help expeditiously.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
The potential issue from uncoordinated, independent action is it may be unrealistic to think multiple individuals, or multiple teams can begin work on a problem, at varied times, and make the same assessment of the situation/conditions and know, automatically, what other team members are doing and what goals they are trying to accomplish. This can cause problems with team and big-picture situational awareness.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
When it comes to developing and maintaining situational awareness, tunnel vision is a big deal. Situational awareness is developed by having a broad perception of the environment in which you are operating. As your focus narrows, you start to miss things. Those “missed things” are like lost puzzle pieces, leaving holes in your understanding of what is happening. Thus, situational awareness can be impacted.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Your highest level of situational awareness is formed when you are able to make accurate predictions about future events. We call this projection and it simply means you are able to predict, or project, the future.
This is accomplished through mental models you develop that are founded in your training and experience. But for supervisors, it requires more than training and experience to make accurate projections of the future.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In this episode, we discuss how to use your imagination to anticipate outcomes – an important component of developing strong situational awareness.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In this episode, I am taking on a topic often discussed in my leadership programs more often than in my situational awareness programs – motivation. I’m not going to get in to depth on the topic of motivation as it takes me a solid four hours in a classroom session to demystify the topic and reveal the secret sauce for how people are motivated. However, there is one fundamental component of motivation that has a direct implication to firefighter safety – the positive reinforcement of undesired behavior.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
We have many traits that make us uniquely human. Among them is our ability to engage in complex communications. We can look at black ink squiggled on a piece of bleached paper and derive meaning from those symbols. We call that skill reading comprehension.
And we can listen to and comprehend the meaning of more than 10,000 words. We call that listening comprehension. Indeed, our ability to communicate is quite complex.
But our complex communications system has a downside also – complex miscommunications.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
A person displaying bravado is not concerned with his or her own safety. They are only concerned with looking courageous. This does not make the individual brave. It makes the individual dangerous.
Once a person gets into the bravado mindset, the critical first two steps in the formation of situational awareness (purposefully capturing clues and cues and comprehending clues and cues into meaning) can be flawed.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
The foundation of situational awareness is capturing clues and cues in your environment – what some would call “paying attention” – and then making sense of those clues and cues – what some would call “understanding” – and then making projections of future events – what some would call “prediction.” One of the challenges in the formation of situational awareness that can arise during the “understanding” phase is Confirmation Bias.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
One way to control your reaction to stress is to first understand what causes you to be stressed. There are the obvious stressors – physical demands of the work, time compression to make quick decisions, dangerous and unpredictable work. Then there are the less than obvious stressors – peer pressure and the fear that can result from not meeting citizen expectations and/or elected official expectations.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
It is so easy to trudge over your intuition and to trust your logical, rational form of thinking. Not only can this be unwise, it can also be deadly. Today’s guest shares an experience where he trusted his intuition and it saved his life. Unfortunately, others working on this job site were not so lucky as there were 13 injuries (3 critical) and one fatality.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Brad Davidson contact information
BDavidso@mymts.net
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
If you have spent time reading a large number of firefighter fatality reports you might start to see the real-life manifestation of Einstein’s definition of insanity. In fact, I would go as far as to say we’ve gotten to the point where we are discovering very few new ways to kill firefighters. Rather, we’re taking all the ways we already know how to do it and we’re perfecting it by doing it over and over… and over… and over… again. This is Einstein’s insanity personified. In this series we will examine some potential explanations for this insanity.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
If you have spent time reading a large number of firefighter fatality reports you might start to see the real-life manifestation of Einstein’s definition of insanity. In fact, I would go as far as to say we’ve gotten to the point where we are discovering very few new ways to kill firefighters. Rather, we’re taking all the ways we already know and we’re perfecting it by doing it over and over… and over… and over… again. This is Einstein’s insanity personified. In this series, we will examine some potential explanations for this insanity.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
If you have spent time reading a large number of firefighter fatality reports you might start to see the real-life manifestation of Einstein’s definition of insanity. In fact, I would go as far as to say we’ve gotten to the point where we are discovering very few new ways to kill firefighters. Rather, we’re taking all the ways we already know how to do it and we’re perfecting it by doing it over and over… and over… and over… again. This is Einstein’s insanity personified. In this series, we will examine some potential explanations for this insanity.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
If you have spent time reading a large number of firefighter fatality reports you might start to see the real-life manifestation of Einstein’s definition of insanity. In fact, I would go as far as to say we’ve gotten to the point where we are discovering very few new ways to kill firefighters. Rather, we’re taking all the ways we already know and we’re perfecting it by doing it over and over… and over… and over… again. This is Einstein’s insanity personified. In this series, we will examine some potential explanations for this insanity.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
If you have spent time reading a large number of firefighter fatality reports you might start to see the real-life manifestation of Einstein’s definition of insanity. In fact, I would go as far as to say we’ve gotten to the point where we are discovering very few new ways to kill firefighters. Rather, we’re talking about all the ways we already know how to do it and we’re perfecting it by doing it over and over… and over… and over… again. This is Einstein’s insanity personified. In this series, we will examine some potential explanations for this insanity.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Developing situational awareness is a three-part process that begins with perception, and then understanding, and finally prediction – or forecasting what is going to happen in the future. Many first responders are good at the perception and understanding part, but the prediction part can present some real challenges. This episode discusses the process for predicting future outcomes.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In this episode, I interview three members of the Lynchburg Fire Department who responded to a structure fire where conditions changed rapidly and caused the crews to leave the structure just short of being over-run by the fire.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In this episode, I interview three members of the Lynchburg Fire Department who responded to a structure fire where conditions changed rapidly and caused the crews to leave the structure just short of being over-run by the fire.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
This episode is an interview Karl McNorton, Dusty Nichols and Joe Hawkins who were involved in a brush fire incident that was complicated when a tornado was reported in their vicinity, casing the crews to take cover in nearby homes.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On Dec. 19, 2016 at 1:05pm, the Virginia Fire Department responded to a report of an apartment building fire in the 700 block of 5th Avenue South. Noting a change in smoke conditions, the incident commander ordered an evacuation just moments before a smoke explosion rocked the building and it was all caught on video (link to the video below).
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Virginia Fire Department Smoke Explosion Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxUxnpQ0rSY
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In this episode, we discuss the Synergist - the person who seeks others who are like-minded and tends to side with their compatriots point of view regardless of the presence of mounting evidence that refutes the position of those who are like-minded.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Report on Space Shuttle Challenger Investigation:
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/GPO-CRPT-99hrpt1016/pdf/GPO-CRPT-99hrpt1016.pdf
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In this episode, we discuss the Slacker: A person who avoids work or effort. I think we all knew that already. The slacker does the least amount of work possible to remain employed. They are a minimal contributor and seem to be content in their mediocrity. Getting them to get enthusiastic about work is like trying to get a lazy dog to fetch a stick. Or, less generously, it is like trying to teach a pig to sing. You are not going to succeed and you are only going to annoy the pig.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In this episode, we discuss the super hero dangerous mindset. You might think of this as the person who sees him or herself as unstoppable, bullet proof, invulnerable or invincible. The super hero can leap tall buildings in a single bound, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to run faster than a speeding bullet. In other words, they think they have super powers and super abilities. The only problem is, simply because they think they can, does not mean they actually can.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
This episode discusses the history of SAMatters and Dr. Gasaway shares his background and the work he has done to improve first responder situational awareness and high-risk decision making.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
The silent individual members, for whatever reason, may not speak up even if something is going horribly wrong. This can have devastating consequences on first responder safety because the Silent member may see something very important for the safety of personnel operating at the scene, and yet, never say a word.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In this episode, we discuss the stubborn – an individual that is set in their ways, closed minded and perhaps even defiant. Their narrowed view can impact relationships and, more importantly, their situational awareness.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
This episode discusses the boss who lets his or her authority get the best of their judgment or that boss who suffers from feelings of inadequacy (inferiority) that results in a dangerous mindset that can harm the safety of first responders.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
This episode is part three of a nine-part serious on dangerous mindsets that first responders can develop and I offer some advice for dealing with each. This week we talk about the Specialist, (a.k.a. The Know-it-all).
A specialist is someone who takes the effort to acquire a higher level of training on a specialty topic. A specialist can be a tremendous asset, especially when an incident occurs that requires their specialized knowledge, skills and abilities. However, a specialist can also present special challenges for department personnel.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
This episode is part two of a nine-part serious on dangerous mindsets that first responders can develop and I offer some advice for dealing with each.
Last week we started off the series by talking about the starter mindset… the mindset of the brand-new responder. This week we talk about the Subordinate.
__________________________________________________________________
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Licensed by BMI Music
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Everyone of us should be able to relate to this mindset. We have all been there, albeit some more recently than others. Being the new responder can be a scary ordeal. I recall how intimidated I was just learning how to properly don my turnout gear. In fact, when I first joined I did not know what I did not know. And that’s what this episode explores – the mindset of the starter.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Have you ever driven your vehicle somewhere, arrived at your destination and wondered to yourself “How did I get here?” If so, you have experienced mind drift. This can happen when you’re driving your car, sitting in a classroom, or performing a high-risk activity. And when it happens, it can have a catastrophic impact on your situational awareness.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
James Johnson is a Firefighter for Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He is currently assigned to Firehouse 1 and is part of the Special Operations Technical Rescue Team, as well as Canada Task Force One USAR Team. James is a certified Fire Service Instructor II and teaches at the Justice Institute of British Columbia in the Fire and Safety Division.
Before becoming a career firefighter, James spent a number of years in the construction industry and completed an apprenticeship and the technical training to become a Red Seal Journeyman Carpenter. James serves as a Technical Committee member for NFPA 220, 221, and 5000, and is a FDIC presenter.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
James Johnson Contact Information
Email: JamesTylerJohnson@live.com
Twitter: @James_John_son
James Johnson’s upcoming FDIC Class
What’s hiding behind the walls?
Thursday, April 27, 2017 1530-1715
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
First responder training is often conducted in topical segments. One week it might be fire attack. The next week the training might focus on search and rescue and the next week on forcible entry.
There is a reason a football team conducts a scrimmage, or why actors in a play conduct a full-dress rehearsal. This episode discusses the value of putting all the training segments together into one comprehensive practiced event.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Fear is one of two emotions that drive all human behavior. The other is desire. Whatever a first responder chooses to do, or not do, is based on one of these two emotional drives. This episode discuses how fear can compel responders to do undesirable, and sometimes dangerous, things at emergency scenes.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
There’s no doubt that in dynamically changing, high-risk, high-consequence environments someone could be called upon to perform many varied tasks, some at the same time.
When staffing levels are low, the likelihood of this situation can increase significantly. The problem this creates is the brain does not perform well when task saturated, especially in stressful situations.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
We see with our brains, not with our eyes. The eyes are simply a tool to gather photons of light. The processing of images happens in the visual cortex (in the back of your brain). There is also an interesting thing that happens as we listen to information. We also draw pictures in our brain. This is what I call the pre-arrival lens and it can set a responder up for success or it can cause some significant challenges.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
There are two types of memory we will discuss in this episode, short-term and long-term. Both play important roles in helping first responders develop and maintain situational awareness. Here, we will explain how.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Situational Awareness Matters Online Academy
www.SAMatters.com/academy
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
At the time of the fire, Rick Mehaffey served as an engineer for the Waynesville Fire Department, a combination department that runs 2500 calls a year out of two stations. (He has since been promoted to Captain.)
At the time of the near miss event the staffing levels was 1 person on-duty at each of two stations, supplemented by roughly 30 volunteers.
At 0759 the fire department was dispatched to a residential fire at 71 Cornerstone Ridge in Waynesville. Mehaffey was first on-scene of a working fire in a two-story wood frame structure with light smoke coming from the eves and smoke coming out of the chimney.
Mehaffey noted the rock chimney stood approximately 8 feet above the gutter line and was 4 foot in width. The size of the chimney led him to position his engine outside of what he would deem to be the collapse zone.
Mehaffey established command and completed a 360 degree size up. The second engine arrived and they initiated interior operations. The crew located the fire in the vaulted ceiling cavity around the chimney.
Exterior crews set a ladder up to access the porch roof. This ladder was directly under the chimney.
Mehaffey exited the structure and was stopped and asked a question by a mutual aid company. At that time they were directly in front of the chimney about 10 feet away from the house.
Then someone screamed the chimney was falling.
Hearing the scream, Mehaffey and the other firefighters he was talking to began to run.
As Mehaffey heard the crash of the chimney he turned to look back to see a few large rocks that, as he described, “almost appeared to be chasing me and were so close that as I turned my head to watch where I was running I was anticipating the pain of the rock taking my legs out from underneath me.”
As he reached the engine he stopped running, turned and looked back. The rocks had stopped rolling about 5 feet behind him.
An investigation revealed the chimney was a wood frame construction with large rock attached. Improper installation had contributed to the wood frame catching fire and spreading into the ceiling cavity, causing the chimney to fall.
As Mehaffey wrote to me: “In my opinion we almost had three LODDs that day due to my inability to remove my blinders and see a potential hazard,” a hazard that, by his own admission, he was concerned enough about on his arrival to ensue he positioned his engine outside the collapse zone.
But, as he noted; “Once my boots hit the ground I got tunnel vision and it almost cost four firefighters lives.”
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Situational Awareness Matters Online Academy
www.SAMatters.com/academy
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Confabulation is a fascinating phenomenon where a person’s brain can make up its own reality and the individual it happens to will not realize that what they believe to be fact is, indeed, a figment of their imagination.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Situational Awareness Matters Online Academy
www.SAMatters.com/academy
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In this episode, Madison Firefighter Cameron Gasaway shares his observations about why it is so hard for a new firefighter to speak up when they think something is going wrong. We also share a real-life experience Cameron had when he was presented with an opportunity to speak up. In his words, it was one of the worst feelings he’d ever had.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Situational Awareness Matters Online Academy
www.SAMatters.com/academy
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
The researchers who study expertise have concluded it can take roughly 10,000 hours of training and practice to achieve expert-level knowledge and performance skills. The bad news is, that could take responders over a decade to acquire. The good news is, the process of expertise development can be accelerated.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Situational Awareness Matters Online Academy
www.SAMatters.com/academy
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
As you attend conferences that have vendor display areas, pay attention to how many incident management software vendors claim to have programs that can “develop situational awareness” in first responders. This claim is often founded on the belief that as the software is able to capture, assemble and display layers and layers of data that, somehow, situational awareness will be improved. Be careful, as you may be sold a product that does not do what it claims to do.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Situational Awareness Matters Online Academy
www.SAMatters.com/academy
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
When it comes to first responder radio traffic I am reminded of the tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. You may recall that in the story Goldilocks samples three bowls of porridge. One is too hot. One is too cold. And the third is just right. This lesson applies directly to first responder situational awareness and the role radio communications plays in helping to develop and maintain SA.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
The Situational Awareness Matters Online Academy officially opens its doors in January. SAMatters Radio podcast episode #132 was dedicated to explaining the features of the Academy. This episode is dedicated to questions and answers I’ve fielded over the past couple of weeks.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters!
www.SAMatters.com
Situational Awareness Matters Online Academy
www.SAMatters.com/academy
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
One of the ways to improve your situational awareness is to develop a conscious awareness about your awareness. Developing and maintaining situational awareness can be challenging while operating in high stress conditions. Being aware of this and using techniques to ensure you remain in the moment can improve safety.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
It is important for a commander to have situational awareness about the resources available and to use that knowledge to drive decisions. Setting strategy without consideration to the quantity and quality of resources can be very risky. This episode explores how to develop situational awareness about resource availability.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
One of the problems that can happen while working in high stress, time compressed environments is a person can develop a flawed perception of reality. When this happens, they will not realize it until something happens that allows them to see their perception was flawed. This is where the devil’s advocate can help. This episode explains how.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
One of the most common pieces of feedback received from live events is “Everyone in my department needed to hear this message.” I could not agree more. I realized with this feedback came a challenge to create a convenient, affordable way for every department to train every member. From that inspiration came the Situational Awareness Matters Online Academy.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
SAMatters.com
Online Academy
SAMatters.com/academy/
SAMatters Testimonials
www.richgasaway.com/testimonials/
Contact Rich Gasaway
SAMatters.com/contact/
612-548-4424
The research I have conducted on the neuroscience of situational awareness and high-risk decision making has been fascinating and extremely enlightening to me. Over the past 9 years, it has been very rewarding to take the lessons of research and apply them for the benefit of first responders. For those who have attended one of my programs, you know these lessons are always shared in friendly ways (i.e., avoiding all the heady terminology of brain science).
One of the findings of my research led me to the conclusion that once a commander becomes overloaded and overwhelmed, managing the mental workload can become extremely difficult and meltdowns are predictable. And, much to my dismay, it is quite easy to overload and overwhelm someone who is under stress (e.g., the incident commander).
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
A person suffering from auditory exclusion will experience temporary hearing loss. While it is most often identified and associated with individuals who are working in high stress environments, the truth is it can happen to any of us at any time.
We will discuss how it happens and how it impacts situational awareness.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Beaver Dam (WI) Fire Chief, Alan Mannel, was working as a police officer in Crete, Illinois where a suspect opened fire on officers while they were attempting to apprehend him following a shooting incident in a neighboring Park Forest.
Then-patrolman Mannel, ended up discharging his weapon three times, though he only remembered shooting twice. He also described experiencing a mild form of auditory exclusion where sounds – including not hearing the multiple shots fired by officers and by the assailant.
Officer Mannel also was not, at the time of the shootout, wearing his department-issued ballistic vest. After the assailant fired a shot that Officer Mannel heard whiz by his ear, he shot the suspect in the head, ending the shootout.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Guest contact information:
Alan Mannel
Beaver Dam Fire & Rescue
amannel@cityofbeaverdam.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Lieutenant Jarrod Sergi attended one of my situational awareness programs in Virginia earlier this year and during the program we discussed, among many other topics, the impact of sleep inertia on awareness and decision making.
A few months after the class Lieutenant Sergi and his crew were responding to a late-night residential dwelling fire and he experienced the impact of sleep inertia. This compelled him to contact me and to share his experience.
He agreed to come on to the podcast and to tell his story so that others might learn from the experience of his crew and how they were impacted.
Jerrod Sergi biography
Jarrod Sergi is a Lieutenant and a proud member of Norfolk Fire Rescue in Norfolk VA. He has served in one of the city’s busiest Engine Companies and has also served a tour in the Training Division as a Fire Academy Coordinator. He currently is assigned to a Ladder Company in the city’s 1st Battalion. Jarrod has been a part of, and assisted in the development of several department wide training programs that included both Engine and Ladder company operations and Fire Dynamics
Jarrod also serves as an adjunct State Instructor for both the Virginia Department of Fire Programs and the National Fire Academy focusing on MAYDAY and Strategy/Tactics. Prior to working for the City of Norfolk, Jarrod served 6 years in the United States Navy as a Damage Controlman (shipboard firefighter) and a Search and Rescue Swimmer. Jarrod is currently enrolled in the National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officer Program. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Fire Science, is a contributor to Fire Engineering Magazine and he is the founder of Trial by Fire.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Guest contact information:
Jarrod Sengi
Jarrod.Sergi@Norfolk.gov
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
It is not uncommon for responders to be told: “If you see something that is causing you a concern, speak up.” And everyone nods their heads in the affirmative. But when it comes right down to it… will they? From the discussions I’ve had with first responders I don’t think the answer is as cut and dried as you might think. In this episode we will explore why and I’ll offer some suggestions for how to get them to speak up.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On February 14, 2014 the Birmingham Fire Department was dispatched to a residential dwelling fire at 0130. On arrival the first-in company reported heavy fire conditions on the CD corner of the house. There were two vehicles on the property, one of the vehicles had three car seats in it. This gave the IC a strong indication there were people still in the house, including children.
Despite the challenging conditions, crews entered with the mission of fire containment and search and rescue. As conditions rapidly changed, Engine 14 called a mayday. This interview details the event, outcome and lessons learned.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Floyd (Buddy) Wilks, Jr.
Birmingham Fire Department
1808 7th Sttreet North
Birmingham, AL 35203
floyde.wilksjr@birminghamal.gov
205-254-2510 office
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
One of the best ways we can learn how to be safer is to learn from our mistakes. Truly, haven’t we all said “I’ve learned more from the mistakes I’ve made in life than the things I’ve done right.” The same thing can be said about our service as first responders. There is a lot to learn from mistakes – ours and others.
That’s assuming the mistakes that resulted in near-miss events and lessons learned are shared with others. Unfortunately, many times they are not. I will discuss why they are not shared and offer some advice that might inspire you to step up and share your lessons learned from YOUR near-miss event.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Your chances of getting killed in a commercial airline accident while traveling with one of the top 20 U.S. carriers is roughly 1:87 million. As a researcher and practitioner of first responder safety this incredible safety statistic causes me to contemplate how the airlines have been able to create such an impeccable safety record.
In this episode we explore how a facilitated debriefing can help first responder agencies improve safety.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
As we train first responders to improve situational awareness it is important the lessons include a list of both positive and negative clues and cues. Clues and cues are another way of saying “information”… the information you gather and process that forms your situational awareness. In the context of developing situational awareness, positive and negative clues and cues does not mean good and bad information… Rather, positive and negative means present and absent. The positive clues and cues are those you can see and hear. The negative clues and cues are those you cannot see and hear… not because you’re NOT paying attention… but because they are absent… NON EXISTENT clues… NOT EXISTENT information.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Photo Credit: Bedford Hills Fire Department
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Locus of control is a psychological principal that refers to the extent to which a person feels they are in control of the events that can affect their life, well-being or success. It is often associated with how a person views what happens to them in life and who is responsible for their successes and failures. I recently came across some research on the topic of locus of control that got me wondering about the correlation it may have to first responder safety and risk taking.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
First responders can experience three types of stress: Acute stress, episodic acute stress and chronic stress. This episode explores how stress can impact a first responder’s situational awareness and, equally concerning, how stress can have devastating long-term impacts on a responder’s health and wellness.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Instructor John Dixon discusses the normalization of deviance, complacency, groupthink and more. He offers ideas about how to recognize the problem and recommends best practices for individuals and organizations for how to overcome this challenging – and potentially deadly – phenomenon.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Information
John Dixon
InstructorJohnDixon.com
Twitter: @InstructorDixon
Facebook: Instructor John Dixon
Website: InstructorJohnDixon.com
LinkedIn: Instructor John Dixon
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On January 19, 2009 the West Metro Fire Department responded to a well-involved, wind-driven residential dwelling fire. This multiple alarm fire was their second for the evening. Previously, the same companies had worked a multiple alarm garden-style apartment building fire.
During this interview, Division Chief Dan Phannenstiel discusses what happened at both fires and the near-miss event that gave rise to him completing a lessons learned evaluation.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Information
Division Chief Dan Pfannenstiel
West Metro Fire Rescue
DPfannenstiel@westmetrofire.org
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On January 19, 2009 the West Metro Fire Department responded to a well-involved, wind-driven residential dwelling fire. This multiple alarm fire was their second for the evening. Previously, the same companies had worked a multiple alarm garden-style apartment building fire.
During this interview, Division Chief Dan Phannenstiel discusses what happened at both fires and the near-miss event that gave rise to him completing a lessons learned evaluation.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Information
Division Chief Dan Pfannenstiel
West Metro Fire Rescue
DPfannenstiel@westmetrofire.org
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On May 22, 2010, John Glaser, a 33-year-old career fire fighter died while conducting a primary search of a residential house fire. Firefighter Glaser vomited in his SCBA face piece and then removed it, causing him to inhale products of combustion.
The fire was reported by automatic alarm at 8:55 p.m. Saturday at 13408 W. 75th Court, according to fire officials. When firefighters arrived, they found the home burning out of control. Neighbors told firefighters they thought two people and a dog were inside.
Firefighters began attacking the fire and searching the home.
As they were searching the home at 9:12 p.m., a mayday call went out because a firefighter was missing.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Information
Battalion Chief Ryan Pyle
Shawnee Fire Department
RPyle@cityofshawnee.org
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On May 22, 2010, John Glaser, a 33-year-old career fire fighter died while conducting a primary search of a residential house fire. Firefighter Glaser vomited in his SCBA face piece and then removed it, causing him to inhale products of combustion.
The fire was reported by automatic alarm at 8:55 p.m. Saturday at 13408 W. 75th Court, according to fire officials. When firefighters arrived, they found the home burning out of control. Neighbors told firefighters they thought two people and a dog were inside.
Firefighters began attacking the fire and searching the home.
As they were searching the home at 9:12 p.m., a mayday call went out because a firefighter was missing.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Information
Battalion Chief Ryan Pyle
Shawnee Fire Department
RPyle@cityofshawnee.org
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
This episode explores two near-miss events involving vehicle fires. The first comes from a Situational Awareness Matters member and the second from the National Near-Miss reporting system. In both cases if circumstances were just slightly different there could have been a significant catastrophic outcome.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Photo Credit: Bedford Hills Fire Department
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
A few years ago I had the honor of presenting at a conference called Fire Asia. It was hosted in Hong Kong and brought together fire professionals from Asia, Europe and Australia. While there, I received a tour of the Hong Kong Fire Department training center.
One of the things that stood out to me is how they use noise to impact awareness while training responders. This episode shares my observations from the Hong Kong Fire Service and what we can learn from their use of noise during training.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
The red flags discussed in the episode are clues and cues that provide conscious (overt) awareness of what is going on or subconscious (covert) awareness of what may be going on. The red flags are clues and cues that indicate things may not be right for an interior entry.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
There is a three stage process to develop and maintain situational awareness that starts with perception and then advances to understanding and, finally, culminates with prediction – the ability to anticipate future events before they happen. In this episode, I provide a framework for how to predict outcomes.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
If you are a student of near-miss and casualty reports then you know, without a doubt, that flawed communications is a major contributing factor when things go wrong and flawed communications is often a factor when the quality of situational awareness erodes.
In fact, flawed communications was the second most frequently cited barrier to flawed situational awareness in my research, second only to staffing issues.
But how does communications get so messed up at emergency scenes? This episode explores some of the barriers to effective communications.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
This Q&A session addresses three questions from recent live situational awareness programs. Much of the inspiration for the blog posts come from participant questions but this may be the first podcast episode dedicated to questions asked during live events. The three questions we address include:
-
What can I do to improve my intuition?
-
What can I do as first responders to combat information overload?
-
How can I tell when my perception of reality is flawed?
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
The phrase “Perfect Storm” is used to describe a combination of unpredictable circumstances that cause drastic outcomes. The term is also used to describe circumstances that occur so infrequently that they are thought to be unpredictable and thus, perhaps, unpreventable. The term can also sometimes be used to describe the worst-case scenario of a potential, not yet experienced, event.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
I get asked a lot of questions 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 first arriving company officer assume a "working command" or "mobile command" position and engage in the firefight with their crew? This episode looks to answer that question and more.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Photo Credit
John M. Buckman III
Wildfire Studios
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In this interview with Chief Lohr, we discuss how he is working to change a culture and to improve safety for the members of the Hagerstown Fire Department. Listen in as he shares important messages about safety complacency, culture, situational awareness, politics and succession planning.
This episode will also be available a video on the SAMattersTV YouTube. Youtube.com/SAMattersTV
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Our Guest
Chief Steve Lohr
Hagerstown Fire Department
SLohr@hagerstownmd.org
301-790-2476
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
The process by which situational awareness is formed begins withusing your five senses (seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting andsmelling) to gather information from your environment. That mayarguably be the easiest part of the situational awarenessdevelopmental process so long as you are “paying attention” to yourenvironment. Once the senses gather information, it converts itinto an electrical code that crackles its way down neural pathwaysto various destinations.
At some point, the inputs from the senses must be combined,compared and contrasted to help achieve a coherent understanding ofwhat is happening. This “understanding” is the second step alongthe way to developing situational awareness. But it’s not alwayseasy to understand the meaning of information, especially whenthere is conflict among the inputs.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Interview questions discussed included:
-
While conducting live burn evolutions fire instructors are bound by NFPA 1403 for safety reasons. And while fire instructors do not want to jeopardize the safety of the students (or fellow instructors), how can we incorporate fire dynamics demonstrations to show students what to expect, versus just lecturing students about dynamics?
-
How can fire dynamics be taught beyond the classroom?
-
Are lectures on fire dynamics enough to prepare firefighters?
-
During live burns firefighters are taught how to fight fires that consist of a few wooden pallets and some straw. Then, once the class is over these firefighters are expected to respond to fires that react very different than what they saw during training burns. Do you feel that instructors may be setting students up for failure on real firegrounds if they are not able to demonstrate the behaviors of real fires.
-
How can tactics be taught when training fires are not the same a real fires?
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On November 14, 2014, Indianapolis Captain (then Lieutenant) Eric Dreiman was assigned on Ladder 19. His station was dispatched at 1159 hours to a reported residential dwelling fire on Holly Avenue, about a half mile from the station.
On arrival the crew had heavy fire showing on the rear of the house and one occupant who had escaped reporting that her son was still inside. Dreiman, along with Firefighter Brian Kincaid made entry to conduct a primary search. Engine 19 was stretching an attack line and would soon follow… or so they thought.
The engine experienced a short delay in getting the line charged. Dreiman and Kincaid advanced into the house on the search. There was a sudden change in conditions and Dreiman made the decision to retreat.
As the approached the front door, the fire flashed over. Kincaid was exiting on to the front porch. Dreiman was behind Kincaid and was exposed to extreme fire conditions that burned his gear and burned him. Upon exiting, their gear was on fire and they had to be extinguished by the engine crew.
Listen to the amazing near-miss story where, if their decision to exit was delayed by only a few seconds, it would have likely resulted in a double line-of-duty death.
Observations and lessons learned included:
- Avoiding the “routine” call mindset.
- Wear all your gear properly.
- Train on fire behavior.
- Learn how to read smoke.
- Participate in flashover training.
- Don’t take the engine line advancement for granted.
- Realize when civilian lives are no longer savable.
- Understand you can suffer from auditory exclusion while operating in a high-stress environment.
- Time distortion can impact your awareness.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
e_dreiman@yahoo.com
Cell: 317-793-1838
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On November 14, 2014, Indianapolis Captain (then Lieutenant) Eric Dreiman was assigned on Ladder 19. His station was dispatched at 1159 hours to a reported residential dwelling fire on Holly Avenue, about a half mile from the station.
On arrival the crew had heavy fire showing on the rear of the house and one occupant who had escaped reporting that her son was still inside. Dreiman, along with Firefighter Brian Kincaid made entry to conduct a primary search. Engine 19 was stretching an attack line and would soon follow… or so they thought.
The engine experienced a short delay in getting the line charged. Dreiman and Kincaid advanced into the house on the search. There was a sudden change in conditions and Dreiman made the decision to retreat.
As the approached the front door, the fire flashed over. Kincaid was exiting on to the front porch. Dreiman was behind Kincaid and was exposed to extreme fire conditions that burned his gear and burned him. Upon exiting, their gear was on fire and they had to be extinguished by the engine crew.
Listen to the amazing near-miss story where, if their decision to exit was delayed by only a few seconds, it would have likely resulted in a double line-of-duty death.
Observations and lessons learned included:
- Avoiding the “routine” call mindset.
- Wear all your gear properly.
- Train on fire behavior.
- Learn how to read smoke.
- Participate in flashover training.
- Don’t take the engine line advancement for granted.
- Realize when civilian lives are no longer savable.
- Understand you can suffer from auditory exclusion while operating in a high-stress environment.
- Time distortion can impact your awareness.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
e_dreiman@yahoo.com
Cell: 317-793-1838
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In my efforts to research and share what causes issues with situational awareness I have uncovered over 100… what I call… Barriers. These barriers impact a person’s ability to develop and maintain situational awareness.
In this episode I am going to explore the challenges of staffing as a barrier to situational awareness by sharing excerpts of interviews I conducted with expert-level fireground commanders during my doctoral research.
If you are interested in reading the complete research study, the book (Fireground Command Decision Making: Understanding the barriers challenging command situation awareness) is available through the SAMatters.com store.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Captain Ryan Cox, Fire Apparatus Operator Tom Reel, Firefighter Jay McManigal and Firefighter John Alvey share the details of a close call during a routine truck check when Ladder 7 came into contact with a 33 kV transmission line on January 2, 2016.
If circumstances were just slightly different, this incident could have resulted in multiple firefighter fatalities.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Tom Reel, Fire Apparatus Operator
Sioux Falls Fire Department
treel@siouxfalls.org
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Very few podcasters make it this far… to their 100th episode. When you consider that each episode takes 2-3 hours of script writing, recording, editing, arranging and interviewing guests, that’s quite an investment of time. The mission of Situational Awareness Matters is to help you see the bad things coming… in time to avoid bad outcomes.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Greg Yost has served as a firefighter in Hancock, Maryland for more than 30 years. He has been an advocate for improving responder safety on highways incidents for many years.
On June 21, 2014 Greg’s daughter, Daniele, was involved in a vehicle accident where the investigation determined that she was distracted while driving. As a result, her vehicle drifted left of center and struck another vehicle head-on, killing both drivers.
Greg has since dedicated himself to teaching classes for teens and adults on the challenges of distracted driving.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Greg Yost
Gyost73@hotmail.com
ResponderSafety.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
It is a widely held belief that the best decisions are made without the interference of emotions. Economists and statisticians alike stand fast to this belief – the best decisions are made with using pure logic. Facts and formulas lead to the most rational decisions.
But do they? Image for a moment if the emotional control center of a person’s brain were removed. Would that person then make better decisions? We’ll review a medical case that answers this question.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
The precursor to situational awareness is situational readiness, which I define as: Having the ability to anticipate what things need to be in place to be well-prepared for an emergency response; and then, taking the steps necessary to ensure the right things are done, in advance of the actual response, to be properly prepared.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
This episode was inspired by an email from a listener wanted to know if an officer’s administrative duties, assignments, tasks and workload can impact on situational awareness.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
First responders spend a lot of time together, on calls, in the station, and in many cases in social settings outside of work. All of this interaction builds relationships that allow responders to trust their lives to each other. We’ll discuss how peer pressure can be beneficial and detrimental to first responder safety.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Your brain is awesome at capturing, processing, storing and recalling information. But it has limitations, especially when it comes to memory under stress. There are four steps in the process of developing a memory: Encoding, storage, retrieval and forgetting. The process is quite complex. Perhaps I'll dedicate a future chapter to walking readers through the complete process of memory formation. But for now, I am going to focus on the first step, encoding.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
To think being safe and being aggressive cannot coexist is to believe that responders must sacrifice safety if/when they choose to be aggressive. Or, when responders choose to do things safely, they can no longer be aggressive. In truth, safety and aggressiveness can be accomplished simultaneously.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
The San Francisco Fire Department conducted an internal review of the incident and issued a 156-page report on their findings. Many of the lessons relate to situational awareness and it is from that perspective that I would like to share my assessment on several of their findings.
I dedicate this podcast to the lives of Lieutenant Vincent Perez and firefighter/paramedic Anthony M. Valerio and I applaud the San Francisco Fire Department for conducting an internal review and for sharing their findings with the fire service so we may all learn from tragedy.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Good or bad, we all have habits. On an emergency scene good habits can save your life and bad habits can result of tragic consequences. So it stands to reason that you would want to form good habits and avoid bad habits, right? But you can form bad habits and not be aware of it.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
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, (maybe all while driving) this episode is for you. Advances in technology have given us more opportunities to multitask than any other time in the history of humankind. We are bombarded with visual and audible stimulation, most of which is at our fingertips.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
While attempting to command an understaffed incident scene, the attention of the company officer or the incident commander can be narrowly focused on what is causing him or her the greatest stress. In the case of understaffing, the safety of personnel operating in the hazardous conditions can be a huge stressor. If this happens, it may cause a responder to narrow their attention and cause him or her to miss seeing, or hearing, important clues and cues.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
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, all over the place with some participants saying the commander should be in turnout gear. Some said the commander should not be in turnout gear. And some displayed the typical (and expected) distain for management and saying the chiefs should just stay in their offices. Editorial comments lacking maturity aside, the question of whether an incident commander should wear turnout gear is one I field often during my Fifty Ways to Kill a First Responder program so I thought I'd take the matter up here.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Cover Photo:
John Buckman
Chief Photographer
WildFire Studios
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
If I were to tell you that on an emergency scene it is possible for you to use X-Ray vision, you'd probably think I've been watching too many Superman movies. But it is possible for you to look right through a solid object on an emergency scene and see what's beyond it. Seriously! This episode will explain how that is possible and why this skill is so vitally important to your safety.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
This episode defines high reliability organizations and looks at the common threads that have emerged in organizations that embrace HRO philosophies. We will look at:
- Organizational complexity
- Teamwork
- How knowledge supersedes rank
- Communications
- Accountability
- Feedback
- Compressed time constraints
- Sensitivity to operations
- Reluctance to simplify
- Preoccupation with failure
- Deference to expertise
- Resilience
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
References for this episode
- Baker, D.P., Day, R., & Salas, E. (2006). Teamwork as an essential component of high-reliability organizations. Health Serv Res. Aug;41(4 Pt 2):1576-98.
- McKeon, L.M., Oswaks, J.D., & Cunningham P.D. (2006). Safeguarding patients: complexity science, high reliability organizations, and implications for team training in healthcare. Clin Nurse Spec. Nov-Dec;20(6):298-304; quiz 305-6.
- Roberts, K.H. & Rousseau, D,M. (1989). Research in nearly failure-free, high-reliability organizations: having the bubble. IEEE Trans Engin Manage. May 36(2):132-9.
- Weick, K.E., & Sutcliffe, K.M.(2001). Managing the unexpected: assuring high performance in an age of complexity. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In this episode we provide a working definition of situational awareness and take the mystery out of how it is developed and maintained by individuals working in high risk, high consequence environments.
Specifically, we will discuss:
- Perception
- Understanding
- Prediction
- Intuition
- Pattern Matching
- Tacit Knowledge
And we will address some of the reasons why situational awareness can be so challenging to develop and maintain.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In this episode we discussed some really important and valuable topics that all firefighters can face, including:
-
How to maintain control of you own personal situation when you show up on scene of a house fire and find out that it is owned and or occupied by either a family member, loved one, ex partner, friend, etc.
-
The impact that helmet cameras can have on situational awareness, decision making and behavior.
-
How to keep from getting caught off-guard when you arrive at a working incident
-
How a firefighter (non-officer) can develop and maintain situational awareness.
County of Grande Prairie Regional Fire Service Recruitment Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-NsafQaRPA .
The County of Grande Prairie Regional Fire Service is comprised of several different stations at different levels. We have 2 full time staffed stations which cover the regions of the County of Grande Prairie which immediately surround the City of Grande Prairie. These 2 stations are composite (combination staffing) and typically are comprised of 2 full time staff, supplemented by 2 part time (paid on call staff) for a total of four crew members in each of the 2 stations.
Overall, staffing consists of 20 full time-staff, and another 80 part-time members. The staffed service area has a population of approximately 12,000 with a mix of rural, urban, commercial, industrial and forested areas.
As a result of the variety they face, the County of Grande Prairie Regional Fire Service members are trained to provide a wide array of services. Members are trained for:
- Structural / vehicle Firefighting to 1001 Level 2
- Hazardous materials to technician level
- Rope rescue to technician level
- Ice rescue to technician level
- Wildland firefighting to 1051 level 1
- MVC extrication to 1001 level 2
- Confined space rescue 1006 level 1
- Farm extrication 1006 level 2
- Medical co-responses to EMR (EMT-B)
The service area for the staffed stations is about 300 square miles. In addition we have 3 rural volunteer paid on call stations in 3 of our hamlets, and an additional 4 stations in 3 towns and 1 village located within the county to provide services. Our rural volunteer stations are 100% operated by our service. The contract departments are operated by their municipalities, and are provided with apparatus for county responses by our service. The entire County of Grande Prairie covers approximately 2800 square miles. The call volume for the entire region excluding the city of Grande Prairie is about 1500 calls per year. Our 2 staffed stations see about 800-900 of those calls.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Guest Information
Jason Nesbitt
Captain “C” Platoon
County of Grande Prairie Regional Fire Service
Phone: 780-532-3145
Cell: 780-814-0280
www.countygp.ab.ca
Address: 10001 - 84 Avenue
Clairmont, AB T0H 0W0
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Dispatched to a report of multiple people trapped on the second floor of an apartment building with rising water, Tiger Schmittendorf and two of other members of his department launched their rescue boat and located the victims on in the apartment building. While preparing them for removal the conditions outside changed significantly and the slow moving water became swift moving water.
Listen in as he chronicles how the firefighters were able to remove the victims but then almost became victims themselves. Lessons learned included:
-
Don’t allow yourself it get into a situational you are not adequately trained and prepared to handle.
-
Don't wear bunker pants while performing a water rescue.
-
Don't let emotions drive your decision making.
-
Only used trained responders for water rescue evolutions.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Guest Information
Tiger Schmittendorf
Deputy Fire Coordinator
Erie County Emergency Services
716-777-0205
Tiger@TigerSchmittendorf.com
TrainYourReplacement.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
John Martens is Founder of NMotion UAS, which provides Drone (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) technologies to public safety professionals and emergency management groups. These technologies enable responders to better assess, execute, and mitigate emergencies.
As a firefighter, Martens initially discovered the unmanned aircraft industry through a previous company in video production and digital media. Martens was driven to improve the life safety of his crew members and other responders with a mission to revolutionize the dull, dirty, and dangerous tasks that they perform regularly.
His company was launched in March of 2014 and provides complete systems and relevant services to equip agencies with various aircraft, training, and delivery platforms. Martens received a Bachelor’s degree from Fort Hays State University in Organizational Leadership and a minor in Emergency Services.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Guest Information
John Martens
NMotion UAS
316-804-8149
620-217-6031
john@nmotionuas.com
P.O. Box 917 Hesston, KS 67062
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HovWlBCluqM
https://youtu.be/CdntbcwuWO0?t=2m34s
www.nmotionuas.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On January 30, 2010, Captain Tim Kohlbeck and Lieutenant Chase Longmiller, assigned to the heavy rescue at Sheboygan Fire Station #1 were dispatched to a structure fire with the possibility of people trapped on the second floor.
They were inside conducting the search when conditions when conditions changed quickly. Their decisive actions saved their lives… barely.
Lessons learned included:
-
Knowing the buildings in your town – both construction and layout.
-
Building mutual trust with your company.
-
Realizing when you’re in an environment where victims are not savable.
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Keeping a big picture focus.
-
Decide. Act! (no hesitation).
-
Trusting your guy.
-
Understanding the characteristics of a high-energy (pre-flashover) fire environment.
Tim Kohlbeck,Biography:
Tim Kohlbeck is serving in his his 26th year with the City of Sheboygan (WI) Fire Department. He was hired in 1990 and currently serves the city as a Captain and is assigned to Rescue 3, the city’s heavy rescue unit.
Tim is trained to the Technician level in Ropes, Confined Space, and Trench Rescue, and to Level 1 in Structural Collapse. Currently, he teaches rope and confined space rescue, as well as vehicular extrication for the department. He has been married to his wife Kathy for 24 years, and they have two children- Luke, 19 and Sarah, 17.
Chase Longmiller Biography
Lieutenant Chase Longmiller has served with the Sheboygan (WI) Fire Department for 18 years. Prior to that, he served in the United States Air Force as a Security Police Officer.
Chase has held the rank of Firefighter and Fire Equipment Operator (FEO) prior to being promoted to Lieutenant in 2015. He is the President of Sheboygan Professional Firefighters Local 483, and he has served on the Executive Board for 14 years. He is married with two children, ages 6 and 4.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Guest Information
Captain Tim Kohlbeck
Timothy.Kohlbeck@SheboyganWI.gov
Lieutenant Chase Longmiller
Chase.Longmiller@SheboyganWI.gov
Photographer Information:
Gary C. Klein/Sheboygan Press Media
Copyright, all rights reserved
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On February 8, 2009, Lieutenant Lentz (now Assistant Chief) was working a residential dwelling fire when a wall unexpectedly collapsed on him.
This resulted in multiple critical injuries including multiple fractured vertebrae, a pelvis fracture, a broken leg, multiple rib fractures and a collapsed lung. He was air lifted to Huntsville Hospital and underwent multiple surgeries and spent nearly a year in rehabilitation therapy, having to learn how to walk again.
Listen as he recounts the events as they unfolded, what he was thinking as he laid there under the pile of debris, not sure if anyone even knew he was there, how his faith changed following the incident and his painful road to recovery.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Guest Information
Assistant Chief Morris Lentz
Rogersville Volunteer Fire Department
MorrisTLentz@bellsouth.net
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
This discussion includes the four steps in the progression of competency:
Step 1: Unconscious incompetence – being unaware of what you do not know.
Step 2: Conscious incompetence – being aware of how much you do not know.
Step 3: Conscious competence – being aware of how much you know.
Step 4: Unconscious competence – being unaware of how much you know.
You will also be introduced to the Dunning-Kruger Effect. In 1999, two professors at Cornell University conducted a series of experiments and published their findings in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. What they uncovered is a cognitive bias where unskilled people suffer from the illusion of having superior skills and knowledge.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Spectrum Aeromed
Spectrum-Aeromed.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
One of the essential components of well-developed situational awareness is being able to accurately predict the future. This prediction should be made during the initial scene size up and then it should be updated often as the incident progresses.
In this episode, the need to begin with the end in mind will be explored and tips will be provided for how to improve outcome predictions.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
As it relates to first responders operating in emergency situations, their behaviors can be classified into one of two categories: Desired and undesired. Desired behaviors are those rooted in safety and best practices. Hopefully these are the behaviors taught during basic training and reinforced during on-going training and promoted during emergency responses.
Undesired behaviors are those rooted in unsafe behaviors and practices. These can be taught in training or can develop over time as a result of drifting away from best practices.
Behaviors are encouraged or discouraged with reinforcement. Reinforcement can be positive (i.e., providing something desirable or withholding something undesired) or negative (i.e., withholding something desired or providing something undesired).
Behaviors (both positive and negative) are influenced by reinforcement (both positive and negative). Let me provide you with a few examples of how these concepts marry up.
Positive reinforcement of desired behavior: A first responder performs tasks safely and consistent with best practices and is publicly acknowledged and recognized by a supervisor for the behavior.
Negative reinforcement of undesired behavior: A first responder performs tasks that are unsafe and inconsistent with best practices and is privately counseled with a warning that continuing the undesired behavior will result in a punitive consequence.
Negative reinforcement of desired behavior: A first responder performs tasks safely and consistent with best practices and is admonished or ridiculed by a supervisor for performing the task with a primary consideration for personal safety.
Positive reinforcement of undesired behavior: A first responder performs a task that is unsafe and inconsistent with best practices and a supervisor who is aware of the behavior fails to address it.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
The Ontario Fire Service Critical Incident Initiative was formed when training officers in the province realized that, armed with accurate and timely information about critical incidents, they could use this data to drive training to improve firefighter safety.
Currently in the province there is no formal agency whose charge is to capture and share this information with the fire service. While investigations have been completed on many critical incidents, assess to the data has been difficult as Provincial agencies have been slow to share the findings with the fire service. Not only can this lead to frustration, it can also lead to misinformation being shared.
And while the training officers of Ontario can access and use near-miss and line-of-duty death reports from the United States, it is their belief that while there may be some similarities, there are just as likely some unique aspects about critical fire incidents in the Province.
However, absent the access to data, they cannot confirm their suspicions and lack the data to drive changes in training.
During this conversation, recorded on the campus of the Ontario Fire College, we discuss their vision for creating a system to gather and share information from critical incidents in Ontario.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Brent Thomas
Assistant Chief
Orillia Fire Department
705-325-5889
bthomas2orillia.ca
Steve MacInnis
Training Director
Kitchener Fire Department
519-741-2200 x5527
Stephen.macinnis@kitchener.ca
Richard Craibbe
Chief Training Officer
Town of Oakville
905-845-6601
Richard.craibbe@oakville.ca
Ontario Association of Fire Training Officers
http://www.firetraining.ca
Twitter/SafetyBluePrint
www.TheSafetyBlueprint.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Today’s guest is Shawn Rafferty, and expert on how to help people be more aware of their surroundings and how to prevent themselves from become a victim of violent acts.
In light of recent events where members of the first responder community have been targeted for acts of violence, I thought this would be a great topic to discuss.
However, since it’s not, explicitly, my area of knowledge (personal protection), I brought in the expert.
Shawn Rafferty’s background includes having worked as a:
- U.S. Marine
- Corrections officer
- Police officer
- Force protection officer
- Security consultant
- Protective security specialist
- Martial arts instructor
- Firearms instructor
- Federal agent
Shawn is married with 2 children. Son is 8 years old and daughter is 20 months old. His wife is from Malaysia and is a Major in the active Army National Guard. Currently they reside in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas while his wife attends the Command General Staff College.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Shawn Rafferty
Shawn@TheSafetyBlueprint.com
Facebook.com/safetyblueprint
Twitter/SafetyBluePrint
www.TheSafetyBlueprint.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In this episode, I discuss how to create thinking firefighters and share powerful examples of how our training may be a set-up for failure not because of poor instruction.
Rather, because instructors have not been taught the art and science of decision making on the drill ground. The focus is nearly always in the action of firefighting without consideration for the decision making that should precede the action.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
The latest Book from Ryan Pennington, Hoarder Homes: Pile of Hazards for Firefighters is a culmination of three years of research into fires that occur inside homes filled with large amounts of belongings. Compulsive Hoarding Disorder is a psychological mental condition that affects between 2-5% of adults. With the number of afflicted growing so is the chances of firefighters having to deal with this issue.
The book covers:
· Introduction to Compulsive Hoarding Disorder
· Dangers faced by firefighters
· Identifying and Pre-Planning hoarding
· Introduced to a new name for hoarding
· Offensive Fire attack
· Defensive attack
· Searching in Hoarding conditions
· Overhauling
· Special additional chapter covers EMS response in Hoarding Conditions.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest contact information:
Ryan Pennington
Jumpseatviews@iCloud.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Some of the least appreciated members of the emergency response team are the communications specialists (in some venues, termed dispatchers). How do I know this? First, I served as a communications specialist (my job title was dispatcher) early in my career and I was routinely subjected to criticism and ridicule from responders because the information I shared with them wasn’t always accurate – like I was giving them misinformation on purpose.
Second, in my situational awareness classes I often hear the same criticism of communications specialists I endured almost 30 years ago. I would like to offer some perspective on communications specialists and the critical role they can play in forming and maintaining situational awareness for responders.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
This episode is a recording on an interview conducted by Adam Farrar, Fire Chief in Wadesville, Indiana. Chief Farrar’s department hosted a full-day SAMatters Tour stop in August which was the third time Chief Farrar had attended a program.
Inspired by the message, Adam decided to write a research paper on the topic for one of his college classes and interviewed Dr. Gasaway on the origins of SAMatters, the definition of SA and the top 10 most challenging SA barriers.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Simply stated, the stressed brain does not function the same as the non-stressed brain and for first responders, that’s a BIG DEAL… because the environments we work in are often flooded with stress. Stress changes brain function and these changes can have some very desirable… and some VERY undesirable impacts on your ability to develop and maintain situational awareness and in your ability to make decisions. This episode is going to explore some of the impacts of stress on SA and decision making.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
You’ve heard the saying that a person learns more from their mistakes than they do from the things to do right. This is true in life and in firefighting. But there is a place and time to allow failure and this episode is dedicated to explaining how to build failure into your training evolutions.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
During the Mental Management of Emergencies program we talk about the process of how to develop and maintain situational awareness. And then, we talk about how to use situational awareness as the foundation for decision making.
Discussions revolve around how we train first responders which requires training both cognitive and kinesthetic skills (i.e., information and muscle movement). Stated another way, teaching the WHAT and WHY (cognitive) and the HOW (kinesthetic).
However, on the drill ground, some instructors bypass the cognitive and focus almost entirely on the kinesthetic. It is easy to understand why this happens, with the majority of explanations revolving around limited (precious) time on the drill ground.
That is understandable. But it’s not acceptable. For teaching decision making does not add substantial time to hands-on evolutions, so long as the instructor has spent some time in the classroom teaching the foundations of decision making. The drill ground becomes the closest thing to real-life practice that a firefighter/officer can experience. Teaching decision making, in the context of the real environment, is a critical skill that MUST be practiced.
This episode is dedicated to how to teach decision making in real-world context.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Lieutenant Todd Budd, at the time of his close call event was serving as the acting officer on Brownsburg ladder company 131. They were dispatched to assist a neighboring community for a working building fire. The call came in after midnight and their on-duty crew of four responded along with a battalion chief.
Lt. Budd was the officer of the quint. While responding, information was relayed to the crew (from one of their off-duty officers who was at the scene in an unofficial capacity) that the fire was in a building approximately 100 years old, 50 feet wide in the front and rear with 80-foot sides. There was a restaurant on the main floor, apartments on the second floor and an open cockloft.
The fire was advancing and first-due units had been there for 11/2 hours prior to our dispatch. The crew was advised that the fire was extending into the cockloft and the roof needed to be ventilated. The quint’s assignment was to lay our five-inch supply line to an engine in the rear as they approached and get to the roof and ventilate.
While on the roof to ventilate, Lieutenant Todd because distracted and he ended up walking right into the ventilation hole, resulting in several injuries… and several important lessons learned, including:
-
Considering the building type, construction and hazards prior to engagement.
-
The need to employ tactics that fit the situation, versus employing universal tactics taught in training.
-
The need to understand fire behavior.
-
And the need to ask yourself… “Is the juice worth the squeeze?” A question he references several times throughout the interview.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Lieutenant Todd Budd
Brownsburg Fire Territory
tbudd@brownsburgfire.org
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In this episode Dave Dodson shares how he created the Art of Reading Smoke program that has become a must-attend program for all firefighters. He also discusses his latest project – his recently released Art of Reading Buildings book that he co-authored with John Mittendorf.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Dave Dodson
DaveDodson@q.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Situational awareness starts with capturing clues and cues in your environment (perception) and then understanding what those clues and cues mean (comprehension). At a structure fire the process of capturing information should involve a complete 360-degree size-up of the scene. Many departments have policies that stipulate the completion of a 360-degree size up. Yet, for some reason, it’s not always done. This episode provides an explanation why that might happen and how to fix the problem.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Deputy Chief Nick Miller was first-in on a residential trailer home fire that resulted in two close calls. The first occurred when Miller’s SCBA was running out of air and he did not hear the alarm. The second occurred when a captain and recruit firefighter were over run by heat and had to bail out a window to survive.
Lessons learned included:
- The need for teamwork and crew coordination.
- The need to ensure communications are heard and understood.
- The need to coordinate incident activities and priorities.
- The importance of avoiding independent action on a fireground.
- The impact of task fixation
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Nick Miller
nickmiller518@gmail.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
The episode addresses five questions asked during SAMatters live Tour events, including:
- You've shared many of the challenges we face as first responders when our brains gets stressed. Are there any good things that come from our reaction to stress?
- You talked a lot in the program about identifying and understanding the critical clues and cues during size-up. I'm a newer firefighter. Is there anything I can do to get better at this skill?
- Do you have any advice for how a young officer can develop command competency (including command situational awareness)?
- During the presentation you said the training should be as realistic as possible. Our police department was doing "realistic" hand-to-hand combat training. So realistic, in fact, that some officers were getting hurt. So we stopped doing that. Now, the instructors tell us to only put forth "ten percent" effort... "go through the motions" of how to subdue someone, but don't actually do it because someone might get hurt. Based on what you just taught us, is this a set-up for failure?
- There are some safety training programs our employees take that are online, such as fire extinguisher usage. Is this type of training good? Should we also be doing hands-on training?
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
What can you learn from someone who has survived close call? The answer is… A LOT. When I launched this show in April 2014, the purpose was, as it remains, to help first responders improve situational awareness and decision making while operating in high stress, high consequence environments. This mission has been supplemented by the real-life experiences of close call survivors, sharing INCREDIBLE stories about how they nearly died and, in some cases, how their comrades did die.
This episode reviews some of the most incredible interviews conducted with close call survivors, including:
Episode 17: Indianapolis Fire Department Health & Safety Chief Doug Abernathy sharing his close call survival story at the Athletic Club Hotel Fire that claimed the lives of two firefighters.
Episode 18: Aurora Fire Lieutenant Sean Dolan sharing his close call survival story from being caught in a flashover while operating a hose line to provide protection to a truck company crew conducting a primary search.
Episode 35: Winnipeg Firefighter Lionel Crowther sharing his close call survival story from a flashover event at a residential dwelling fire that claimed the lives of two firefighters.
Episode 42: Raleigh Fire Captain Steven Page sharing his close call survival story from being lost, disoriented and alone inside a commercial building fire and how he narrowly escaped with his life.
Episode 45: Yakima County Fire District #5 Captain Dave Martin sharing his close call survival story from being caught in a fast moving wildland fire that almost claimed the life of a fellow firefighter.
Episode 55: Cypress Creek Lieutenant Jason Corthel sharing his close call survival story resulting from a structural collapse that trapped him and a fell firefighter at an apartment building fire.
Episode 57: Speedway Fire Lieutenant Jeff Cheshire sharing his close call survival story from being caught in rapidly changing conditions during a fire in an apartment building.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
One of the essential components of well-developed situational awareness is being able to accurately predict the future. This prediction should be made during the initial scene size up and then it should be updated often as the incident progresses. In this episode we discuss the need to begin with the end in mind will be explored and tips will be provided for how to improve outcome predictions.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On this episode we discuss how to make decisions in dynamically changing environments and the importance of using situational awareness as the foundation for making good decisions under stress. It is the decisions that first responders make, while operating in high stress, high consequence, time compressed environments (using situational awareness) that drive successful or unsuccessful outcomes.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Individuals impacted by tachypsychia have described it as having the appearance that time is elongated, giving the appearance that events are moving slower than reality. The opposite has also been described, where it appears time is speeding up, sometimes moving so fast that things appeared blurred.
In this episode we will also review a near-miss event where rapidly changing conditions at an apartment building fire put firefighters in a dangerous position.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
The tones drop for an apartment building fire. On the way, dispatch is advising multiple calls, confirming a working fire and the possibility of people trapped. The mind of the officer on the aerial platform is busy processing – thinking – anticipating – what will need to be done upon arrival? Of course, truck work is on the officer’s mind: Forcible entry; search and rescue; ventilation. The officer takes a deep breath and smiles. It’s going to be a good day. That is… until the officer gets overcome by mission myopia.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On June 30, 2008 an intense wind driven blaze destroyed a apartment building in Speedway, Indiana. As crews arrives on the scene a large column of smoke filling the sky from the building located along I-465 just north of Hollister Drive.
The fire started around 3:21 pm and quickly spread as high winds from the north pushed the fire further into the building.
Lieutenant Jeff Cheshire, then serving as a firefighter on Engine 202 recounts how his crew got over run by rapidly changing fire conditions and how another fire crew got blown down a set of stairs but what was described as a backdraft or smoke explosion.
Lessons Learned:
- The need to pay attention to clues that indicate unusual conditions.
- The need to trust your gut and to speak up when you sense something is not right.
- The need to overcome your concerns about what others might think of you if you suggest it may be time to leave.
- The need to rely on your training and to apply the lessons from training on the fireground.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Lieutenant Jeff Cheshire
Photos Courtesy of Jay Thompson
SpeedwayNavigator.net
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
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 first responders I have interviewed who have admitted to me that they have dismissed their gut feelings and proceeded to do things that resulted in bad outcomes. Let’s explore the origins of intuition.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In this episode, Cypress Creek Lieutenant Jason Corthell shares his close call survival story where he was operating on the second floor of an exterior stairwell at an apartment building fire.
The stairwell, not involved in fire at all, unexpectedly collapsed, trapping Lieutenant Corthell and District Chief Sanchez under tons of steel and concrete. A mayday was called and a rapid intervention crew was able to remove the debris and successful rescue the two firefighters.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Jason Corthell
jason.corthell@gmail.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In this episode, Dr. Richard B. Gasaway responds to five listener questions. Tune in as he shares the answers and provides some best practices for developing and maintaining strong situational awareness while working in high-risk, high consequence environments.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On May 12, 2012, Atascocita Volunteer Fire Captain Brian Mulligan and his crew responded to a reported gas leak that resulted in a very close call. If the circumstances were just slightly different, Brian could have been severely burned or electrocuted. Yes, at a gas leak call he almost got electrocuted! Listen in and learn how it happened and the valuable lessons Brian and his department took away from this event, including:
- The need to always be vigilant and, if it is possible, to expect the unexpected – to think about other explanations for what you may be seeing or hearing. As Brian will share, things are not always what they appear to be.
- Do not take anything for granted.
- Ensure you have a solid standard operating guideline for responses to gas emergencies. Brian’s department didn’t have one then… but they do now.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Captain Brian Mulligan
Atascocita Volunteer Fire Department
Email: BMulligan@avfd.com
Website: AVFD.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In this episode, I interview Andover (MN) Fire Chief Jerry Streich on the value of having a safety officer assigned during training evolutions. Chief Streich took part in a pilot program for the League of Minnesota Cities (his department’s insurance provided) in an effort to reduce training-related injuries.
The program has now been in place for two years and the Andover Fire Department has not had a single training-related injury in that time. This is impressive. Chief Streich discusses how the program came about and how your department might benefit from assigning a safety officer during training incidents.
Specific takeaways from this episode include:
- The importance of having safety on the minds of all participants in a training evolution.
- How safety can become a valued recruitment and retention tool.
- How to identify predictable injuries during training evolutions.
- How to reduce insurance costs by reducing training injuries.
- Ways to implement a training safety officer in your department.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Fire Chief Jerry Streich
jstreich@capstonepss.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
On Sunday March 29 Fire Captain Pete Dern was leading his crew across the roof to provide ventilation for the safety of attack crews when a catastrophic collapse dropped him into the inferno. Fellow Firefighters rescued him within minutes but he suffered 65-75 percent second and third degree burns across his body.
Following the incident a video of the event quickly made its way across mainstream media and social media. I was encouraged by the outpouring of support.
I was also repulsed by the number of firefighters who chose first to judge and speak poorly of Captain Dern and his department and their leadership. This episode is dedicated to Captain Dern and all firefighters who, in the moment, make split-second decisions that, for any of us, at any time, can result in tragedy.
This episode is a call to action. There are three actions I am requesting of listeners.
- Answer the questions I pose during the radio show that forces all of us to seek first to understand, and to allay our impulse to judge others (especially those we do not know).
- Shoot a short (30 second maximum length) video from your crew, company or department, offering support to Captain Dern and his family.
- Give a donation to support the Dern Family (a link is in the show notes).
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Send your short (under 30 seconds) video clip offering your support and encouragement to Captain Dern to: Support@RichGasaway.com
Fresno City Firefighters Local 753 Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fresno-City-Firefighters-Local-753/319960938364?fref=ts
YouCaring.com site set up to raise money for Captain Dern and his family:
http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/fire-captain-pete-dern-and-family/330134
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Peter Schenk has a wide and varied background. He has worked as a firefighter and a police officer. And he served 32 years with Northwest Airlines prior to their acquisition by Delta Airlines.
Peter was involved in the early stages of development of the cockpit resource management systems (CRM), now known as Crew Resource Management. This program is widely credited for reducing aviation accidents by taking proactive steps to address human error and improve communications and teamwork.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Peter Schenk
Pete.Schenk@gmail.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Just after 0700hrs Washington County 911 Dispatch received a call reporting heavy black smoke to the rear of 110 North Conococheague Street in Williamsport. The caller advised them that her house was also filling with the smoke from outside. Crews were quickly dispatched out on Box 2-1 at 07:20 hours that morning. Williamsport Rescue Engine 2 was able to see heavy smoke showing as they approached the scene. Lieutenant Nokes of Company 2 immediately requested the Working Fire Assignment as they arrived. Crews found heavy fire on side Charlie of the structure as they began their initial attack on the blaze. Chief William Ball from Company 2 arrived and assumed Command after a quick size up and face-to-face with Lieutenant Nokes. Firefighters worked to control the fire, but the fire found its way through a cock loft area and rapidly spread to different parts of the structure. At 07:48 hours Chief Ball requested a Second Alarm struck.
As heavy smoke encompassed the Williamsport area, crews continued to work diligently to gain control of the blaze. Firefighter’s main game plan at this point was to keep the fire contained to the main fire building. At 08:15 Chief Ball requested a third alarm and Level 2 Staging was established at Company 2’s quarters on Brandy Drive east of the incident. All hands continued to work to bring the blaze under control when Assistant Chief Kopp declared a May-Day after seeing a firefighter go down and become separated from his crew at 08:27 hours. RIT was immediately sent in to assist, but luckily the firefighter was able to self-extricate himself from the debris and rejoin his group quickly with no injuries. Firefighters continued on their quest to gain control as the building was deteriorating around them. After observing this, Command called for all buildings to be evacuated at 09:54 hours. It was later declared at 10:19 hours by Command that the Main Fire Building was off limits to all personnel due to the structural integrity being compromised. Around 11:00 hours, crews were seeing less smoke coming from the building showing signs that their efforts were working. It took four hours reaching a total of Five Alarms before bringing the fire under control which was reported to dispatch by Command at 11:20 hours.
Firefighters remained on the scene for several hours conducting salvage and over haul operations working to extinguish the remainder of the fire. Meanwhile the State Fire Marshal’s Office was on site working an investigation into what caused the blaze that destroyed this historical building. State FM26 Ed Ernst later announced that the cause was traced back to a furnace located in an outbuilding on side Charlie of the structure. The oil furnace malfunctioned sparking a fire in the attached out building which quickly spread to the main structure. Some Williamsport Residents were devastated by the loss of the building. The building itself dated back to the 1800’s pre-civil war era. Housing multiple businesses and hotels over the years, the building is best known as “Wolfe’s On The Square” currently housing a Liquor Store at 1 West Potomac Street and apartments on the North Conococheague Street side of the structure. The initial caller was the only occupant in the building at the time of the fire, and she was safely able to evacuate the structure prior to fire departments arrival. The American Red Cross was called out to the scene and was able to assist her since she lost everything in the fire. The building is believed to be a total loss with damages estimated to be around $500,000.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Ryan Fuller
rmfuller17@gmail.com
Mark Kopp
Mkopp1212@yahoo.com
Photo Credit
Michael Pannill
Williamsport Fire Company website
http://www.wvfems.org/news/index/layoutfile/home
Story Credit
William King
First Responder News
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Firefighters and addiction. It’s not something we like to acknowledge or talk about. On this episode, we both acknowledge the problem and I have two guests from the American Addiction Centers here to give first responders advice about how to get help.
I’m really excited to have as my guests Mark Lamplugh and Mike Healy, both first responders and both committed to helping first responders with addiction issues.
Assistant Chief Michael A. Healy is a forty -four year member of the Rockland County, NY fire service. He has served two prior terms as a chief. He is a NYS Fire Instructor, the Coordinator of Fire Education at the Rockland County Fire Training Center, a hands on fire instructor for the NYS Association of Fire Chiefs, and a member of the Rockland County CISM team.
Mike retired in 2008 from he NY Transit Authority as the Clinical Director of the NYC Transit / TWU Local 100 Union Assistance Program. He is a Certified Employee Assistance Professional, Substance Abuse Professional, and a Labor Assistance Professional – Certified. In 2011 he teamed with Mike Blackburn, (Battalion Chief Providence FD, retired) to build a program to offer help to firefighters throughout the country suffering from behavioral health issues. Teaming with the NVFC and American Addiction Centers we offer a national hotline number for firefighters and EMS personnel.
Mark Lamplugh, Jr. is a 4th generation firefighter and former Captain with the Lower Chichester Fire Company. He is now a national treatment consultant with American Addiction Centers specializing in First Responder Services. Mark has placed and referred 100’s of firefighters nationwide. He currently working towards his degree in applied psychology from Florida Institute of Technology and is a member of the American Academy of Experts of Traumatic Stress.
In this episode Mark and Mike talk about the growing issue of firefighter addiction and provide solid advice about how to get help.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
American Addiction Centers
888-731-3474
http://americanaddictioncenters.org
National Volunteer Fire Council
Share the Load Program
http://www.nvfc.org/hot-topics/share-the-load-support-program-for-fire-and-ems
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Chief Halton began his fire career in structural firefighting with the Albuquerque (NM) Fire Department. He left as chief of operations in 2004 and joined the Coppell (TX) Fire Department as its chief. He left this position to assume his duties at Fire Engineering. He is a graduate of the University of New Mexico. He has served on National Fire Protection Association technical committees and is active with the National Fallen Firefighters Life Safety Initiatives.
In this second part of a two-part interview (Part 1 was Episode 46) I start by asking Chief Halton to discuss what trends in the fire service are causing him concerns. Then we conclude with him sharing his wish list for firefighter safety.
I want to apologize to the listeners and to Chief Halton for having some audio issues with Skype. Where I could, I edited the audio to reduce the annoyance.
Double Backdraft Video Link
FDIC Website
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Chief Bobby Halton
Editor-in-chief, Fire Engineering
Education Director, FDIC International
RobertH@pennwell.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Chief Halton began his fire career in structural firefighting with the Albuquerque (NM) Fire Department. He left as chief of operations in 2004 and joined the Coppell (TX) Fire Department as its chief. He left this position to assume his duties at Fire Engineering. He is a graduate of the University of New Mexico. He has served on National Fire Protection Association technical committees and is active with the National Fallen Firefighters Life Safety Initiatives.
In this two-part interview (Part 2 will be Episode 47) we start by talking about FDIC International 2015 and all the exciting learning and networking opportunities you’ll have there. You’ll quickly see why the FDIC is the premier fire service educational conference in the world. During the interview Chief Halton shared with me the FDIC is the largest educational conference of its kind in the world as far as attendance and course offerings. There are 280 hands-on training session instructors who will deliver 21 classes on Monday and Tuesday and 211 course offerings on Wednesday and Thursday. And that’s only the beginning of what FDIC International has to offer.
Then we’ll transition into a discussion where Chief Halton shares what he’s seeing that gives him encouragement about firefighter safety.
In Part 2 of the interview we’ll pick up the discussion and Chief Halton shares what he’s seeing in the fire service that’s causing him concern… and we’ll conclude the episode with him sharing three things that are on his firefighter safety wish list.
I want to apologize to the listeners and to Chief Halton for having some audio issues with Skype. Where I could, I edited the audio to reduce the annoyance.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Chief Bobby Halton
Editor-in-chief, Fire Engineering
Education Director, FDIC International
RobertH@pennwell.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Dave Martin’s crew was assigned to the task of keeping the wildland fire from jumping Highway 97. Around 2100, Captain Martin and a member of the tribal fire management team were assigned to conduct a back-burn operation along the highway.
Unexpectedly, the fire blew up on them, eventually consuming 1,200 acres. While on a retreat from the fast moving fire, Captain Martin’s partner become entangled on a barbed wire fence. While being over run by hot embers and heavy smoke, Captain Martin used a utility knife to cut away his partner’s ensnarled clothing and they both narrowly escaped death.
-
The need to trust your intuition – your gut feel when it tells you something is not right.
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The importance of standing your ground when you feel a mistake is being made by your partner.
-
The consequences of overlooking critical clues and cues that indicate conditions are changing.
-
How task fixation and mission myopia and serve as barriers that impact your situational awareness and flaw your decision making.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Fire Chief Scott Burnette
Asheville Fire Department
stburnette@ashevillenc.gov
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Fire Chief Scott Burnette began his career as a firefighter for the City of Asheville (NC) Fire Department in 1995. Chief Burnette has an Associates Degree in Fire Protection Technology from Gaston College, a Bachelors Degree in Fire Safety Engineering Technology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and a Masters Degree in Executive Fire Service Leadership from Grand Canyon University. Chief Burnette is designated as a Chief Fire Officer through the Center for Public Safety Excellence and is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program. Chief Burnette worked his way through the ranks and was promoted to Fire Chief in November 2009.
In this two-part interview we start by talking about the structure fire at 445 Biltmore Avenue on July 28, 2011 that resulted in the tragic line-of-duty death of Captain Jeff Bowen. During this interview, Fire Chief Scott Burnette talks about that fateful day and the significant changes that have occurred in the Asheville Fire Department – changes that every fire department can benefit from. Chief Burnette discussed six top priorities they have been working in, including:
1.Air management
2.Staffing
3.Critical task analysis for RIT
4.Critical task analysis for incident management
5.Mayday operations
6.Health and wellness
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire: MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Fire Chief Scott Burnette
Asheville Fire Department
stburnette@ashevillenc.gov
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In this two-part interview we start by talking about the structure fire at 445 Biltmore Avenue on July 28, 2011 that resulted in the tragic line-of-duty death of Captain Jeff Bowen. During this interview, Fire Chief Scott Burnette talks about that fateful day and the significant changes that have occurred in the Asheville Fire Department – changes that every fire department can benefit from. Takeaways from this interview include:
-
How the process of a facilitated debriefing helped the Asheville Fire Department identify the 16 focus reas that represented opportunities for improvement.
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The importance of having an air management protocol and changing the department’s culture about air management.
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The need to have the right staffing front-loaded at an incident scene, including a command aide (or command technician) to support the Incident Commander.
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The value of completing critical task analysis to determine how many personnel are needed to perform vital tasks at incidents (such as RIT and incident management).
-
The importance of training personnel on how and WHEN to call a mayday.
-
The focus on health and wellness – ensuring members are fit for duty and providing on-duty time to workout.
Our sponsor:
Midwest Fire
MidwestFire.com
Intro Music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Fire Chief Scott Burnette
Asheville Fire Department
stburnette@ashevillenc.gov
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Raleigh Fire Captain Stephen Page, serving on the busy Ladder 4 in downtown Raleigh, responded to restaurant fire at 311 Glenwood Avenue. The ladder crew, followed by an engine crew with a hoseline, entered the heavily smoke filled environment with the mission of search and fire attack.
Crews were quickly overrun by changing conditions and an evacuation was ordered. All the crews scrambled for the exit, leaving Captain Page behind… along… without water… and disoriented. During this interview he recounts the story and shares his best advice, including:
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The need to pay attention to your gut instinct.
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Big fires need big water.
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Keep your focus on the big picture.
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Assess the risk-benefit of making entry in zero visibility environments.
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Maintaining allegiance to the mission of search, even after being informed by employees that everyone is out of the restaurant.
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The need to overcome pride and the competitive nature of firefighters to avoid creating risk.
Thank you to our sponsor:
Midwest Fire: MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Captain Stephen Page
Raleigh Fire Department
srpage505@gmail.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In this episode Dr. Gasaway interviews Santa Clara County Deputy Chief Steve Prziborowski, Contra Costa Battalion Chief Bob Atlas and Pinole Firefighter Christopher Baker on how to prepare for promotion to ensure you are providing the right safety leadership to your crew.
Each of the guests has a unique background and offer a varied perspective on how to prepare for a position of leadership. They offer their best advice for how to be a great company officer, including:
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The need to have mentors.
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The importance of being the “designated adult” in the firehouse.
-
The value of continual learning, even if your department won’t pay for it.
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How to prepare for promotion.
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And more!
Thank you to our sponsor:
Midwest Fire: MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information:
Steve Prziborowski, Deputy Chief
Santa Clara County Fire Department
408-205-9006
sprziborowski@aol.com
Bob Atlas, Battalion Chief
Contra Costa County Fire Department
Co-founder of Fire Alumni
batlas@firealumni.com
925-765-5800
Chris Baker, Firefighter
Pinole Fire Department
cbaker@firealumni.com
209-277-9268
FireAlumni.com
Code3FireTraining.com
ChabotFire.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In this episode I interview Ryan Pennington who runs the website ChamberOfHoarders.com. Ryan has a passion for helping first responders understand the challenges of fighting fires in hoarded environments. In this episode you’ll learn:
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Why Ryan prefers to call hoarded conditions “Heavy Content” and how that term applies to more than cluttered residential conditions.
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How to use Ryan’s shortcut of: Identify, Confirm, Orient and Control to improve safety while operating at Heavy Content incidents.
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Ryan shares the tactical considerations for operating at Heavy Content Incidents.
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He discusses the challenges of keeping oriented during searches and discusses why it’s never a good idea to climb over the pile.
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Finally, he shares some advice for how to remove victims from the Heavy Contents Environments.
Thank you to our sponsor:
Midwest Fire:
MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information:
Ryan Pennington
www.ChamberOfHoarders.com
@JumpseatViews (on Twitter)
jumpseatviews@icloud.com
304-545-6336
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
I recorded the featured content of this episode a few weeks back so you’ll notice the difference in the sound quality because I was using my standard podcasting microphone.
This episode was inspired by a long conversation I had with some firefighters about challenges they are facing with their station alerting system so I decided to dedicate an episode to this potential situational awareness barrier.
During this episode I discuss:
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The impact loud noises can have on stress levels.
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How noise triggers primal defenses.
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The long-term impact of noise exposure.
-
The need to upgrade station alerting systems.
Thank you to our sponsor:
Midwest Fire: MidwestFire.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
This episode is an interview with Dr. Burt Clark, author of the recently released book “I can’t save you but I’ll die trying: The American fire culture.” Dr. Clark shares his passion for firefighter safety and the need to change our culture.
During this interview we discussed the themes in his book, including:
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The Firefighter’s Genes: Fast, Close, Wet, Risk, Injury, Death
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Seatbelts save lives. So why don’t we wear them?
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Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! Know when to call it.
-
Best Practices
-
The Pursuit of Higher Education
-
His list of the best fire departments in America (from research he conducted based on criteria in the book: In Search of Excellence.
Thank you to our sponsors:
Midwest Fire: MidwestFire.com
Branding Iron Marketing: BrandingIron.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Dr. Burt Clark
cclark4949@aol.com
Premium Press America
www.PremiumPressAmerica.com
800-891-7323
615-353-7902
615-353-7905 fax
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Dr. Charles “Chad” Weinstein is the founder and president of Ethical Leaders in Action, a firm that exists to empower ethical leaders to achieve extraordinary results. He works primarily with leaders in public safety, healthcare, and business organizations.
Dr. Weinstein recently authored a book – Thinking Aloud. Reflections on Ethical Leadership.
During this interview we discussed:
Dr. Weinstein’s three guiding principles of ethical leadership.
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Excellence in service.
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Sound stewardship.
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Fairness.
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How Dr. Weinstein works with fire departments to identify opportunities to achieve excellence in leadership.
Dr. Weinstein’s new book – a collection of essays that can be used to inspire conversations about leadership best practices and the connection of safety, culture and ethical leadership.
Thank you to our sponsors:
Midwest Fire: MidwestFire.com
Branding Iron Marketing: BrandingIron.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Dr. Charles “Chad” Weinstein|
www.EthInAct.com
Twitter: @ChadWeinstein
651-646-1512
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
This is part 2 of a 2-part Interview.
Feb. 4, 2007, is the day that changed the lives of Lionel and Joanna Crowther forever. A firefighter with the Winnipeg, Manitoba, Fire Department, Lionel was off duty when he got called in for an overtime shift. Early into the shift his company, Engine 101 was dispatched to a reported residential dwelling fire.
Within minutes of responding to the call, a flashover occurred. Flames engulfed the entire house, trapping several firefighters on the second floor. Lionel managed to escape by jumping out of a second-story window.
When the smoke cleared and the flames were extinguished, two fire captains had been killed and four firefighters, including Lionel, were severely burned.
Take aways from this two-part interview include:
-
Department members received RIT training but were not trained on how or when to call a mayday, a missing component that would prove critical to the outcome of this incident.
-
The importance of being a student of every fire.
-
The need to acknowledge our own weaknesses and see where we have opportunities to improve.
-
The importance of not judging others, regardless of their opinions.
-
The value of learning from LODD reports and near-miss reports.
-
How many little mistakes add up and lead to catastrophe.
-
How brain function changes under stress and how our apparent “common sense” will be non-existent.
-
The impact of tragedy on family members.
-
Tragic outcomes can happen to any of us… ANY of us!
Thank you to our sponsors:
Midwest Fire: MidwestFire.com
Branding Iron Marketing: BrandingIron.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Lionel Crowther
ljncrowther@gmail.com
The Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors
http://www.phoenix-society.org/resources/entry/lionel-and-joanna-crowther
Ontario Professional Firefighters Association Magazine Article
http://digital.imedianorthside.com/i/111487/44
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
This is part 1 of a 2-part Interview.
Feb. 4, 2007, is the day that changed the lives of Lionel and Joanna Crowther forever. A firefighter with the Winnipeg, Manitoba, Fire Department, Lionel was off duty when he got called in for an overtime shift. Early into the shift his company, Engine 101 was dispatched to a reported residential dwelling fire.
Within minutes of responding to the call, a flashover occurred. Flames engulfed the entire house, trapping several firefighters on the second floor. Lionel managed to escape by jumping out of a second-story window.
When the smoke cleared and the flames were extinguished, two fire captains had been killed and four firefighters, including Lionel, were severely burned.
Take aways from this two-part interview include:
-
Department members received RIT training but were not trained on how or when to call a mayday, a missing component that would prove critical to the outcome of this incident.
-
The importance of being a student of every fire.
-
The need to acknowledge our own weaknesses and see where we have opportunities to improve.
-
The importance of not judging others, regardless of their opinions.
-
The value of learning from LODD reports and near-miss reports.
-
How many little mistakes add up and lead to catastrophe.
-
How brain function changes under stress and how our apparent “common sense” will be non-existent.
-
The impact of tragedy on family members.
-
Tragic outcomes can happen to any of us… ANY of us!
Thank you to our sponsors:
Midwest Fire: MidwestFire.com
Branding Iron Marketing: BrandingIron.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Lionel Crowther
ljncrowther@gmail.com
The Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors
http://www.phoenix-society.org/resources/entry/lionel-and-joanna-crowther
Ontario Professional Firefighters Association Magazine Article
http://digital.imedianorthside.com/i/111487/44
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Situaitonal Awareness Webcast
Firehouse.com
https://event.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1044687
Thank you to our sponsors:
Midwest Fire: MidwestFire.com
Branding Iron Marketing: BrandingIron.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On January 14, 2010 the Wadesville Fire Department was dispatched to a residential dwelling fire. Deputy Chief Adam Farrar served as the incident commander.
During the incident, a crew on the interior attack nearly fell into the basement through a burned out floor and then a second narrowly escaped off the roof before it gave way under the strain of fire in the attic.
Some takeaways from the interview include:
1.The need to complete a thorough 360-degree size-up to form situational awareness about what is burning and where the fire is located.
2.Ensuring haste does not compel a firefighting crew to rush into a situation that could otherwise prove catastrophic.
3.The need for a strong commander who is willing and able to order a crew out of a structure… when the crew may not want to come out.
4.The need to evaluate near-miss events and learn from the mistakes and then to adjust policies and procedures to fix existing issues.
Thank you to our sponsors:
Midwest Fire: MidwestFire.com
Branding Iron Marketing: BrandingIron.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Deputy Chief Adam Farrar
Wadesville Fire Department
afarrar@scottfire.org
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Here is my Twelve Ways to Situational Awareness wish list. I hope you have all of them on Christmas day and every day throughout the year.
12: Communications skills: This includes both listening and speaking skills. Flawed communications is a significant barrier to situational awareness. I’ve written about this in numerous articles, including some suggestions for how to improve communications. Click on the “Categories” box on the right hand side of the page and enter “Communications” to see the articles on this topic. In the early days, they used to communicate by banging drums. Now we have handheld computers. Yet we’re still plagued by communications challenges. There are many opportunities for improvement in this arena.
11. Vigilance: To be vigilant is to be on-guard. Always on-guard. Your imagination isn’t good enough to think of all the ways this job can kill you. Being alert, even when it seems like things are routine. That is the mindset of a survivalist. Nero may have fiddled while Rome burned and eleven pipers may have piped for Christmas. Play whatever instrument you want. Just be sure you do it with your guard up. Always!
10. Avoiding judgment: The judging mind cannot learn. When you jump to conclusions about how firefighters are getting hurt and killed you miss some very important lessons about how things unfolded around them – why things made sense at the moment things went wrong. This Christmas season the lords may be leaping. But keep your feet planted firmly on the ground. No jumping to conclusions.
9. Ask the hard questions: When your department has a near miss or a casualty event, don’t dance around the issue. Address the issues head-on. Near miss casualty events are wonderful learning opportunities. If you’re going to do any dance, make it a safety dance, not the denial dance. The moves for the safety dance result in learning, enlightenment and change. The moves for the denial dance produce anger, resentment and blame.
8. Debrief: There is a lesson to learn after every incident. Even when things go well there are lessons to be learned. Milk every opportunity to learn and share. If you can’t think of one, come up with a “what-if” scenario to discuss – discussing how things might have turned out if the circumstances were just slightly different. Don’t be shy. Grab the teat and give it a squeeze.
7. Know your limitations: Understand and respect the limits of your conscious awareness: The average person can only capture, process, comprehend and recall 7 pieces (+/- 2) of unrelated information. Unless something happens fast to get the information on the fast track to long-term storage, it will be quickly forgotten. As you plan how to assess emergency scenes, think about the 5-7 most critical pieces of information you need to make a good decision.
6. Practice: To be proficient at hands-on skills, you need to practice them. A lot. Muscles learn from muscle movement. They don’t learn from verbal instructions. The Geese may be laying, but if you want to improve your safety (and your skill set) you can’t do it laying around. Get off your rumps and train.
5. Recipe from Hell’s Kitchen: There is a predictable pattern of events I have seen play out time and time and time again, resulting in first responder fatalities. Avoid the five C’s that make up the Recipe from Hell’s Kitchen (enter the term in the search box to find the article): Complacency ->No Consequence -> Over Confidence -> Cocky Attitude -> Catastrophe.
4. Adopt an attitude of safety. It makes me sick to hear people say we’re being too safe or too cautious in our approach to this job. Yes, it’s a dangerous profession, but MANY of the ways firefighters are dying are preventable – VERY preventable. Pause right now and think of four people whose lives would be forever changed if you died on the job. Be sure that the risks you take on this job are worth the potential consequences on the lives that will be forever changed if you die.
3. Crawl-Walk-Run: All too often we want to train on advanced skills without mastering the basic skills. I encourage you to adopt the three part Crawl-Walk-Run approach to training. Start with a slow crawl through the basic movements of an activity, discussing the how and why in detail. Then walk through the sequence of events in segments. Stopping along the way to make course corrections if needed. Then, once the first two steps are mastered. Run! Run the full evolution beginning to end. If you get it right, run it again, and again. If you don’t get it right, back up to the walk phase and make corrections in the segments. It’s as simple as 1-2-3: Crawl-Walk-Run.
2. Use Command Teams: Firefighting crews always work in teams of at least two. But the commanders are often left to fend for themselves – working alone in a very high-stress environment. This is a set-up for failure. Strive to ensure command runs in teams of at least two as well.
1. Conduct 360-degree size ups: The thorough 360-degree size-up is the foundation of incident situational awareness. It allows you to figure out what the problem is before you go throwing solutions around. It can be very helpful to find out the solution you are planning to implement isn’t going to fix the problem… before things go wrong.
On February 18, 2009, Elyria Fire Captain Joe Pronesti responded to a fire alarm activation call on a college campus. The first arriving engine reported heavy smoke coming from multiple buildings. In search of the source of the smoke, crews would learn the fire was in a tunnel that connected multiple buildings on the campus.
Captain Pronesti was involved in advancing a hoseline and fighting the underground fire. While approximately 300’ inside the tunnel on the attack, his low air alarm started ringing. He ran out of air before making it completely out, disconnected his regulator and breathed products of combustion. Upon exiting, he provided a briefing to his commander and without warning, or his knowledge, collapsed to the ground (from smoke exposure and exhaustion). This occurred just a few minutes after exiting the structure. Had he collapsed in the smoke filled tunnel, the results could have been catastrophic.
On a side note, at the time of the fire, the Elyria Fire Department was undergoing an evaluation of the fire department budget and staffing. There was an outside consultant on premise when the fire alarm activation came in and, to say the least, the crews were worried and distracted. Some might even speculate they were frustrated and perhaps feeling betrayed by the city.
When you are worried, it can weigh on your mind and on your situational awareness because part of what is on your mind is the concern of cutbacks. This can occupy some of the space that might otherwise be used to form situational awareness at an emergency scene. While Joe only makes a brief mention of this, during our extensive conversation off-line, it was evident that he was distracted by the concerns over fire department cutbacks.
Some takeaways from the interview include:
1.The first arriving engine reported heavy smoke from multiple buildings. Captain Pronesti noted the size up “didn’t make sense in his mind.” This can happen when we receive visual or audible information that is outside our norm. They don’t see many large building fires in Elyria, let alone multiple large building fires all at the same time at the same location. This caused confusion among responders.
2.Relaxed inspections and code enforcement led to the tunnels becoming a storage location for extra furniture and supplies, providing fuel for the fire.
3.The department was used to handling fires with their on-duty staff and were on the mindset they could handle this fire as well, though they would end up calling mutual aid from several other communities.
4.Captain Pronesti went through four SCBA bottles and was fatigued. But he pressed on because his mindset was he needed to be on the attack line.
5.When he ran out of air, he was, by his estimate, at least 10 minutes into the tunnel, with less than five minutes of air left.
6.As happens so often when smaller departments experience an unusually large fire, the responders can get tricked into treating the big fire like it’s a routine house fire. A fire in a 300+ foot tunnel with no other way out is anything but routine and nothing like a house fire.
7.As Captain Pronesti shared… Ego eats brain… and he was caught up on the perceived need to be in the middle of the action at all costs.
Thank you to our sponsors:
Midwest Fire: MidwestFire.com
Branding Iron Marketing: BrandingIron.com
Intro music
Safety Dance (1982)
Men Without Hats
GMC - Virgin Records
Guest Contact Information
Captain Joe Pronesti
Elyria Fire Department
EFDCaptain33@gmail.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On Saturday, September 13, 2014, the Brooklyn Park Fire Department was dispatched to a medical call that had the potential to be catastrophic for the members of their department, their EMS transport provider and their police department.
The call was for a person having a stroke. As the crew arrived and made entry through the front door of the house there was a man on the floor having a seizure. The two police officers on the scene were attending to the individual. One of the firefighters on the scene, Jeff St. Martin, noticed a mess of exhaust and heard what sounded like a motor running. His quick actions prevented a catastrophic outcome.
Some takeaways from the interview include:
1.How complacency can creep into our mindset that we are responding to “just another medical call.”
2.How strong situational awareness can alert us when the pieces of the puzzle don’t fit… and things don’t make sense.
3.How intuition, when followed, can compel action that that can be lifesaving, even when you may not know why you are taking the action at the moment.
4.How a CO monitor carried by first-arriving medical personnel (and perhaps police officers) can alert responders to the potential of highly lethal CO levels.
Thank you to our sponsors:
Midwest Fire: MidwestFire.com
Branding Iron Marketing: BrandingIron.com
SAMatters blog article referenced in the podcast
When the Puzzle Pieces Don’t Fit
http://www.samatters.com/when-the-puzzle-pieces-dont-fit/
Guest Contact Information
Fire Chief Ken Prillaman
Brooklyn Park Fire Department
BPFireDept@brooklynpark.org
763-493-8020
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On July 5, 2013, the Spokane Fire Department responded to a reported commercial building fire at the Mayfair Professional Building, located at 5901 North Mayfair. Within two minutes of the alarm, the first arriving company found light smoke coming from the area of the HVAC units in the side of the building. The structure was a Type 5 construction, two-story structure with a basement. The fire progressed quickly, nearly trapping crews on the first floor and in the basement.
Some takeaways from the interview include:
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How rapidly changing fire conditions can unexpectedly over run crews.
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You’re hear what you can learn when the fire does not behavior as expected (i.e., the puzzle pieces don’t fit).
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You can become normalized to your environment and may not see the severity of the conditions.
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How volumes of radio traffic on a single tactical channel can impact scene safety if at-risk crews cannot communicate via radio.
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Time distortion impacted perception of speed of the incident.
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How Spokane Fire is using the skills of a psychologist to help develop emotional intelligence, build incident scene situational awareness, and recover from traumatic incidents.
Show notes at: www.SAMatters.com/29/
Thank you to our sponsors:
Midwest Fire: MidwestFire.com
Branding Iron Marketing: BrandingIron.com
Culture and Situational Awareness (article referenced in the podcast)
http://www.samatters.com/culture-and-situational-awareness/
Guest Contact Information
Assistant Chief Brian Schaeffer
Spokane Fire Department
bschaeffer@spokanecity.org
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
This episode is an interview with Technology Guru Darrell O’Donnell. I met Darrell through my social media channels. Darrell is located in Ottawa, Ontario and runs a very successful consulting and coaching business where he bridges the knowledge gap between the technology creators and innovators and the front end users of that technology – us… the first responder community. As you can imagine, this is no easy task.
Darrell has a special passion for technology that helps first responders develop, maintain and improve situational awareness by providing rapid access to critical information that can aid in decision making.
We recorded this interview in Darrell’s home in Ottawa where he invited me to join his wife Nancy, his daughter Haley and his son Connor for dinner. Coincidentally, it was Connor’s 15th birthday so I got to be part of that celebration, which was really cool. I was in town working on a project that brought 40 researchers and practitioners together from around the world to develop an international curriculum for compartment fire behavior training. It was an awesome opportunity to share and learn with some amazingly smart and talented fire service leaders. I was honored to be selected to develop a situational awareness and decision making component for the curriculum. This will be, to my knowledge, the first international curriculum that incorporates a full-day of decision making and situational awareness training.
The interview was recorded on Sunday, October 19. By the time this podcast airs, listeners will know, yesterday, October 22nd, a man shot and killed a soldier here in Ottawa. This happened across the street from our hotel. For those who may be interested, I will post some pictures in the show notes that I took from the balcony moments following the shooting. We live in a world that has many challenges. Please, do everything you can to ensure your situational awareness is strong and remain vigilant on, and off the job.
Guest contact information:
Darrell O'Donnell, P.Eng.
Founder & Principal Coach
Technology In OPS
p: +613.627.2454 x700
1.888.978.8337 x 700 (toll free)
Darrell.odonnell@technologyinops.com
twitter: @darrello
Thank you to our Sponsors:
Midwest Fire: www.MidwestFire.com
Branding Iron: www.BrandingIron.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On this episode I interview Jeff Dill from the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance and Les Karpluk, retired fire chief and owner of Genesis 2020 Solutions, a leadership teaching and consulting firm located in Prince Albert Saskatchewan. During the interview we:
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Share advice about how to prepare for our climb down the ladder of success.
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Talk about how to maintain your identity and find your new passion and purpose on retirement.
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Discuss how firefighters can suffer from loss of identity as they retire and go from “Hero to Zero” all in one day.
4.Jeff talks about the 531 reported firefighter suicides, including the 120 that have been retirees.
- We offer advice on how to find passion and purpose after retirement.
Whether you're new in the fire service or have been serving for many years, this episode will help you think about and prepare for that day... the day you leave the fire service.
Thank you to our sponsors:
Midwest Fire: www.MidwestFire.com
Branding Iron: www.BrandingIron.com
SHOW NOTES AT: www.SAMatters.com/27
For more show notes and pictures, visit: www.SAMatters.com/26/
On this episode I interview Fire Chief Gord Schreiner from the Comox Fire Department, located on beautiful Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Chief Schreiner holds the distinction of being one of the most impressive fire service thought leaders I’ve ever had the opportunity to meet.
Gord Schreiner started in the fire service in 1975 and is the full-time Fire Chief in Comox, BC where he also manages the Comox Fire Training Centre. The Comox Fire Training Centre hosts about 500 students per year and consists of four training buildings that are full of very creative and innovative training props.
Chief Schreiner is also a structural protection specialist (sprinklers) with the Office of the Fire Commissioner and worked at the 2010 Olympics as a venue commander. He also serves as the Educational Chair for the Fire Chiefs Association of British Columbia.
In 2010 Chief Schreiner was named the Canadian Career Fire Chief of the year and was also presented the Justice Institute of BC, Award of Excellence. He has a diploma in Fire Service Leadership and has traveled both nationally and internationally delivering fire service training.
In 2013 he delivered fire service training in seven different provinces. He also writes for Firefighting in Canada. He is very passionate about the fire service and believes in paying it forward!
On this episode you’ll learn about:
1.The StopBad initiative that’s sweeping its way across Canada, thanks to the one-man crusade being mounted by Chief Schreiner.
2.Innovative training ideas being used by Comox Fire Training Center – including heating up their rescue dummies in a sauna to give them a thermal footprint and how they designed their training center with heated doors to allow the thermal imagers to reveal a hot door.
3.How they’re using “Call signs for life” and why that may revolutionize how accountability is being done.
4.How they use the acronym TAP (Team, Air and Position) during accountability reports.
5.How they use the SAVE acronym during size up (Search/Rescue, Attack, Vent and Exposures)
6.How the four C’s of communications and improve situational awareness (Connect, Convey, Clarify and Confirm)
Our Sponsor
Midwest Fire
www.Midwestfire.com
Our Guest
Fire Chief Gord Schreiner
firehall@comox.ca
Situational Awareness Matters!
www.SAMatters.com
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
On this episode, I interview Firefighter John Dantuono of the Lakeside (New York) Fire Department. Lakeside is located west of Syracuse. The all-volunteer fire department serves a population of about 15,000. Listen in as John discusses how he responded to a mutual aid residential dwelling fire and fell through a weakened floor. As he notes, the only thing that kept him from falling all the way through was his SCBA.
The house that was on fire was a vacant, dilapidated structure with a fire on the second floor. John was part of a crew that was looking for fire extension on the second floor of this large farm-style house. While on the second floor, John separated from his partner – by his estimates – approximately 20 feet or so, and entered a room where the floor was weakened – not from fire, but from rot. With no warning, John fell through the floor and was caught by his SCBA bottle. This resulted in a Mayday and John’s successful rescue. During this interview, John will share some valuable lessons learned, including:
1.The importance of not being complacent and letting your guard down. Simply because you are in an environment that does not contain a lot of smoke and fire, doesn’t mean you are not in danger.
2.John recalls hearing someone announce the structure was in poor condition and the floors had been compromised – yet he still fell through a weakened spot.
3.At the time, the department did not have a mayday policy and firefighters were not trained to a standardized mayday procedure.
4.Typically a Rapid Intervention Team is identified by the dispatcher at the start of the call. John does not recall a specific department or company being names RIT for this incident, even though there were over 40 firefighters on the scene.
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On this episode, I interview Firefighter Richard Marcus of the New Hartford Volunteer Fire Department in Connecticut. On May 5, 2006, Firefighter Marcus was in the officer’s seat of New Hartford Engine 1 responding to a report of a fire on the roadside. While in route, they were cancelled and a discussion in the cab caused the driver to become momentarily distracted. For the brief moment that he had his eyes off the roadway, the engine drifted of the right side of the road. While the driver attempted to correct and recover, the engine veered out of control and struck a tree on the officer’s side of the engine. As a result, Firefighter Marcus suffered multiple injuries that included a spinal fracture and bilateral knee injuries. All firefighters riding in the engine were wearing seat belts. However the engine was older and was only equipped with lap belts, not shoulder belts.
Listen in as Firefighter Marcus shares this incredible story of how this incident impacted his life. Lessons learned include:
1.The adoption of commercial driver’s license (or Q-endorsements in Connecticut) for drivers.
2.The implementation of a sterile cockpit policy (adopted from the airline industry). This is a topic I speak about in the SAMatters Online Academy and during the live Fifty Ways to Kill a First Responder program. I will talk about this more in an upcoming podcast.
3.Changes the department made in vehicle safety following the incident.
4.The establishment of a driver’s training program with criteria to accomplishment.
5.Richard shares how the accident changed how he was treated in his department.
6.The challenges Richard has seen in his efforts to get his department to develop SOGs and to implement best practices.
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On this episode I continue my interview with Captain John Lightly. John as served as a member of the Youngstown, Ohio Fire Department for 13 years. Youngstown FD has 8 stations and a sworn strength of 135 firefighters. John’s married and has twin daughters who are in 3rd grade. So you can imagine how exciting… and hectic John’s life is. I really appreciate him sitting down with me and sharing his close call survivor story where he almost died as a result of being caught in a flashover. For reasons that will become obvious during the interview, I title this episode “3 feet from death” and dedicate to all the firefighters who’ve been caught in a flashover and did not live to tell their story.
In this two-part story, you will learn:
1.How John conducted his size up and made a determination, based on clues and cues that formed his situational awareness, that there was a high probability the house was occupied.
2.How the flashover occurred within two minutes of entry – a recurring theme I see at flashover casualty incidents.
3.How communications challenges influenced understanding among crew members.
4.How John experienced TachyPsychia – or a slowing down of time when the flashover occurred.
5.Listen to John describe how he felt intuition – in the form of a sick feeling in his gut – and a feeling that someone had punched him in the stomach.
6.John will also talk about self-speak – the neurological phenomenon where we talk to ourselves during high consequence situations – only John doesn’t call it self-speak. I’ll let him explain.
7.How John’s entry the first two times were under the premise of assuming the risk of being a firefighter. Yet he admits his entry the third time – he was creating risk… not assuming it.
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
This episode is Part 1 of a 2-part interview with Captain John Lightly. John as served as a member of the Youngstown, Ohio Fire Department for 13 years. Youngstown FD has 8 stations and a sworn strength of 135 firefighters. John’s married and has twin daughters who are in 3rd grade. So you can imagine how exciting… and hectic John’s life is. I really appreciate him sitting down with me and sharing his close call survivor story where he almost died as a result of being caught in a flashover. For reasons that will become obvious during the interview, I title this episode “3 feet from death” and dedicate to all the firefighters who’ve been caught in a flashover and did not live to tell their story.
In this two-part story, you will learn:
1.How John conducted his size up and made a determination, based on clues and cues that formed his situational awareness, that there was a high probability the house was occupied.
2.How the flashover occurred within two minutes of entry – a recurring theme I see at flashover casualty incidents.
3.How communications challenges influenced understanding among crew members.
4.How John experienced TachyPsychia – or a slowing down of time when the flashover occurred.
5.Listen to John describe how he felt intuition – in the form of a sick feeling in his gut – and a feeling that someone had punched him in the stomach.
6.John will also talk about self-speak – the neurological phenomenon where we talk to ourselves during high consequence situations – only John doesn’t call it self-speak. I’ll let him explain.
7.How John’s entry the first two times were under the premise of assuming the risk of being a firefighter. Yet he admits his entry the third time – he was creating risk… not assuming it.
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Hello and welcome to episode 21 of the Situational Awareness Matters radio show. I am your host, Rich Gasaway.
The purpose of this show is to improve situational awareness and decision making for individuals and teams who work in high risk, high consequence environments.
The SAMatters mission is simple… To help you see the bad things coming… in time to avoid bad outcomes.
I have a great interview coming up, so stay tuned for that. But before I introduce our guest, I’m uber excited to share with you an announcement about some really valuable features we are going to be adding for the benefit of the Situational Awareness Matters community.
First, as many of you know, about a year ago we launched the Situational Awareness Matters Online Academy. The feedback from the students was awesome and we’ve taken your great ideas and rolled them into an updated version of the Academy. One of the features will allow a department to enroll their entire membership into the academy. Previously, the only enrollment option was for individuals. We are adding more video content and more audio content. The Academy is THE most affordable way to get your entire department dialed on the critical skills of developing and maintaining situational awareness while working in high risk, high consequence environments. So, watch for the announcement of the new Academy on the SAMatters website.
The current SAMatters website has a free membership where visitors can opt-in and receive a monthly newsletter. And thank you to the more than 3,000 visitors who have signed up for that free service. We are going to “up the game” to grow our membership community. Coming soon, new members will receive a FREE 90-day class that teaches the fundamentals of situational awareness. This class was previously sold for $99. It’s now going to be given to new members for free.
Current members will continue to receive the free newsletter. Coming soon, however, we are going to introduce a premium membership. And I’m REALLY excited about this. For an annual fee of $108 (that’s 9 a month)… premium members are going to receive:
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Monthly situational awareness audio and video messages
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Free Audio downloads of blog articles so you can listen to them on the fly.
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Free transcriptions of the podcast radio shows so you can reference the podcast radio show content in your teachings.
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Exclusive content in the monthly newsletter
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Significant discounts on all books and videos on the website.
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Ongoing discounts on Academy tuition
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Free Webinars
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Free access to an online mastermind forum
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Free teleseminars
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Access to my course outlines
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Access to exclusive interviews with thought leaders in health and safety.
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And… this is very cool… we are working on the technology that will allow premium members to sign up for… and attend select live classroom programs via streaming video or audio link-up
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All for $9 a month.
Watch the website for the announcement because when I roll this out I’m going to offer a REALLY good deal that will allow premium members to attend the Online Academy.
We have been working REALLY hard and listening to your great feedback about how to add value for our community and increase the ways you can improve your situational awareness. Watch for these exciting changes coming to Situational Awareness Matters.
On this episode I interview Sean Balantic. After serving 6 years active duty as a United States Marine, Sean served as a federal firefighter prior to being employed by the Rochester, New York Fire Department where he has served for almost 7 years. Sean is assigned as a firefighter on Truck 3. In this interview, Sean shares his close call survivor story where he was struck by a car at an incident scene and has been off-work for nearly 3 months. The lessons you’ll learn include:
1.Sean had all of his PPE with reflective trim on, the fire apparatus has all it’s warning lights on, and yet, the driver seemingly did not see the firefighter.
2.How important it is to be cautious of civilian vehicles while operating on roadway surfaces. And, while Sean believed he had strong situational awareness, he was still struck by the vehicle.
3.How surprised he was at how the stress of being hit by the vehicle threw off his mental capacities and impacted his rational judgment and decision making.
4.A review of some of the potential reasons why a person driving a vehicle may not see you. Some of them are obvious (distracted, fatigued, texting, impaired, etc.) But what if a person was blind. Blind? Yes, blind! This episode will explain how a driver can be blinded by something we do all the time at incident scenes.
FEATURE TOPIC
On 6/2/14 while on an emergency Sean was removing a pike pole from the rear of his truck when a car coming from the front to the rear of his apparatus, moving very quickly toward him. Using what he termed, good situational awareness, he anticipated and saw the car. As soon as the car cleared the rear bumper of the apparatus, it struck Sean.
Sean has been out of work for a little over two months now with lower back and hip problems. Even though he was struck, he believe that having good situational awareness prevented the incident from being an even worse outcome. As Sean noted, while you may have good situational awareness you many still not see bad things coming.
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On this episode I interview Fire Chief Patrick Kenny from the Village of Western Springs, Illinois Fire Department. Chief Kenny talks candidly about losing his son, Sean, to suicide – and the importance of mental health for first responders. I first heard Chief Kenny’s message when he delivered his program at the VCOS Symposium in Clearwater Beach. Today, we were both presenters at the FASNY Convention on Albany, New York. After our programs we sat down and talked about his Mayday for Mental Health program. During the interview Chief Kenny shares:
1.How he lost his son, Sean, to suicide.
2.How he developed a program to share the message of mental health for first responders.
3.The powerful feedback he has received on his impassioned message.
4.How important it is for this topic to be discussed in fire departments.
5.How he almost lost a member of his department to suicide and how he was saved.
6.How our culture needs to change to take the stigma out of mental health.
To learn more about firefighter suicide prevention, please visit:
Firefighter Suicide Prevention
http://firefightersuicide.spcollege.edu
Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance
http://www.ffbha.org
Suicide: A guide for fire chiefs
http://flsi13.everyonegoeshome.com/SuicideGuide_Chiefs.pdf
Suicide in fire and emergency services
http://www.ncafc.com/files/ff_suicide_report.pdf
Contact information for Chief Kenny:
Chief Patrick J Kenny
Director of Fire and EMS
Village of Western Springs
740 Hillgrove
Western Springs, IL 60558
708.246.1800 Ext. 171
pkennyifca@gmail.com.
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On this episode I interview retired Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Investigator Steven Hough. Steven was shot three times by a suspect and the return fire mortally wounded the assailant. In this gripping interview, Investigator Hough shares:
1.How his training paid off under the stress of gunfire.
2.How he experienced the Fog of War, and he explains in detail what that means.
3.How he used a combat breathing technique to keep himself calm.
4.Why it is so important to get yourself mentally and physically prepared for the fight.
FEATURE TOPIC
An Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Investigator shot three times while working to take a violent fugitive into custody received the Medal of Valor from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office today. His fellow OCSO officers involved in the incident were also recognized for their bravery.
Investigator Steve Hough was working outside the suspect’s Milton home December 9th, 2011 as part of a U-S Marshals Service perimeter team. There was very little area to provide cover and the suspect, Christopher Lewis, abruptly came out of the house with guns in each hand and began firing at officers. Investigator Hough returned fire but was shot once in the face and two times in the leg. Lewis did not stop firing until all his ammunition was gone. Lewis received multiple gunshot wounds that eventually proved fatal.
Investigator Hough put himself at personal risk to ensure Lewis did not escape, knowing the threat he posed to others.
If you have experienced or witnessed a near miss and would like to be interviewed on this show, visit my companion site:
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com and click on the Contact Us link. Thank you, in advance, for sharing your lessons learned so others may live.
Press release: Officer Steven Hough received Medal of Valor
http://www.sheriff-okaloosa.org/wp-content/pdfs/newsreleases/2012/Jan.%2030%20-%20Medals%20of%20Valor%20and%20Medals%20of%20Merit.pdf
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
I titled this episode: What I learned in two minutes. It is an interview Lieutenant Sean Dolan from the Aurora Fire Department. On January 7, 2013 Sean, then serving as a firefighter on Engine 7 became a close call survivor when he entered a structure fire at 16562 East Asbury Place, a single story residential fire with confirmed people trapped.
Sean made entry through the front door with an inch-and-three-quarter line to provide protection for the truck company crew that was searching for the known victim. As conditions took a turn for the worse, Sean was caught in the wake of a fast advancing fire. A mayday was called and Sean suffered second and third degree burns prior to being pulled to safety by a fellow firefighter.
While the entire experience lasted just two minutes, Sean has some great advice for others and he shares some powerful lessons learned including:
1.Having gut feelings (known as intuition) and how he ignored the warning signs of his intuition. He recognized the conditions and what needed to be done and, as he stated: Talked myself out of it.
2.How he felt like he was going to die in the fire and listen to him describe the felling of “calm” that came over him when he felt the end was near. This phenomenon was also shared in Episode 9 with close call survivor John Wright as he lay down to die. If you haven’t listened to that interview, you’ll want to go back and do so.
3.He mentions several times during the interview our inherent need to WIN when fighting a fire and how this motivation to beat the fire almost cost him his life.
4.Why he thinks it would have been beneficial to have an officer inside with him.
5.How he suffered from auditory exclusion (a barrier to situational awareness) and how he, literally, was deaf. He didn’t hear any radio traffic during his time inside.
6.How training may be setting firefighters up for failure because the conditions during training are unrealistic and firefighters always make aggressive, interior attacks and they always win – and this is not reality.
7.How the sense of urgency to get the job done overcame him and his valuable advice to slow down.
8.How he is applying what he learned from that incident in his new capacity as a company officer and how he instructs his crews to tell him when they think things are going bad.
If you have experienced or witnessed a near miss and would like to be interviewed on this show, visit my companion site:
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com and click on the Contact Us link. Thank you, in advance, for sharing your lessons learned so others may live.
Aurora Fire Department
https://www.auroragov.org/LivingHere/PublicSafety/Fire/index.htm
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On this episode I interview Indianapolis Fire Department Chief of Health and Safety, Doug Abernathy. Doug’s career has spanned almost three decades and on February 5, 1992, he had a close call event that, most unfortunately, took the lives of two of his brother firefighters. In this episode, you’ll learn about:
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Doug’s close call that involved tunnel vision and running out of air on the third floor.
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How he became disoriented and realized, for the first time in his life, he may die in a fire.
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How he was in shock and disbelief that he was carrying out downed firefighters.
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How is training saved his life.
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Reflection shared by Indiana State Fire Training Director, John Buckman, III
FEATURE TOPIC
It was just after midnight on Feb. 5, 1992, when 911 dispatchers got the call reporting smoke in the lobby of the old Athletic Club downtown, a nine-story, non-sprinklered building with a working fire in the third floor. Before the fire would be extinguished, Corporal Ellwood M. "Woody" Gelenius, 47 and Private John J. Lorenzano, 29 would be killed. This interview is with a firefighter, assigned to Engine 13, experienced a close call event at this fire, and then, after surviving, assisted in searching for, and locating, two of his comrades, one of which was his classmate in the academy just four years earlier.
Normally, when I conduct an interview, I like to stop along the way and ask questions and engage in a discussion with my guest. This story is so compelling and so impactful, I simply could not bring myself to interrupt Chief Abernathy’s telling of events.
Video from the Athletic Club fire
http://vimeo.com/25100035
United States Fire Administration Technical Report
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/tr-063.pdf
Indianapolis Star article
http://archive.indystar.com/article/99999999/NEWS06/110204013/The-Athletic-Club-fire-1992
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
This episode is a recording of a near-miss panel discussion held at Fire-Rescue International in Dallas, Texas. The panel, consisting of Chief Josh Waldo (Oakridge, TN), Training Officer Andrew Beck (Mandan, ND) and myself discuss three near events, including:
1.A live training burn near-miss involving the crazing of a facepiece.
2.A haz-mat call near-miss involving a Freon leak.
3.An EMS call near-miss involving a patient with weapons
You can visit them at www.FirefighterNearMiss.com
If you have experienced or witnessed a near miss and would like to be interviewed on this show, visit my companion site:
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com and click on the Contact Us link. Thank you, in advance, for sharing your lessons learned so others may live.
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
The SAMatters mission is simple… To help you see the bad things coming… in time to avoid bad outcomes.
On this episode….
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We will look at the hot button issue of first responder fatigue.
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We will review a near-miss report that emphasizes the importance of having a designated safety officer.
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And I will discuss a community question that addresses which, among the more than 100 situational awareness barriers, is the most pervasive.
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
The SAMatters mission is simple… To help you see the bad things coming… in time to avoid bad outcomes.
On this episode….
1.We’ll discuss how radio traffic can impact situational awareness.
2.I’ll share a near-miss incident where a firefighter fell through an open crawl space hatch in a floor… left open by other firefighters.
3.Finally, I will answer one of the most often asked questions I receive… what does it cost to host a Situational Awareness Matters Tour Stop Event?
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On this episode I interview Dave Casey, Director of the Louisiana State Fire & Emergency Training Institute on the need for realistic first responder training. During the interview, Dave shared:
1.The need to turn off the PowerPoint, get out of the classroom, and into the field for hands-on training.
2.Some of the challenges associated with electronic learning.
3.The benefits of demonstrating skills during scenario-based evolutions.
4.The need to perform high fidelity training, combining all the practical skills together in complete practice scenarios.
5.The use of task books to track skill development.
6.Challenges with creating realism with gas-fired firefighting props.
Fire Engineering Magazine
http://www.fireengineering.com/index.html
Fire Engineering Books and Videos
http://www.pennwellbooks.com/fire.html
Dave Casey’s Consulting Business
www.AscendLeadershipLLC.com
http://TheRightSeat.us
Jones & Barlett
Live Fire Training Book
http://www.jblearning.com/catalog/9780763781880/
International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI) live fire training credentialing program
http://isfsi.org/links/live-fire-credential/
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
Situational Awareness Matters On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Situational Awareness Matters Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Situational Awareness Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com
To be interviewed on this show, visit:
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Hello and welcome to episode 013 of the Situational Awareness Matters radio show. I am your host, Rich Gasaway.
The purpose of this show is to improve situational awareness and decision making for individuals and teams who work in high risk, high consequence environments.
The SAMatters mission is simple… To help you see the bad things coming… in time to avoid bad outcomes.
EPISODE OUTLINE
1.In the feature segment we’ll talk about training for failure, how it happens and I’ll offer some advice for how to overcome it. I’ll also include some discussion questions you can have amongst your members about training and whether there may be opportunities for improvement.
2.And we’ll share a near-miss report where a crew cut through the floorboard of a vehicle and into the gas tank – not on accident – on purpose.
FEATURE TOPIC
There are probably few things I say to a speaker that raises their ire more than: You may be training your members to fail. I understand why an instructor would not want to hear that. No instructor wants a member to fail. Even more so, no instructor wants to be implicated for being the one responsible for training the member failure. This is especially true when failure results in a casualty. Nonetheless, it is happening more often than I would like to see. How do I know? Let me explain.
Training for failure
The concept of training for failure is rooted in the notion that field performance of tasks mirror training. You have heard the phrase: We are creatures of habit. And there is nothing that makes behavior revert to habits quicker than stress. As stress levels increase, the brain transitions from rational/logical information processing to intuitive/instinctive processing.
This is when performance becomes automatic and driven by training and habits. Much of the knowledge and many of the skills needed by responders in an emergent situation must be recalled and applied almost instantly. Training is the foundation that sets you up for success… or failure. The speed and accuracy of your recall of cognitive memory and muscle memory will hold the key to your success, and perhaps, your survival.
Types of memory
You have many types of memory. More, in fact, than I have time to talk about in this episode. The two memories I want to talk about are cognitive memory and muscle memory. Cognitive memory is your storage and recall of information (e.g., names, phone numbers, email addresses, etc.). Committing cognitive information to memory through repetition improves your chances of recalling information quickly and accurately. Think of your recall of the multiplication tables you learned in elementary school as a good example. For most of us, the answer to nine-times-eight comes quickly and naturally – no conscious thought required.
The second memory important to this discussion is muscle memory. This memory is your storage and recall of body movement (e.g., how to ride a bicycle, how to brush your teeth, etc.). Similar to cognitive memory, committing muscle movements to memory through repetition improves your chances of recalling the physical movements to perform a physical task quickly and accurately. Think of your ability to play any sport with reasonable competency as an example. Practice trains your muscles on how to perform accurately when you are in the game – no conscious thought required.
Cognitive memory failures
There are many ways in which your cognitive memory can be an asset during high-stress, high-consequence events. This is especially true when time is compressed and you are forced to recall things quickly. In the mayhem of an emergency is not the place to be tapping your finger against the side of your head thinking: What was the third step in that five-step process we learned about how to handle this situation? This is where repetition in learning becomes critical. However, if you want to improve your ability to recall cognitive lessons in an emergency situation, then learn the lesson in a simulated environment as similar to the real environment as possible. This is known as state-dependent (or context dependent) learning.
While it may be impractical, maybe even impossible, to train responders on everything they need to know in a field setting, it is entirely possible to practice recall of the information you are taught in a classroom when you are in a field setting. Practice and recall in a simulated environment that mirrors the stress of the real work environment will improve recall of the information when it may be needed most… in the same environment it was practiced in.
Muscle memory failures
Like cognitive memory, there are many ways in which muscle memory can be an asset to emergency responders operating in high-risk, high-consequence environments. And like cognitive recall, the compression of time and the immediate need for action can require the muscles to react quickly, dare I say it – instinctively – to a situation.
One of the biggest ways I see instructors training responders to fail is by giving verbal instructions for physical tasks without requiring the responders to physically perform the task. The scenario may go something like this: When you get out there in the field, remember that when confronted with this situation, you will want to _______ (fill in the blank with whatever the physical task is). There is a fundamental flaw with this type of learning.
Muscles only learn from muscle movement. Muscles do not learn from verbal instructions. The only way for you to learn how to perform a physical task with any kind of competency is to move! – to physically perform the task. An instructor can talk to you all day long about what you are supposed to do but until your muscles move in practice, they are not learning. Then, when your muscles do move in practice, it is important the movements are right.
A hypothetical example
Let us use an example of a responder who learns how to perform a task using one type of equipment in training but the training division is using old equipment because they, most unfortunately, get the hand-me-downs that are no longer in-service. So the recruit learns cognitive memory (i.e., the recall of the steps needed to complete the task using the old equipment) and muscle memory (i.e., the physical movements necessary to complete that task, again using the old equipment). Learning has occurred.
Unfortunately, however, in this example the field equipment does not match the training equipment. The higher the stress, the more likely the responder is to revert back to memory and habits taught in training. This holds the potential to either cause multiple errors in performance or there is a risk the performance of the task will be significantly slower as the mind tries to reconcile the differences between how the responder was trained and how to perform in the real scenario. Both delays and errors are likely to occur.
In the real world
During the Training for Failure program, I have had the opportunity to discuss this problem with thousands of responders, business leaders and industrial safety managers. I never have to look far or dig deep to find real examples for how people are being trained to fail.
The reactions I get to this revelation can be a real mixed bag. As I provide the real life examples using participants in my class some instructors begin to look as though they have just seen a ghost. Some are stunned into silence. Some feverishly write down notes. Sadly though, some instructors glare at me with anger and try to defend their training methodologies and practices.
Instructors who go on the defensive say things to me like: We do not have the time to train the way you are proposing. I cannot argue with that response. I do not claim to know the time constraints an instructor is under in his or her individual organization. All I am simply saying is training in ways that do not mirror real life scenarios is a set-up for failure. A lack of time to train properly will not fix the problem. It simply explains why a responder may have been trained to fail.
In some instances, time is not the culprit in training for failure. Rather, it is a lack of knowledge on the part of the instructor about how the brain learns and how information is recalled, especially under stress. There is a fundamental flaw in the educational methodologies curriculum in most instructor and safety programs I have seen. The programs fail to teach the neuroscience behind how the brain learns and recalls. This can, in turn, impact how the instructor teaches students.
Advice
I have several tangible pieces of advice on how to combat training for failure. Much of what I have to say on this may run counter to the established paradigms of instructors so I can only wish (with fingers crossed) that instructors will let down their protective guards and take this advice with its intended benefit – to help you improve the safety of your responders. This advice is not a damnation of your existing ways of training.
First, stop judging the performance of others when they do things that seem inappropriate. I once took a class where an instructor showed one video after another of responders doing what, in his words, were stupid things. I watched and listened with a heavy heart. For not only was this instructor judging the performance of others harshly and unfairly, he was also teaching his students to do the same thing. The fact is, when you are judging the performance of others you cannot, simultaneously, be the student.
As I sat there and watched this program I so much wanted to blurt out: So why do you think those responders thought that what they were doing at that moment in time made sense… or why they thought it was the right thing to do? I am sure I would have stunned the room into silence and embarrassed the instructor. This would have, in turn, likely earned me an angered response. No good would have come from that.
The lesson here is to stop judging others when things go wrong and start seeking to understand why it made sense to them to be doing what they were doing. They were either trained to do it the way they were doing it or they were not trained at all and were improvising based on their assumption that it would work. No worker performs unsafe acts with the purposeful intent of getting hurt. Understanding why and how bad things happen begins when we stop judging others.
When the class was over I waited around for the students to leave and then I approached the instructor and asked him why he thought those responders in his videos were doing the things they did. His response floored me. He said: Because they are stupid (expletive). I did not know what to say. I mustered the courage to ask my second question.
Did he ever consider the possibility those firefighters were trained to fail. If they were trained to do what they did their instructors should be fired – came the indignant response. Should an instructor whose never been taught about how the brain learns be fired for teaching the best way they know how? That does not seem very fair to me. An instructor training responders to fail is likely only training others the same way they had been trained.
The second solution I am going to offer is to invite an independent evaluation of your training program. Why independent? Because sometimes you are too close to the problem to see the problem. If you knew you were training responders to fail, you would change the way you trained your responders. You would not need someone to point it out to you.
The key to this solution is to ensure the evaluator you select is not from your agency and they understand how responders are trained to fail. Now, before you think this paragraph is some kind of informercial to have you hire me to do an evaluation of your department… it is not. There are plenty of resources available to you and some may be local to you. The important thing is you begin to see where the shortcomings are in your training program and start to fix them.
The third solution I am going to offer is to avoid the trap of believing you can train responders how to do something one way in training and then tell them, or expect them, to do it differently when they are in the field. I hear this often. Recruits are told: We are going to train you how we are required to here in the academy but when you get out into the street they will teach you how it is really done.
Would not it make better sense to teach how it is really done in the academy? Why the disconnect? Either the way the academy is teaching has not kept up with best practices used in the field or the field performance has drifted away from the best practices taught in the academy. Regardless of how it has occurred… it is a set-up for failure.
Discussions
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Discuss examples of how responders in your organization may have been trained to fail and offer tangible solutions for how to fix the problem.
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Locate some videos on the Internet of responders doing what seems to be stupid things at emergency scenes. Instead of judging their performance, ask: Why did what they were doing make sense to them at that moment in time. Seeking to understand the basis of behavior is where the real learning begins.
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Discuss how to evaluate your training program to ensure your responders are being trained for success.
CLOSE CALL SURVIVOR STORY
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS NEAR MISS LESSON LEARNED
This lesson comes to us from the Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System, where lessons learned become lessons applied.
Flammable atmosphere created by cutting a gas tank
May 21, 2014
Event Description
Two separate fire departments responded to a vehicle on fire in the driveway of a single-family dwelling. There were two other vehicles that were exposures and the vehicle on fire was approximately 30 feet away from the house. The initial attack was fast and successful and the majority of the fire was knocked down. However, the gas tank on the vehicle was leaking and a small fire continued to burn as a result.
Additional resources were requested, but were denied by the on-scene incident commander. The decision was made to cut the floorboard of the vehicle, directly above the gas tank, and flood it with water. The cut was initiated and completed. Application of foam and dry chemical were completed and the fire went out.
The near-miss came during the cutting of the floor. The vapors were released as the tank was opened, causing an optimal environment for the gas to ignite and or explode. A safety officer was never assigned and this person could have stopped the actions that were assigned by the incident commander.
Lessons learned
The tactic of cutting a gas tank with a saw should never be done. The saw itself is an ignition source and the cut releasing flammable vapors was not smart.
You can visit them at www.FirefighterNearMiss.com
If you have experienced or witnessed a near miss and would like to be interviewed on this show, visit my companion site:
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com and click on the Contact Us link. Thank you, in advance, for sharing your lessons learned so others may live.
INFORMATION
If you are interested in attending a live event, you can check out the Situational Awareness Matters Tour Stop schedule at: SAMatters.com. Click on the Program and Keynotes tab just below the header. Then click on the Events Schedule tab. If I am in your area, I hope you will consider attending a live event.
If you are not able to attend a live event, consider signing up for the SAMatters On-Line Academy. The Academy contains videos and articles that cover the same content as a three-day live tour event, delivered in 14 modules you can go through at your own pace, from your own computer.
If you sign-up for the Academy Plus version you will also receive four situational awareness books that are cross-referenced throughout the Academy. The Plus version is a great bargain because the tuition simply covers the cost of the books… making the Academy free!
Just click on the link below the header on the SAMatters home page titled On-Line Academy.
CLOSING
Well, that is it. Episode 13 is complete. Thank you for sharing some of your valuable time with me today. I sincerely appreciate your support of the SAMatters mission.
If you like the show, please go to iTunes, and search for SAMatters Radio and subscribe to the podcast and leaving your feedback and a 5-star review. This will help others find the show.
You can also sign up for the FREE SAMatters monthly newsletter by visiting SAMatters.com and clicking the red box on the right side of the home page.
Be safe out there. May the peace of the Lord, and strong situational awareness, be with you always.
Post Closing Message
You have been listening to the Situational Awareness Matters Radio show with Dr. Richard B. Gasaway. If you are interested in learning more about situational awareness, human factors and decision making under stress, visit SAMatters.com. If you are interested in booking Dr. Gasaway for an upcoming event, visit his personal website at RichGasaway.com
Show Sponsor
Midwest Fire
Midwestfire.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Hello and welcome to episode 12 of the Situational Awareness Matters radio show. I am your host, Rich Gasaway.
The purpose of this show is to improve situational awareness and decision making for individuals and teams who work in high risk, high consequence environments.
The SAMatters mission is simple… To help you see the bad things coming… in time to avoid bad outcomes.
On this episode I had the pleasure of interviewing Alan Predmore, the fire chief in Buckley, Washington. I have had the opportunity to deliver multiple programs for the Buckley Fire Department over the past five years and this past February Chief Predmore invited me out to talk with the students in their recruit academy about situational awareness.
During that discussion, it was noted that a recruit with strong situational awareness may see something that has been overlooked by their officer or the incident commander and, when this occurs, the recruit may not, for a variety of reasons, speak up.
I shared with the class how this was a problem in aviation and how flight crew members were taught, using crew resource management techniques, to speak up when there is a concern. I suggested that fire departments might benefit from having a code word (or phrase) that, once uttered, would alert the recipient of the message there is a safety concern.
Chief Predmore was in the room during my discussion with the recruits and this message got his wheels turning and got him wondering what he could do to alleviate any concerns a recruit firefighter – or any firefighter for that matter – would have about speaking up in the presence of a concern. From that the phrase – The pigs are eating lemons – was created. Let’s listen in as Chief Predmore tells us how this unusual phrase came about and how it’s already been used once with exceptional results.
INFORMATION
If you are interested in attending a live event, you can check out the Situational Awareness Matters Tour Stop schedule at: SAMatters.com. Click on the Program and Keynotes tab just below the header. Then click on the Events Schedule tab. If I am in your area, I hope you will consider attending a live event.
If you are not able to attend a live event, consider signing up for the SAMatters On-Line Academy. The Academy contains videos and articles that cover the same content as a three-day live tour event, delivered in 14 modules you can go through at your own pace, from your own computer.
If you sign-up for the Academy Plus version you will also receive four situational awareness books that are cross-referenced throughout the Academy. The Plus version is a great bargain because the tuition simply covers the cost of the books… making the Academy free!
Just click on the link below the header on the SAMatters home page titled On-Line Academy.
CLOSING
Thank you to Buckley Fire Chief Alan Predmore for sharing the importance of knowing when the pigs are eating lemons.
Well, that is it. Episode 12 is complete. Thank you for sharing some of your valuable time with me today. I sincerely appreciate your support of the SAMatters mission.
If you like the show, please go to iTunes, and search for SAMatters Radio and subscribe to the podcast and leaving your feedback and a 5-star review. This will help others find the show.
You can also sign up for the FREE SAMatters monthly newsletter by visiting SAMatters.com and clicking the red box on the right side of the home page.
Be safe out there. May the peace of the Lord, and strong situational awareness, be with you always.
Post Closing Message
You have been listening to the Situational Awareness Matters Radio show with Dr. Richard B. Gasaway. If you are interested in learning more about situational awareness, human factors and decision making under stress, visit SAMatters.com. If you are interested in booking Dr. Gasaway for an upcoming event, visit his personal website at RichGasaway.com
Show Sponsor
Branding Iron Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations
brandingiron.com
423-202-3252
Interview Guest
Alan Predmore, Fire Chief
Buckley Fire Department
http://www.cityofbuckley.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On this episode I had the opportunity to tour the Seattle Fire Department training facility and I sat down and talked with Phil Jose, the training chief for the Seattle Fire Department. During the interview, Chief Jose shared some of the things he is focused on to improve the situational awareness and decision making abilities of Seattle firefighters including:
1.Conducting Post Incident Analyses (PIA) of major fire incidents, defined as one that results in a firefighter injury, a civilian fatality, or a 3rd alarm or greater.
2.Their efforts toward officer development despite the challenges of operating short staffed (roughly 100 vacant firefighter positions).
3.How they are working to instill the core competencies of Trust, Competence and Vision in their members.
4.How they are working with company officers who would be arriving first-in at fires to develop situational awareness and make high quality decisions.
INFORMATION
If you are interested in attending a live event, you can check out the Situational Awareness Matters Tour Stop schedule at: SAMatters.com. Click on the Program and Keynotes tab just below the header. Then click on the Events Schedule tab. If I am in your area, I hope you will consider attending a live event.
If you are not able to attend a live event, consider signing up for the SAMatters On-Line Academy. The Academy contains videos and articles that cover the same content as a three-day live tour event, delivered in 14 modules you can go through at your own pace, from your own computer.
If you sign-up for the Academy Plus version you will also receive four situational awareness books that are cross-referenced throughout the Academy. The Plus version is a great bargain because the tuition simply covers the cost of the books… making the Academy free!
Just click on the link below the header on the SAMatters home page titled On-Line Academy.
CLOSING
Well, that is it. Episode 11 is complete. Thank you for sharing some of your valuable time with me today. I sincerely appreciate your support of the SAMatters mission.
If you like the show, please go to iTunes, and search for SAMatters Radio and subscribe to the podcast and leaving your feedback and a 5-star review. This will help others find the show.
You can also sign up for the FREE SAMatters monthly newsletter by visiting SAMatters.com and clicking the red box on the right side of the home page.
Be safe out there. May the peace of the Lord, and strong situational awareness, be with you always.
** Post Closing Message
You have been listening to the Situational Awareness Matters Radio show with Dr. Richard B. Gasaway. If you are interested in learning more about situational awareness, human factors and decision making under stress, visit SAMatters.com. If you are interested in booking Dr. Gasaway for an upcoming event, visit his personal website at RichGasaway.com
Listener/member feedback may be shared at the end of the show.
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On this episode I interview Jack Sullivan, Director of Training for the Responder Safety Institute. The mission of the Institute is to reduce highway incidents involving first responders and to minimize the impact of responders who are involved in these incidents.
Our discussion was recorded at the National Volunteer Fire Council Summit in Myrtle Beach where Jack was presenting on highway incident safety and I was presenting program on Thirty deadly situational awareness barriers.
Thank you to the fifty-plus people who attended my session and for sharing your wonderful feedback. The one seasoned veteran who noted: “I realized I don’t know what I thought I knew” is a common response to this program. Rest easy, my friend. I am trying very hard to change that… through the articles on the website, the on-line academy, the books, the videos, the live programs and of course, through this radio show. Stick with me and we’ll change that for you.
During this interview, Jack shares:
1.How a seemingly routine incident caused Jack to lose a friend and how this wake up call inspired him to get involved in educating responders on roadway incidents.
2.How the Institute uses case studies, dash cam videos, and department of transportation videos to build awareness of roadway incidents.
3.The challenges of tracking roadway near-miss and injury incidents.
4.How the motoring public today lack respect for authority and first responders and how they may suffer from what Jack refers to as the four Ds: Drowsy, Distracted, Drugged and/or Dumb. I guess we could through Disrespectful in there and make it five Ds.
5.How a me-first attitude, texting, talking on phones and GPS are creating huge problems. Sadly, some firefighters are among the D-drives when operating their personal vehicles.
6.Why it is so important to build relations and rapport with other public safety agencies in advance of responding to roadway incidents to avoid incident scene conflicts – including the involvement of partner agencies in the development of joint roadway incident response standard operating guidelines.
7.The upcoming National Traffic Incident Management and Responder Safety Training Program train-the-trainer gathering where over 260 responders are converging on the campus of the National Fire Academy to develop cross-agency collaboration.
8.How you can access the responder safety learning network where you can register and obtain free training on roadway safety.
INFORMATION
If you are interested in attending a live event, you can check out the Situational Awareness Matters Tour Stop schedule at: SAMatters.com. Click on the Program and Keynotes tab just below the header. Then click on the Events Schedule tab. If I am in your area, I hope you will consider attending a live event.
If you are not able to attend a live event, consider signing up for the SAMatters On-Line Academy. The Academy contains videos and articles that cover the same content as a three-day live tour event, delivered in 14 modules you can go through at your own pace, from your own computer.
If you sign-up for the Academy Plus version you will also receive four situational awareness books that are cross-referenced throughout the Academy. The Plus version is a great bargain because the tuition simply covers the cost of the books… making the Academy free!
Just click on the link below the header on the SAMatters home page titled On-Line Academy.
CLOSING
Thank you Jack Sullivan from the Responder Safety Institute for taking some time to sit down with me to discuss your passion for roadway safety. I will put a link to the Institute’s website in the show notes.
I'd like to share some feedback I have received on the radio show and thank you for searching the show on iTunes, subscribing and leaving your feedback and five-star review. This will definitely help others find the show.
This feedback comes from Firefighter505
You must take time to listen to Dr. (Chief) Gasaway’s podasts! More life saving information for us! Thanks iTunes for carrying a podcast that will change Firefighters lives, and ultimately save many more lives!
And this feedback was shared by Alex Hickey of the North Kitsap Fire and Rescue
This is a great style of podcast done right. The doctor has a great presentation style and there are many ‘takeaways’ from each episode. My favorite part is the portion of each episode when he reviews a near-miss/close call. Too often, these types of incidents are ignored by training FFs who choose to focus only on LODDs (which are by no means a bad thing to focus on, but we can also learn from our near misses!!!). What are you waiting for, listen now and subscribe!
Well, that is it. Episode 10 is complete. Thank you for sharing some of your valuable time with me today. I sincerely appreciate your support of the SAMatters mission.
If you like the show, please go to iTunes, and search for SAMatters Radio and subscribe to the podcast and leaving your feedback and a 5-star review. This will help others find the show.
You can also sign up for the FREE SAMatters monthly newsletter by visiting SAMatters.com and clicking the red box on the right side of the home page.
Be safe out there. May the peace of the Lord, and strong situational awareness, be with you always.
** Post Closing Message
You have been listening to the Situational Awareness Matters Radio show with Dr. Richard B. Gasaway. If you are interested in learning more about situational awareness, human factors and decision making under stress, visit SAMatters.com. If you are interested in booking Dr. Gasaway for an upcoming event, visit his personal website at RichGasaway.com
ResponderSafety.com
Jack Sullivan, Director of Training
ResponderSafety@gmail.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On this episode we walk with Captain John Wright from the Flower Mound (Texas) Fire Department. Captain Wright survived an extremely close call while operating as an interior search crew at a residential dwelling fire.
On June 17, 2011 the Flower Mound Fire Department along with several mutual aid companies responded to a residential structure fire. During the incident, Captain Wright and Firefighter Trujillo became overrun by fire on the second floor. The rapidly increasing fire disorientated them and they became lost in the fire room. After the Mayday was called, Firefighter Trujillo located two small windows on the wall opposite of where the fire had broken through the wall. Both men made a narrow escape seconds before the room flashed.
As you listen you’ll hear him share some very strong lessons related to numerous situational awareness barriers. You’ll hear him share how he was:
· Afflicted by a sense of urgency
· How muscle memory from past training impacted his performance
· How unconscious competency benefited him
· How he suffered from tunnel vision and why tunnel vision isn’t anything like what he’d thought it would be
· How he suffered from time distortion
· How his hearing was impacted from auditory exclusion
· How he knew what to do, intuitively, but ignored the warning signs.
· How complacency crept into his mindset
· How his rational judgment became impairment under stress
· How he experienced self-talk and how it almost killed him.
· How he resigned himself to the fact that he was going to die and how he simply laid down on the floor to give up. And while he was laying there on the floor, in that super heated environment, how he took time to say goodbye to his 3 year-old son.
· How, while laying there, he said to himself: All I have to do is wait for this to burn through my spinal cord and as soon as it gets through that, it will be over and the pain will stop.
· What caused him to get up and get moving again.
If you have experienced or witnessed a near miss and would like to be interviewed on this show, visit my companion site:
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com and click on the Contact Us link. Thank you, in advance, for sharing your lessons learned so others may live.
Flower Mound Fire Department Mayday Website
(Contains video, audio and photographs)
www.TexasMayday.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
In episode 2, I spoke a little bit about complacency. The feedback was awesome, thank you everyone for that.
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In this episode I will continue on that topic and share a how a false alarm mindset can lead to complacency.
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In the near-miss report we will share an incident where complacency caused a firefighter to fall through a weakened floor at a residential dwelling fire.
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And in the question/answer segment, we will explore why the “Blind Search” drill may be a set-up for failure and consequence.
FEATURE TOPIC
Another False Alarm: A Tale of Complacency
Complacency is a big deal for first responders because it impacts your situational awareness on multiple levels. I would like to give every responder the benefit of the doubt that if or when they have found him or herself being complacent that it was not happening on purpose. In other words, I hope every responder desires to be diligent and alert. Yet, complacency still gets us. I recently had an up close and personal experience with this that I’d like to share.
If you follow my Twitter or Facebook updates you know this: I travel. A lot. I am sort of living my own version of Planes, Trains and Automobiles (except I am not sharing my bed with John Candy. Nuf said).
The popularity of the Mental Management of Emergencies and Fifty Ways to Kill a First Responder Program (as part of the “Get in the Loop” Tour) keeps me nomadic about 200 days of the year. Trust me, that is not a complaint. I absolutely love sharing my message with first responders. Even more, I love the feedback that the message is making a difference. For that, I thank you very much.
Recently on one of my trips I was startled awake at 2:53am by a fire alarm activation. The alarm only rang about 10 seconds. Knowing what I know about night clerks at hotels, I suspected the alarm had been prematurely silenced. My suspicion was confirmed when I went to the lobby and heard the clerk on the telephone telling someone the alarm panel is indicating the fire pump is running. I was the only patron of the hotel who came to the lobby.
Another False Alarm
As the building was sprinklered and there was no smoke in the lobby, I poured a cup of coffee to see how all of this was going to play out in part. I was partly curious and partly angry that the clerk silenced the alarm without investigating the source.
Then, the fire department arrived. Three firefighters dismounted the engine and entered the lobby and my disappointment with the situation rose to an entirely new level. Every member of the crew had the flaps on their coats open, no helmets, no SCBA, no tools, no water can, no TIC (which, in all fairness they may not have had on that apparatus). They were no more prepared to fight a fire than I would have been if I came down to the lobby wearing Nomex boxer briefs.
And where were all the other guests? Surely I was not the only person who heard the alarm. But I was probably the only person in the hotel to have witnessed night clerks silencing alarms to avoid disrupting the slumbering guests.
The Triple Whammy of Complacency
There were three examples of complacency witnessed in a span of ten minutes.
Complacent Act #1: The night clerk was complacent for silencing the alarm too quickly, assuming the activation to be another false alarm.
Complacent Act #2: The patrons of the hotel only heard an alarm that lasted ten seconds, leading them to assume the alarms were just another false alarm.
Complacent Act #3: The fire department responded to the alarm with their guard down. Way down. I could tell by their movement, demeanor, comments and attire. For them, this was another false alarm.
I did not sleep well during what was left of my night. As I lay there I imagined how the outcome of this seemingly benign event could have been tragically different if only a few circumstances were different.
A Culture of Complacency
Whose job is it to create and nurture a culture that prohibits complacency? Is it the senior management, training officers, company officers or individual firefighters? I would say it is the job of everyone because no one is exempt from the potential consequences. It is evident to me that a complacent co-worker may be more dangerous than any broken piece of equipment on your apparatus. Equipment problems are easy to fix. Repair or replace. But when co-workers have complacent mindsets it can be much more challenging to repair or replace.
The Non-Complacent Fire Alarm Response
Contrast this to a similar experience I had during a visit to another fire department a few months ago. During that visit there was also a fire alarm activation in my hotel during the night (This may seem like an odd stroke of bad luck, but keep in mind I spend hundreds of nights in a hotel room). My observations here, however, were VERY different.
These firefighters came off the truck with a “working fire” mindset. No complacency to be found here. It was all business. Full gear, SCBA, tools, water, flashlights & TIC. Just as it should be. Kudos to this fire department for setting a great example.
Coincidentally, the hotel clerk did not silence the alarm and the lobby was full of patrons. I suspect that has much to do with the fire marshal of this particular department being proactive and educating the desk clerks on how to handle alarm activations.
Advice
The problem with complacency is it can creep into how the members of your department do things in a sneaky, almost unnoticeable away. That is, unnoticeable until some nerdy retired firefighter turned cognitive neuroresearcher happens to be hanging out in the lobby of your hotel when you have a fire alarm. He notices.
If your mindset leads to believe you are responding to just another fire alarm, then your guard will be down. Not only can this cause you to be physically ill-prepared for the potential of the call, it can also cause you to be mentally ill-prepared for the potential dangers the call holds. Early in my career I was taught to prepare and respond to every call with the mindset that what I will find the worst-case scenario situation and then to get into the mental mindset to be ready for it.
Ironically, as I have so often talked about in my articles, the repetition of physical and mental preparation for the worst case scenario builds both cognitive and muscle memory. This means my mental and physical preparation that all responses held the high-potential of risk… would become a habit – my automatic scripted, subconscious performance under stress. This would pay off for me, in spades, throughout my career and it will for you too.
Conversely, if the mindset becomes one of complacency. It is just another fire alarm triggers the mind and the body behaves accordingly. In this state of low arousal the senses neither capture nor comprehend clues and cues that can form situational awareness. Being on-guard helps improve situational awareness.
During my research I interviewed a commander who responded to just another fire alarm to a building they had been to numerous times in the past. His mindset was one of complacency. Arrive and reset the alarm was his mindset. But this time, it was a working fire with people trapped. He described the impact vividly. For those with my Fireground Command Decision Making book, you know I wrote about this incident and the impact it had on this officer.
This commander admitted having a very difficult time recovering from his complacent mindset and getting geared up for the task he was facing. His crew was also complacent, just another fire alarm, mindset which compounded the problem.
Respond to every call for service as if it holds the potential to cause you great harm. Be vigilant in your capturing of clues and cues and understanding what they mean. No responder ever goes to a call thinking it is going to be their last. But many catastrophic outcomes result from complacent mindsets.
Discussions
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Discuss a time when you were complacent on a call and the potential impact it could have had on you or other responders.
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Discuss some specific strategies you use to avoid complacency as a first responder.
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Discuss some strategies that can be used to help others over the affection of complacency.
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Discuss with co-workers how you can help each other avoid complacent mindsets.
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS NEAR MISS LESSON LEARNED
This lesson comes to us from the Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System, where lessons learned become lessons applied.
We were dispatched to a structure fire at a tri-level style home with a well-involved fire on the lower level. Upon completing a 360, it was noted that the fire was auto exposing to the second floor and attic space. Once the body of the fire was knocked down, my partner and I proceeded to the second floor to check for exposure. I entered a room and was walking toward the window when the floor gave way, causing me to drop into the room of origin. My partner called a mayday and, after regaining my composure, I notified command that I was OK and in verbal and sight contact with my partner and proceeded out of the structure.
LESSONS LEARNED
The biggest lesson learned was we had become complacent. Training… and reinforcing… that training is also important. Always be aware of the situation and surroundings.
Why is it so easy for the reporter of this incident to see his errors after the fact, yet not in the moment. This is the nature of flawed situational awareness… the inability to see the bad things coming… in time to change bad outcomes. Even though this firefighter was not seriously injured, the outcome could have been catastrophic. Anytime fire is burning below where firefighters are operating, the structure is weakening. Heat causes structural components to decompose.
As they decompose they weaken. All the while, the enemy of every building – gravity – is trying to kill the building by pushing down on it with a constant force. If gravity had its way, every building would be flattened. But it does not because the components of construction hold the building up against the forces of gravity. Fire-weakened structures are no match for the downward force of gravity. Add the weight of contents and firefighters and you are able to forecast the outcome, which is Level 3 situational awareness.
You can visit them at www.FirefighterNearMiss.com
If you have experienced or witnessed a near miss and would like to be interviewed on this show, visit my companion site:
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Click on the contact us link. Thank you, in advance, for sharing your lessons learned so others may live.
INFORMATION
If you are interested in attending a live event, you can check out the Situational Awareness Matters Tour Stop schedule at: SAMatters.com. Click on the Program and Keynotes tab just below the header. Then click on the Events Schedule tab. If I am in your area, I hope you will consider attending a live event.
If you are not able to attend a live event, consider signing up for the SAMatters On-Line Academy. The Academy contains videos and articles that cover the same content as a three-day live tour event, delivered in 14 modules you can go through at your own pace, from your own computer. The Academy Plus version includes four books that are referenced throughout the Academy.
The Plus version is a great bargain because the tuition simply covers the cost of the books… making the Academy free!
Just click on the link below the header on the SAMatters home page titled On-Line Academy.
SAMatters COMMUNITY Question
This question comes from an attendee of a Mental Management of Emergencies class in Ventura County, California.
QUESTION: If sending firefighters into a training scenario with a blacked out facepiece is training for failure, tell us why and what should we do to fix the problem?
ANSWER: The failure does not come from training firefighters to operate in a zero visibility conditions. In fact, that's an essential skill for firefighters. The failure comes from blacking out facepieces and sending firefighters IN to training fires.
As you understand how the brain learns, the solution becomes easier to comprehend. When conditions rapidly go to zero visibility with the presence of high heat, the firefighters are in pre-flashover conditions. We do not want firefighters continuing on the mission of search or fire attack in the presence of flashover conditions. We want them to leave the environment. But many do not.
They stay true to the mission and forge onward. This is because they were trained to do that. The fix, in a nutshell, is to send firefighters into training situations with good visibility. Then at some point blacken out the facepieces and teach them how to get out. This small change is enough to shift the mindset from one of being true to a mission of going inward and onward to one of getting out - survival!
CLOSING
Well, that is it. Episode 8 is complete. Thank you for sharing some of your valuable time with me today. I sincerely appreciate your support of my mission.
If you like the show, please go to iTunes, and search for SAMatters Radio and subscribe to the podcast and leaving your feedback and a 5-star review. This will help others find the show.
You can also sign up for the free SAMatters monthly newsletter by visiting www.SAMatters.com and clicking the red box on the right side of the home page.
Be safe out there. May the peace of the Lord, and strong situational awareness, be with you always.
** Post Closing Message
You have been listening to the Situational Awareness Matters Radio show with Dr. Richard B. Gasaway. If you are interested in learning more about situational awareness, human factors and decision making under stress, visit SAMatters.com. If you are interested in booking Dr. Gasaway for an upcoming event, visit his personal website at RichGasaway.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On this episode we celebrate the International Fire/EMS Safety and Health Week. My guest is Ryan Pennington, webmaster at Views from the Jumpseat and host of Jumpseat Radio. We are talking about the International Fire and EMS Safety and Health Week and its theme: Train like you fight!
INFORMATION
If you are interested in attending a live event, you can check out the Situational Awareness Matters Tour Stop schedule at: SAMatters.com. Click on the Program and Keynotes tab just below the header. Then click on the Events Schedule tab. If I am in your area, I hope you will consider attending a live event.
If you are not able to attend a live event, consider signing up for the SAMatters On-Line Academy. The Academy contains videos and articles that cover the same content as a three-day live tour event, delivered in 14 modules you can go through at your own pace, from your own computer.
If you sign-up for the Academy Plus version you will also receive four situational awareness books that are cross-referenced throughout the Academy. The Plus version is a great bargain because the tuition simply covers the cost of the books… making the Academy free!
Just click on the link below the header on the SAMatters home page titled On-Line Academy.
CLOSING
Well, that is it. This special episode of SAMatters Radio is complete. Thank you for sharing some of your valuable time with me today. I sincerely appreciate your support of the SAMatters mission.
If you like the show, please go to iTunes, and search for SAMatters Radio and subscribe to the podcast and leaving your feedback and a 5-star review. This will help others find the show.
You can also sign up for the FREE SAMatters monthly newsletter by visiting SAMatters.com and clicking the red box on the right side of the home page.
Be safe out there. May the peace of the Lord, and strong situational awareness, be with you always.
You have been listening to the Situational Awareness Matters Radio show with Dr. Richard B. Gasaway. If you are interested in learning more about situational awareness, human factors and decision making under stress, visit SAMatters.com. If you are interested in booking Dr. Gasaway for an upcoming event, visit his personal website at RichGasaway.com
Views from the Jumpseat Blog
http://viewsfromthejumpseat.com
International Fire and EMS Safety and Health Week
http://safetyandhealthweek.org
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Hello and welcome to episode 7 of the Situational Awareness Matters radio show. I’m your host, Rich Gasaway. The purpose of this show is to improve situational awareness and decision making for individuals and teams who work in high stress, high consequence environments. Our mission is simple… To help you see the bad things coming… in time to prevent bad outcomes.
I am broadcasting to you today from my Situational Awareness Matters Get in the Loop Tour Stop in Erwin, Tennessee where I am training 950 employees from Nuclear Fuel Services on situational awareness and the challenges faced by industrial workers. NFS processes the uranium that powers the nuclear navy. I am honored they have engaged me in a multi-year contract to help improve the safety of their employees. Thank you NFS for this opportunity.
On this episode we’ll talk about:
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The Line of Duty Death of Asheville Fire Captain Jeff Bowen.
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In the near-miss lesson learned we’ll talk about an incident where flawed situational awareness led to firefighters being caught in a ceiling collapse.
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And in the Question/Answer segment we’ll take a program attendee question about fatigue.
FEATURE TOPIC
Healing and growing from tragedy
I had an opportunity to present along side Asheville Fire Chief Scott Burnette at the North Carolina Society of Fire Rescue Instructors Conference. This opportunity came as a result of another wonderful opportunity that Chief Burnette extended to me to conduct facilitated debriefings following the line-of-duty death of Captain Jeff Bowen.
During the debriefing process I was able to learn, first-hand, of the challenges and opportunities the department faced during this horrific event on July 28, 2011. ChiefBurnette’s presentation (which preceded mine) was titled Fourteen Minutes, Thirteen Seconds. It was so named for the time it took rescue crews to locate and remove Captain Bowen following the Mayday call. Chief Burnette told the audience those brief minutes passed like hours.
The visit and presentation also gave me the opportunity to visit again with Firefighter Jay Bettencourt. Jay is the firefighter who was with Captain Bowen when he went down on the fifth floor of the medical office building. Jay’s acts of heroism to rescue his brother left me awe struck. Jay is a humble man. I am confident he would not see himself as a hero. Rather, he would characterize himself as a firefighter who was just doing his job.
During my portion of the presentation, I focused on how we conducted the facilitated debriefings following the event. I brought Jay to the front of the room and, standing beside Firefighter Bettencourt I told the audience. “Some day, my grand kids will ask me if I am a hero. I will tell them no. Grandpa is not a hero. But I have stood among them” and then looked to Jay. He received the most well-deserved standing ovation I have ever seen delivered.
Likewise, when Chief Burnette finished speaking he also received a standing ovation from the audience. Chief Burnette was very forthcoming with his assessment of the incident and the lessons learned. He’s such a humble leader. One that all of us should emulate. I did not envy the position he was in to give such a tough presentation in front of such a large audience. He remained poised and professional.
At one point Chief Burnette spoke of a dream he had in November where Captain Bowen appeared and walked the chief through the fire incident, step by step, and told him everything that happened. It was, by far, the most riveting story I had every heard. Ever! There can be no doubt for the Chief’s love and compassion for his firefighters. His commitment to learn every lesson possible from this tragedy is very apparent.
Just two weeks ago I had the opportunity to revisit my friends in Asheville. This was the first visit since my facilitated debriefing last fall. The purpose of this visit was to be briefed by the Post Incident Analysis teams. I was very impressed with the amount of work that had been done based on the recommendations in my report.
All too often I encounter fire departments who’ve experienced a line of duty death and, as a result, have changed nothing. Some are in denial. Some say that if they address the issues they will be dishonoring the fallen. This often leaves the firefighters anger and disappointed because they all know things went wrong and there are lessons to learn… not to dishonor the fallen, but to honor the fallen. We owe it to every fallen firefighter to learn every possible lesson about how the tragedy unfolded and how to prevent it from happening again.
Clearly, The Asheville Fire Department is an organization that is taking the lesson from the tragedy of July 28, 2011 and making real changes to improve their safety and operations. Their actions will become a blueprint for other departments to follow. To say I’m impressed is an understatement. This is a first-rate organization that is well on its way to healing and growing out of tragedy. Congratulations Asheville Fire Department.
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS NEAR MISS LESSON LEARNED
This lesson comes to us from the Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System, where lessons learned become lessons applied.
We responded to assist another fire department at a structure fire that was caused by a lightning strike. The fire was in the attic of a two-story home of approximately 3000 square feet. The first due engine had pulled two 1 3/4" lines and a 2 1/2" line with a cellar nozzle. My crew went upstairs to assist with the fire attack. There was a very light haze of smoke on the second floor. After opening a hole in the ceiling, we put the 2 1/2" line with the cellar nozzle into the attic.
We then noticed the room next to us had a glow coming from under the door. As the attack team went to make entry into that room, the entire ceiling collapsed on top of us and visibility went to zero. One firefighter had their face-piece knocked off and we all were disoriented. Everyone made it out without injury.
LESSONS LEARNED
Be aware of what the conditions are around you. When you use a cellar nozzle in the attic, anticipating a collapse.
This near-miss serves as an example of flawed Level 3 situational awareness – where the crew had a flawed ability to predict, project, or forecast future outcomes based on current information. This often happens when personnel are operating in the moment with a fixation on the task and little thought is given to cause and effect.
When you are applying water, you are adding 8.35 pounds of weight into the structure for every gallon of water you apply. If you flow a 100 GPM nozzle for two minutes, that’s 1,670 pounds of water being loaded into the ceiling.
As you apply water, think… how much weight and I loading into the structure? Where is it going? Can the structure support the weight? What are the potential outcomes if it cannot? Can we anticipate those outcomes before they happen? Can we take action to prevent the bad outcome?
Level 3 situational awareness is developed by using past experience, past training and your imagination to envision future events. It’s the foundation of the mission ofSAMatters… to help you see the bad things coming… in time to avoid bad outcomes.
You can visit them at www.FirefighterNearMiss.com
If you have experienced or witnessed a near miss and would like to be interviewed on this show, visit my companion site:
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Click on the “contact us” link. Thank you, in advance, for sharing your lessons learned so others may live.
Peeling Back the Layers
Situational awareness is consistently identified as one of the leading contributing factors in firefighter near-miss events. Yet many firefighters who know, with confidence, they lost their situational awareness don’t understand how… or why… their situational awareness was impacted.
There are two essential reasons for this. First, many responders don’t understand what situational awareness is nor do they understand how to develop and maintain it. Second – and this can be a shocker for some – flawed situational awareness is not the root cause of a near-miss (or a casualty event for that matter). Flawed situational awareness is a SYMPTOM.
Let’s address the first issue – understanding what situational awareness is.
Situational awareness is your ability to capture and understand information about what is happening around you, in the context of place and time. Then being able to take the understanding of the information and make accurate predictions about future events before they occur. The acronym I created that may help you remember this is G-A-S.
G – Gather information
A – Assess the information
S – Speculate on future events
When you read a report (near-miss or casualty) that identifies flawed situational awareness as a contributing factor the first question you should ask is: “What flawed the situational awareness.” This is where the understanding of situational awareness becomes more complex. I have identified and researched over one hundred barriers to situational awareness. A barrier is anything that causes the loss of situational awareness or anything that keeps situational awareness from being restored once it is lost.
Asking probing questions can help you peel back the layers and get to the root cause. For example, asking: “What mission were the responders trying to accomplish at the time of the near-miss (or casualty)?” This starts the process of peeling back the layers to allow you to understand how a deep focus on a critical mission can cause a narrowing of attention to a limited number of clues and cues. I term this situational awareness barrier “Mission Myopia.” As you understand how mission myopia occurs and the consequences, you begin peeling back the layers and see how the same thing might happen to you. That is when the real learning occurs.
Peeling back the layers takes the understanding of near miss and casualty events to a whole new level. In the book, Situational Awareness for Emergency Response (PennWell 2013, p.8) I offer the following questions to help you peel back the layers:
. What were the responders trying to accomplish at the time things went wrong?
. What was the overall mission of the incident, and what role were the responders playing in advancing the mission when things went wrong?
. Why did it make sense for the responder to be doing what they were doing at the moment things went wrong?
. What task or objective were the responders focused on that kept them from seeing the bad outcome on the horizon?
. Were there any distractions or interruptions that drew the responders’ attention away from their task?
. Did the responders understand the overall incident goals and objectives, their roles in the mission, and how other individuals or teams were going to influence the outcome?
INFORMATION
If you’re interested in attending a live event, you can check out the Situational Awareness Matters Tour Stop schedule at: SAMatters.com. Click on the Program and Keynotes tab just below the header. Then click on the “Events Schedule” tab. If I’m in your area, I hope you’ll consider attending a live event.
If you’re not able to attend a live event, consider signing up for the SAMatters On-Line Academy. The Academy contains videos and articles that cover the same content as a three-day live tour event, delivered in 14 modules you can go through at your own pace, from your own computer. The Academy Plus version includes four books that are referenced throughout the Academy.
The Plus version is a great bargain because the tuition simply covers the cost of the books… making the Academy free!
Just click on the link below the header on the SAMatters home page titled “On-Line Academy.”
SAMatters COMMUNITY QUESTION
This question comes from an attendee of the Fifty Ways to Kill a First Responder class in Indiana.
QUESTION: What is the impact of fatigue on first responder situational awareness?
ANSWER: Fatigue diminishes situational awareness significantly. The impact of fatigue on all aspects of mental performance are well-documented in research. I know this answer may not be popular with responders who work 24 or 48 hour shifts, but the science backs my assertion that the fatigued brain does not function as well as the rested brain.
Severe fatigue can have the same impact as alcohol, impairing coherent thought, gross motor skills and fine motor skills. Fatigue can impact reasoning, memory, recall and impact sight and hearing.
This is a great question and we’ll dedicate an upcoming episode to the topic of worker fatigue so look for that on the horizon.
CLOSING
Well, that’s it. Episode 7 is complete. Thank you for sharing some of your valuable time with me today. I sincerely appreciate your support of my mission.
If you like the show, please go to iTunes, and search for SAMatters Radio and subscribe to the podcast and leaving your feedback and a 5-star review. This will help others find the show.
You can also sign up for the free SAMatters monthly newsletter by visiting www.SAMatters.com and clicking the red box on the right side of the home page.
Be safe out there. May the peace of the Lord, and strong situational awareness, be with you always.
You’ve been listening to the Situational Awareness Matters Radio show with Dr. Richard B. Gasaway. If you’re interested in learning more about situational awareness, human factors and decision making under stress, visit SAMatters.com. If you’re interested in booking Dr. Gasaway for an upcoming event, visit his personal website atRichGasaway.com
If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Situational Awareness for Emergency Response, visit SAMatters.com, click on the “Store” link and then the “Print Books” link. I personally sign every book purchased through my store as a show of appreciation for supporting my mission. The proceeds of all book and video sales are invested back into our mission and help ensure you can continue to receive valuable articles and radio show content for free.
NIOSH Line of Duty Death Report
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/pdfs/face201118.pdf
Asheville Fire Department website
http://www.ashevillenc.gov/Departments/Fire.aspx
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On this episode we’ll talk
-
Briefly about the myth of multitasking
-
We’ll listen to an interview I recorded with a wildland firefighting safety officer with 40 years of experience on the line.
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Developing the mindset of a Just Culture in the wildland firefighting community.
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Why a culture of compliance won’t work.
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How age brought wisdom and helped Wayne realize the need for instant gratification was far less important than the goal to bring everyone home in one piece.
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His view on fire shelters and their limitations and why he says he would not carry one unless he was forced to and why he thinks the fire shelter is “a political piece of equipment.”
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His Close Call Survivor Story on the Salmon River and how the situational awareness barrier of task fixation put him in a tight spot that, reflecting back, left a margin of less than 5 minutes between life and death. He’s tell you how a “feeling of urgency” saved his life. This is what I refer to in the Mental Management of Emergencies class as “Intuition.”
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Amazingly… as he was going through hell… he stopped and took pictures… literally.
-
Discussion of the challenges of the Yarnell fire investigation.
FEATURE TOPIC
If a picture is worth a thousand words, a live demonstration may be worth ten thousand words. In a recent situational awareness and decision making class I was explaining to the participants the science behind why humans are such poor multitaskers.
If course, when I do this there is always someone in the class who, for whatever reason, thinks they’re a great at multitasking. I love it when this happens because I’m prepared.
For this scenario I set up an exercise where two people get to role play being in charge of an emergency. One of them is going to multitask (guess which one gets that dubious honor?) and the other one gets to perform only a single task.
The multitasking person has to perform the same activities as the single tasking person and one additional (physical activity). The results are always predictable… a train wreck.
The single tasking person’s performance is always nearly flawless while the performance of my multitasking participant always turns into a disaster. The multitasker forgets about 90% of the data they were supposed to remember and their performance is fraught with error. It’s sad and unfortunate.
The simple fact is, the conscious human brain cannot multitask, plain and simple. This is backed up by science and the analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data.
Responders can be lulled into believing they are good multitaskers because they do it so often with so little consequence that it gives them the confidence to think they are good at it. Where, in reality, they’re not good at it and luck is the only thing standing in the way of a disaster.
SOLUTION: Concede to the vulnerabilities of the human brain. Acknowledge that multitasking is a myth and avoid it by focusing on performing one critical task at a time. Proper staffing plays a big role in efforts to avoid multitasking. Preloading an incident with the proper number of responders will reduce the exposure to the need to perform multiple concurrent tasks.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
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Why do people think they are good multitaskers when, in fact, their brain cannot multitask at all?
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What can first responders do to avoid multitasking during high stress, high consequence operational periods?
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Describe how your situational awareness has been impacted by multitasking.
Wayne Williams Interview
-
Developing the mindset of a Just Culture in the wildland firefighting community.
-
Why a culture of compliance won’t work.
-
How age brought wisdom and helped Wayne realize the need for instant gratification was far less important than the goal to bring everyone home in one piece.
-
His view on fire shelters and their limitations and why he says he would not carry one unless he was forced to and why he thinks the fire shelter is “a political piece of equipment.”
-
His Close Call Survivor Story on the Salmon River and how the situational awareness barrier of task fixation put him in a tight spot that, reflecting back, left a margin of less than 5 minutes between life and death. He’s tell you how a “feeling of urgency” saved his life. This is what I refer to in the Mental Management of Emergencies class as “Intuition.”
-
Amazingly… as he was going through hell… he stopped and took pictures… literally.
-
Discussion of the challenges of the Yarnell fire investigation.
If you’re interested in attending a live event, you can check out the Situational Awareness Matters Tour Stop schedule at: SAMatters.com. Click on the Program and Keynotes tab just below the header, then click on the “Events Schedule” tab. If I’m in your area, I hope you’ll consider attending a live event.
If you’re not able to attend a live event, consider signing up for the SAMatters On-Line Academy. The Academy contains videos and articles that cover the same content as a three-day live tour event, delivered in 14 modules you can go through at your own pace, from your own computer. The Academy Plus version of the Academy includes four books that are referenced throughout the Academy. The Plus version is a great bargain because the tuition simply covers the cost of the books… making the Academy free!
Just click on the link below the header on the SAMatters home page titled “On-Line Academy.”
CLOSING
That it. Episode 6 is complete. Thank you again to Wayne Williams from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation for sharing his thoughts on wildland firefighter safety.
Thank you for sharing some of your valuable time with me today. I sincerely appreciate your support of my mission.
If you like the show, please go to iTunes, and search for SAMatters Radio and subscribe to the podcast and leaving your feedback and a 5-star review. This will help others find the show.
You can also sign up for the free SAMatters monthly newsletter by visiting www.SAMatters.com and clicking the red box on the right side of the home page.
Be safe out there. May the peace of the Lord, and strong situational awareness, be with you always.
You’ve been listening to the Situational Awareness Matters Radio show with Dr. Richard B. Gasaway. If you’re interested in learning more about situational awareness, human factors and decision making under stress, visit SAMatters.com. If you’re interested in booking Dr. Gasaway for an upcoming event, visit his personal website at RichGasaway.com
Wayne Williams
Email: WWilliams@MT.GOV
Just Culture
Sydney Dekker
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On this episode we’ll talk about…
-
The role of emotions in decision making.
-
I’ll share a report about a first responder who had a near-miss with a chain saw.
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And we’ll talk about why so few first responders and industrial workers are being taught about situational awareness.
FEATURE TOPIC
How you decide to do something… or not do something is a complex process that involves multiple brain regions. Are decisions made with the rational brain or the intuitive brain? The answer, surprisingly, is both.
Rational judgment allows you to process facts and data essential to good decision making. Intuition allows you to tap into past training and experiences and quickly glean the lessons of your successes and failures – lessons seeded deep into memory by… emotions.
The role of emotions
Some think that the best decisions are rational decisions, devoid of all emotion. This is a fallacy. In fact, it would be impossible to make a good decision if you were somehow able to shut off the emotional control center of your brain.
The role of the emotional control center on decision making was well documented in misfortune of Phineas Gage.
On September 13, 1848, Gage was directing a work gang blasting rock while preparing the roadbed for a railroad outside the town of Cavendish, Vermont. Setting a blast involved boring a hole deep into an outcropping of rock; adding blasting powder, a fuse, and sand; then compacting this charge into the hole using the tamping iron. Gage was doing this around 4:30 p.m. when (possibly because the sand was omitted) the iron "struck fire" against the rock and the powder exploded. Rocketed out of the hole, the iron "entered on the [left] side of [Gage's] face ... passing back of the left eye, and out at the top of the head." In the process, his prefrontal cortex suffered heavy damage.
My Lesson, Sans the Brain Jargon
During the Mental Management of Emergencies program I spend a great deal of time demystifying the process for how we make decisions under stress. But I don’t try to impress attendees with a bunch of neuroscience terminology. The lessons are way to important for that. While I’ve intensely studied brain science, I am first, and foremost, a first responder. My 30+ years on the line allows me to apply the science in a way that practitioners, like yourself, can easily understand and relate to.
Metacognition
One of the “jargon” terms used by Lehrer in his book “How We Decide” is metacognition. What does that mean? Merely this: Metacognition means being consciously aware of your own thought processes. As it relates to the Mental Management of Emergencies, it means having a conscious awareness of:
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How you make decisions under stress
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How you develop and maintain situational awareness at emergency scenes
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The barriers that can impact your situational awareness
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How to know you’re losing your situational awareness before it’s too late
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How to regain your situational awareness if you are losing it
As first responders the more conscious awareness you have about your decision making and situational awareness processes and the barriers that can impact your situational awareness, the better you can be at managing and overcoming the challenges. That is what my mission is all about.
“Get in the Loop” Tour
In 2012 I launched the “Get in the Loop” situational awareness tour to get this critical message out to first responders and industrial workers who make high-stress, high consequence decisions. To date, the Tour has stopped on four continents and the message has been delivered to more than 38,000 program attendees.
Why did I call it the “Get in the Loop” tour? Because first responders and industrial workers are, for the most part, out of the loop when it comes to understanding the how the brain makes decisions and we form situational awareness. Most people don’t have the time (or perhaps the interest) to read up on all the research. No worries though. I’ve done it for you. My program is designed to get you “Into the Loop” in way that’s strives to be both entertaining and educational.
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS NEAR MISS LESSON LEARNED
This lesson comes to us from the Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System, where lessons learned become lessons applied.
TURNOUT PANTS DAMAGED WHILE USING CHAIN SAW
NEAR-MISS EVENT, WITH PROPERTY DAMAGE ONLY
Monday, July 29, 2013
Engine [1] responded to a motor vehicle collision with injuries. Upon arrival, there was a large tree branch that had fallen on a mid- size SUV. The tree was completely blocking access to the road. It was estimated to be approximately 20-25" in length, and up to three feet in diameter. The driver walked inside a nearby residence with minor injuries. EMS assessed the patient and obtained a patient refusal. A Battalion Chief arrived on scene, and asked the officer to evaluate the branch to see if engine [1]’s crew could remove it or if landscape services would be needed. The decision was made to remove the branch utilizing engine [1]’s personnel.
A firefighter started the chainsaw and the officer was positioned behind the firefighter as a Safety. The firefighter began cutting the smaller branches, and worked back towards the base of the tree. The firefighter was applying the chain brake between cuts earlier in the incident. It was dark, and flashlights were used to illuminate the working area. Approximately half of the branch was removed from the road way, when the officer felt something strike his left leg. The officer thought it was a branch and continued working. The tree branch was completely removed, and the road access was opened. The crew of engine [1] removed all of the pieces of wood from the road and placed the wood in the yard from which the tree fell. The crew also raked and swept the roadway removing the remaining debris. Engine [1] went available and returned to quarters.
Next shift, the officer was placing his gear on the truck when he noticed cuts on the outside liner of his bunker pants. The cuts were on the left pant leg and were consistent to the area that was struck while removing the tree. The pants were taken out of service. Safety was notified, and administrative paper work was completed.
LESSONS LEARNED
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To allow Landscape Services to continue in and complete the cutting operation instead of the engine crew
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The scene should have been better illuminated for a safer operation utilizing quartz or tower lighting.
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Allow the cutter a 10" safety perimeter, and only the cutter announces when it is to be entered after chain brake is applied.
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Minimum use of turnout pants for all members involved in cutting event. Administration is currently determining if chaps should be placed on fire apparatus.
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Training video on chain saw safety was recorded to be distributed throughout the department for transparency and increased awareness
You can visit them at www.FirefighterNearMiss.com
And you have experienced or witnessed a near miss and would like to be interviewed on this show, visit my companion site:
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com and click on the “contact us” link. Thank you, in advance, for sharing your lessons learned so others may live.
INFORMATION
If you’re interested in attending a live event, you can check out the Situational Awareness Matters Tour Stop schedule at: SAMatters.com. Click on the Program and Keynotes tab just below the header, then click on the “Events Schedule” tab. If I’m in your area, I hope you’ll consider attending a live event.
If you’re not able to attend a live event, consider signing up for the SAMatters On-Line Academy. The Academy contains videos and articles that cover the same content as a three-day live tour event, delivered in 14 modules you can go through at your own pace, from your own computer. The Academy Plus version of the Academy includes four books that are referenced throughout the Academy. The Plus version is a great bargain because the tuition simply covers the cost of the books… making the Academy free!
Just click on the link below the header on the SAMatters home page titled “On-Line Academy.”
SAMatters COMMUNITY Question
This question comes from a reader whose department hosted a Situational Awareness Matters Tour Stop in 2012.
QUESTION: Recently, several members of my department attended a wildland firefighting program. On the first day the instructors never said a thing about situational awareness even though the topic is covered in the curriculum. On the second day the lead instructor asked the question: “What is situational awareness.” The room fell silent and then the instructor proceeded to explain situational awareness in a way that was lame and confusing and then promptly moved on to another topic.
The members from my department in the program asked several questions about SA. The instructors not only could not answer the questions, they seemed perturbed that we asked them any questions at all. How can we improve instructors' understanding of situational awareness?
ANSWER: The problem with teaching situational awareness is it's not exactly a simple concept to learn, yet alone teach. Many instructors haven't taken the time to learn the neuroscience essential to be a good instructor on the topic. It has taken me seven years of intense study to even begin to understand the complexities of situational awareness and I am learning new things daily. Sadly, some instructors simply won't say they don't know the answer. Or worse, they teach SA inappropriately.
I recently had a student tell me he was taught situational awareness at a conference by an instructor who was an attorney. The student told me it was disastrous and he left the session confused and angry. Unfortunately I have seen and heard of similar accounts to this one far to often. One of the goals of the Situational Awareness Matters! website is to help fix this problem. There is a huge gap between what most first responders and industrial workers know about situational awareness and what they need to know. I am trying to close that knowledge gap. While there are some educational materials for sale on my website, there are also more than 200 free articles on a wide range of situational awareness topics.
CLOSING
That it! Episode 5 is complete. Thank you for sharing some of your valuable time with me today. I sincerely appreciate your support of my mission.
If you like the show, please go to iTunes, and search for SAMatters Radio and subscribe to the podcast and leaving your feedback and a 5-star review. This will help others find the show.
You can also sign up for the free SAMatters monthly newsletter by visiting www.SAMatters.com and clicking the red box on the right side of the home page.
Be safe out there. May the peace of the Lord, and strong situational awareness, be with you always.
You’ve been listening to the Situational Awareness Matters Radio show with Dr. Richard B. Gasaway. If you’re interested in learning more about situational awareness, human factors and decision making under stress, visit SAMatters.com. If you’re interested in booking Dr. Gasaway for an upcoming event, visit his personal website at RichGasaway.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On this episode we’ll talk about…
-
The importance of completing a 360 degree size-up.
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We’ll share a near-miss event where a combination of inexperience, freelancing, and assumptions led to a loss of accountability.
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And we’ll address a community member’s question about how to develop expert knowledge in younger officers who are seeing less fires.
FEATURE TOPIC
Situational awareness starts with capturing clues and cues in your environment. It’s really quite a simple premise. To capture clues and cues requires seeing or hearing them. At a structure fire, the visual clues and cues occupy a finite environment- the building and the space around the building. I am nothing short of astounded by the number of firefighters telling me they don’t complete a 360° size up of a structure fire before making entry. I was inspired for this podcast topic from two recent accounts shared with me.
Into the basement we went
The first account came to me by way of a firefighter sharing a near-miss event with me following a Mental Management of Emergencies program. She was part of a crew of two that did not complete a 360° size up at a residential dwelling fire. They made entry through the front door and they fell through the floor and were trapped in the basement. As she recounted the details, I was reminded of a similar residential dwelling fire that killed two firefighters in Colerain Township, Ohio. The firefighter I spoke to, and her partner, fared much better as they were rescued and survived.
Getting yelled at for completing a 360° size up
The second account came to me by way of an email I received from a firefighter who offered up the topic for my upcoming situational awareness conference call training program for firefighters on June 19 (see the home page of SAMatters for details). Here’s what he wrote (less the parts I removed to ensure his confidentiality):
At my department the 360 is almost frowned upon. When we catch a job I always have the driver pull past the house to see 3 sides and then I try to do a walk around. It never fails I get yelled at to get in the fire. Now, I LOVE going into burning buildings but having lost a firefighter because he fell through the floor (because nobody did a walk around and saw the basement on fire) I feel a good walk around saves lives. I find myself peer pressured into just going into the fire.
360° size up should be standard practice
I am disappointed with how many fire departments have no written standard requiring a 360° size up. I am even more discouraged when I learn that departments have a standard but it is not practiced. I am appalled when firefighters share with me the practice is discouraged.
There are few things first responders can do to help build the foundation of situational awareness like conducting a proper size up. A 360° size up at a residential dwelling fire allows you to capture and process some very important clues. Not only can you see the conditions from all angles, but you can also observe important clues about construction, exit points and floor plan layouts.
Excuses for not completing a 360° size up
I’ve heard some creative explanations for why a responder would not complete a 360° size up. Included on the list are some obvious (expected) response and some that less obvious (surprising).
-
“The building was too large and it would have taken too much time for me to walk around it.”
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“There was no access to the back side of the structure.”
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“We did a three-sided size-up by having the driver pull past the structure.”
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“I got yelled at by the incident commander for trying to do a 360.”
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“The next-in crew took our hose line and went in while we’re doing the 360.”
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“I knew I was supposed to do it but I got distracted by the homeowner talking to me.”
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“The fire was coming out the front window. I didn’t need to go around back to see the obvious.”
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“The back yard was fenced in and there was a big dog in the yard.”
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“There was a victim inside. We didn’t have any time to waste on a 360.”
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“The second-in company will do the 360.”
The front view and the back view can be VERY different!
I am not here to judge these explanations. Whatever reason offered, it is important to know that failing to complete the size up is a barrier to the formation of situational awareness. As I read the casualty investigation reports where firefighters die in residential dwelling fire, the failure to complete a 360° size up is very often cited as a contributing factor.
Chief Gasaway’s Advice
Develop and implement a standard that requires the completion of a 360° size up. If your department has this standard, ensure it is being practiced. If you find out 360 degree size ups are not being done, start asking why. Expect to hear many of the explanations that have been offered to me.
I acknowledge there may be conditions that make completing a 360° size up difficult, if not impossible. For example, on June 2, 2011 two firefighters were killed in a residential dwelling fire where a 360° size up was not completed. The house was built on the side of a steep hill, making it very difficult to complete the 360. (Click here to access the NIOSH investigation report). An inadequate size up was a contributing factor.
Completing a 360 degree size up is not going to start occurring automatically simply because a standard is developed or an administrator puts a directive. The size up must be built into routines of responders and this gets done through practice and repetition. This includes building the size up into training evolutions. Responders need to be taught what to look and listen for – the clues and cues that are present AND the clues and cues that are absent.
If your department does not complete 360° size ups now it may be engrained in the organization’s culture. Like the examples noted above, if someone fears getting yelled at for doing it, they may not complete the size up. If someone thinks another company is going to take their hose line inside while completing the size up, they may not complete the size up.
Discussions
-
Discuss your department’s cultural norms about completing a 360° size up. If it would be discouraged or there’s a possibility another company would take your hose line, discuss strategies for how the organization can overcome these factors.
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Discuss a time when a 360° size up was not completed and it caused situational awareness to be flawed. This incident discussed does not have to be one where there was a consequence.
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Discuss a time when a 360° size up was completed and how it improved situational awareness.
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS NEAR MISS LESSON LEARNED
This lesson comes to us from the Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System, where lessons learned become lessons applied.
CREWS GET MIXED UP AT STRUCTURE FIRE.
08-0000396
August 22, 2008
I was on the first arriving engine company of a structure fire in a two-story abandoned house. Heavy flame and thick smoke were coming from the Delta Side of the structure. Other companies arrived before my crew deployed into the structure. I took one back-end firefighter with six years of experience and also a rookie with two weeks of experience.
The six-year firefighter and I deployed to the interior Delta Side, first floor, for attack, but only after assigning the two-week firefighter to the exterior doorway to pull hose. After making an initial attack, we backed out of the Delta Side to the exterior. I recovered the two-week firefighter and we went to the truck to exchange air bottles. We re-entered the Alpha Side interior where I once again left the two-week firefighter at the exterior doorway to pull hose and advanced the line with the six-year firefighter.
We were only 6-8’ inside the structure, Alpha Side, and I decided to back out just enough to direct the two-week firefighter on the hoseline behind me. We re-entered the interior to resume the attack. Shortly after re-entry, Command called for a PAR. I tapped the six-year firefighter on the shoulder as he operated the nozzle. I then turned and tapped who I thought was my two-week firefighter on the helmet. I then radioed Scene Command with PAR. Command asked me to verify PAR and I confirmed PAR.
When retreating to the exterior with empty air, I found the firefighter I thought to be my two-week firefighter… only it wasn’t my two-week firefighter. It was a 22- year veteran that had been freelancing. Another crew directed my two-week firefighter to advance with them into the second story interior. When I questioned the two-week firefighter why he followed them, he told me he thought the other crew was me and the six year firefighter because we all look the same. He could not tell us from the other crews because our turnout gear all looks the same.
LESSONS LEARNED
Just because you give an assignment, it doesn’t mean the assignment will be carried out.
Freelancing is dangerous.
Officers should be distinguishable on the fire scene.
You can visit them at www.FirefighterNearMiss.com
And you have experienced or witnessed a near miss and would like to be interviewed on this show, visit my companion site:
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Click on the “contact us” link. Thank you, in advance, for sharing your lessons learned so others may live.
INFORMATION
If you’re interested in attending a live event, you can check out the Situational Awareness Matters Tour Stop schedule at: SAMatters.com. Click on the Program and Keynotes tab just below the header, then click on the “Events Schedule” tab. If I’m in your area, I hope you’ll
consider attending a live event.
If you’re not able to attend a live event, consider signing up for the SAMatters On-Line Academy. The Academy contains videos and articles that cover the same content as a three-day live tour event, delivered in 14 modules you can go through at your own pace, from your own computer. The Academy Plus version of the Academy includes four books that are referenced throughout the Academy. The Plus version is a great bargain because the tuition simply covers the cost of the books… making the Academy free!
Just click on the link below the header on the SAMatters home page titled “On-Line Academy.”
SAMATTERS COMMUNITY QUESTION
This question comes from a Mental Management of Emergencies class held last month on New York.
QUESTION: What can we do to develop the experience level of young officers who may not see as many fires as we saw in the early day of our careers?
ANSWER: The best way to develop experience is through responses to fire incidents. However, as the student noted, the number of fires they are responding to is declining and so are the opportunities for young officers to get experience. The next best thing to real experience is realistic simulations that are created to mimic the real fire conditions and create the same challenges that would be encountered at a real fire. After that, the next best training aids are near-miss reports and line-of-duty death reports where factual data can guild learning about conditions and circumstances that lead to casualties and fatalities. Finally, young officers can benefit from the stories shared by their senior (and retired) members. The more realistic the elaborative the stories (without embellishment of the truth) the more a young officer can learn.
The brain cannot distinguish fact from vividly imagined fiction. So the more realistic these experiences, the more like the experience is to be stored in the brain of the young officer as if it were real.
CLOSING
Thank you for sharing some of your valuable time with me today. I sincerely appreciate your support of my mission.
If you like the show, please go to iTunes, and search for SAMatters Radio and subscribe to the podcast and leaving your feedback and a 5-star review. This will help others find the show.
You can also sign up for the free SAMatters monthly newsletter by visiting www.SAMatters.com and clicking the red box on the right side of the home page.
Be safe out there. May the peace of the Lord, and strong situational awareness, be with you always.
You’ve been listening to the Situational Awareness Matters Radio show with Dr. Richard B. Gasaway. If you’re interested in learning more about situational awareness, human factors and decision making under stress, visit SAMatters.com. If you’re interested in booking Dr. Gasaway for an upcoming event, visit his personal website at RichGasaway.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On this episode we’ll talk about…
1.Positive and negative clues and cues that form situational awareness.
2.We will share a near-miss event where a first responder was nearly run over by a fire department command vehicle.
3.And we will address a dilemma where a listener shares his concern about his department training officer and the seemingly lack of interest in conducting mayday and rapid intervention training because, as the listener writes… He thinks it will never happen here.
FEATURE TOPIC
As we train our employees to improve situational awareness it is important the lessons include a list of both positive and negative clues and cues that a worker must understand in order to develop and maintain strong situational awareness. In the context of developing situational awareness, positive and negative does not mean good and bad. Rather, positive and negative means present and absent. Let me explain.
Not all clues and cues are created equal
In the process of developing situational awareness it all starts with perception. Or, if you’re a fan of the Boyd OODA loop, observation. Name calling aside, it all begins with capturing the clues and cues in your environment and then processing them into meaning something. The problem is, some of the clues and cues… are not there. Really! They are absent. You cannot see them or hear them. But nonetheless, they may be as important as any clue or cue you can see or hear. Thus, situational awareness is formed based on what you see and hear and what you do not see and hear.
Positive clues and cues
The positive clues and cues are the easiest to detect because they can be seen and heard. Understanding them, on the other hand is a completely separate matter and one that I have written and spoken about extensively. Notwithstanding the challenges with comprehension, it is relatively easy to train a responder on what to look and listen for at an emergency scene. At a fire scene, some of the positive clues and cues might be smoke, flame, construction (and decomposition), victims and wind. For a sick person, some positive clues and cues might be respirations and lung sounds, pulse, blood pressure, skin color and temperature, and pupil size and reactions. These are all clues and cues that can be seen or heard.
Negative clues and cues
Negative clues and cues are much harder to detect and may also be more difficult to comprehend their meaning, especially the first time they are encountered. Because negative clues and cues are not actually there – they cannot be seen or heard – they can slip by a responder rather easily.
One of the examples I like to share during a program is to ask a young person in the room if sick kids cry. They always respond in the affirmative. Then I ask them if really sick kids cry harder. Again, they respond in the affirmative. Then I find a seasoned medical responder in the audience and ask them if really sick kids cry. They always say NO! Why?
Because really sick kids – the ones on death’s doorstep – do not cry. This is a negative clue that means a lot to a medical care team. If a responder did not know better, they might be lulled into thinking the kid who is quiet is not not as sick as the kid who is crying.
Novices v. Experts
When it comes to identifying positive clues and cues, novices and experts are about evenly matched. Again, notwithstanding there may be huge differences in the understanding of what the clues and cues mean, both are able to see and hear the same things. However, when it comes to negative clues and cues, the expert’s performance towers above the novice. To be able to SEE and HEAR clues and cues that are absent requires a deep understanding of what clues and cues should be present, yet are not.
This requires expert knowledge. An expert can look at a situation and draw a completely different conclusion about what is happening and how bad the situation is simply by combining the positive and negative clues and cues. What’s even more amazing is, the expert may be doing this subconsciously. That’s right. The expert may be unaware they are comparing the situation with what they have stored as typical situations and identifying absent clues and cues that prime recognition.
Advice
Novice officers should be assigned a mentor and spend time shadowing the expert during critical incidents that require decisions. The mentor can ask the novice to identify the clues and cues and draw a conclusion. The expert can then either affirm the conclusion or refute it with the addition of negative clues and cues the novice is unaware of. This can also be done in training scenarios and simulations using videos.
When experts draw different conclusions than novices, the simple act of the novice asking how the expert drew their conclusion might leave the expert without a good answer. This is because the expert may be doing the processing of negative clues and cues subconsciously. It may be hard for the expert to bring to words how they know what they know. This tacit knowledge (unconscious knowledge) is truly what separates experts from novices. An expert committed to sharing their knowledge will display patience and allow the novice to ask questions about how command decisions are made. Expert commanders, don’t think of this as defiance. Think of it as learning.
Discussions
-
Identify and discuss some specific positive and negative clues and cues for various work environments an employee may encounter (e.g., residential dwelling fire, motor vehicle accident scene, cardiac, etc.).
-
Discuss some strategies for teaching employees and supervisors on how to identify both positive and negative clues and cues.
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Following the completion of a task, discuss the positive and negative clues and cues captured and evaluated that helped form situational awareness.
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS NEAR MISS LESSON LEARNED
This lesson comes to us from the Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System, where lessons learned become lessons applied.
COMMAND VEHICLE NEARLY BACKS OVER FF ROLLING HOSE.
13-0000292
January 16, 2013
At about 1730 hours companies were dispatched to [location omitted] for an unknown fire. A resident could see flames. During the process of leaving the scene, The BC backed his vehicle and almost hit Lt. who was rolling a fire hose length behind the chief’s vehicle on the road.
The B/C involved in the near-miss had responded to the fire call and arrived as the second due Battalion Chief. The first due BC had responded and established Command for a field fire behind a building. I observed the crew and the lieutenant picking up hose. The weather was very cold and I only had on my station uniform and highway safety vest, I went back to the command vehicle and cleared with him to leave the scene. Upon returning to my vehicle I walked wide observing the rear of my car, removed and folded my vest, dropping it on the ground as I tried to place it back in the driver’s door pocket, I had to pick it up refold it and put it in the door properly.
When I got back in the car I remember it was cold and realized that I had left the passenger side window(s) open. I put up the (front) driver’s side window, adjusted the heater to high and sat there to warm up. I then looked behind through the vehicle mirrors and started backing. As soon as I backed up, I heard someone yell. I looked and saw someone at my rear window. I then realized that I had also opened my rear passenger side window and that is why I heard someone yell.
I got out of the car and made face-to-face communications with the lieutenant. He said: It’s OK, Chief you almost got me. I am OK. I asked: What are you doing? I saw he was rolling a hose and he did not directly answer. I also observed that he had a 1-3/4 roll of hose partially in his hands. He then moved the hose rolling to the side of the road and I left the scene. I re-entered my vehicle, realized the rear window was down, put up my (rear) passenger window and left the scene.
A few days later the Incident Commander (BC) called me and asked if I was aware that that I had hit the lieutenant. I said: Yes, but did I hit him or did you yell and he got out of the way? I also said it had disturbed me, because of my EGH position and my concern and passion for firefighter safety. I said: How would it look if the EGH guy ran someone over? He said he wanted to make sure I reviewed the incident with the lieutenant, and that there have been other backing incidents that have happened recently. I assured him I would.
The next shift, I met with the lieutenant. He and I discussed the incident and each of our parts of the event. I apologized for almost backing into him, since it could have caused death or injury. We discussed what went wrong. I explained the events from my point of view. I reviewed what I did in accordance with our policy and explained to him about the delay that caused me to take a longer time, resulting in me not seeing him move into that area, between the time I got in my car and the time I tried to leave. I cited the weather being cold, the open window, turning on my heater.
The lieutenant could not explain why he was rolling hose in the street and not on the paved driveway. We discussed what we could do to prevent it again. We discussed items such as, being more aware of your surroundings for both the driver and firefighter in traffic, using and soliciting a second party to assist the driver of single occupant vehicles (Chief’s, Inspectors, etc.). The Lt. suggested the use of backing alarms on staff vehicles, like the trucks have, that would have alerted him with a noise.
We also discussed the practice of After Action Reviews. The Lt. is a Marine Reserve and I asked and he explained the use of an AAR after any event the Marine Corps does. I discussed the use of an AAR and my work with the National Fallen Fire fighters Foundation.
LESSONS LEARNED
Members should follow all SOPs for backing procedures and work in teams having company officers supervising the work of firefighters and acting as safety officers. Drivers should use backers, making special a request when staff vehicles, such as chief’s cars and vehicles with one person don’t have a second person to back them up. Drivers, most importantly chief officer’s, must maintain situational awareness about how exposure to extreme environmental temperatures can lead to extra time needed between tasks. Staff vehicles should be fitted with Backup alarms.
You can visit them at www.FirefighterNearMiss.com
If you have experienced or witnessed a near miss and would like to be interviewed on this show, visit my companion site:
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Click on the contact us link. Thank you, in advance, for sharing your lessons learned so others may live.
INFORMATION
If you are interested in attending a live event, you can check out the Situational Awareness Matters Tour Stop schedule at: SAMatters.com. Click on the Program and Keynotes tab just below the header, then click on the Events Schedule tab. If I’m in your area, I hope you will consider attending a live event.
If you are not able to attend a live event, consider signing up for the SAMatters On-Line Academy. The Academy contains videos and articles that cover the same content as a three-day live tour event, delivered in 14 modules you can go through at your own pace, from your own computer. The Academy Plus version of the Academy includes four books that are referenced throughout the Academy. The Plus version is a great bargain because the tuition simply covers the cost of the books… making the Academy free!
Just click on the link below the header on the SAMatters home page titled On-Line Academy.
SAMATTERS COMMUNITY QUESTION
This question comes from an SAMatters reader.
QUESTION: Our department training officer doesn't think we need to train on rapid intervention and mayday because he thinks it will never happen here. Can you make any suggestions about how we can get him to understand anyone, anywhere, can have a mayday and need rapid intervention?
ANSWER: Thanks for writing in with the question. It is one thing to have a member in denial of the potential of your department having a mayday or needing a rapid intervention. It takes my concern to a whole new level when it's your training officer. I don't know your training officer so my advice here is unqualified but I'm going to go on a limb and say your training officer is either complacent or afraid of something.
He may be complacent because your department has NEVER had a mayday or a near-miss even closely resembling a casualty event. Rest assured, unless your department is somehow devoid of all risk associated with performing the skills of public safety providers, you are at-risk. There are ways to reduce risk, and to some degree manage risk. But there is no way to completely avoid risk. Living in the denial of the potential of a mayday is actually adding risk, which is not where you want to be.
I would recommend first talking to the training officer one-on-one in a non-threatening manner. Try to appeal to his sense of logic. It may be helpful to look for near-miss or casualty event that have occurred in communities similar to yours. I'm sure they're out there. And I'm sure those departments never thought they'd have a casualty event either. Ask the training officer to allow line personnel to train on skills that would help prevent a recurrence of that casualty in your town.
If the one-on-one approach does not work, consider finding a member who has a good relationship with the training officer and who is an advocate for your cause. Ask him or her to approach the training officer and make an appeal. Finally, if neither of those work, consider gathering the support of a group of firefighters to advance your cause. There's strength in numbers. Avoid being confrontational. You'll catch more bees with honey than you do with vinegar.
CLOSING
Thank you for sharing some of your valuable time with me today. I sincerely appreciate your support of my mission.
If you like the show, please go to iTunes, and search for SAMatters Radio and subscribe to the podcast and leaving your feedback and a 5-star review. This will help others find the show.
You can also sign up for the free SAMatters monthly newsletter by visiting www.SAMatters.com and clicking the red box on the right side of the home page.
Be safe out there. May the peace of the Lord, and strong situational awareness, be with you always.
You have been listening to the Situational Awareness Matters Radio show with Dr. Richard B. Gasaway. If you’re interested in learning more about situational awareness, human factors and decision making under stress, visit SAMatters.com. If you are interested in booking Dr. Gasaway for an upcoming event, visit his personal website at RichGasaway.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
On this episode we’ll talk about…
1.Habits, routines and complacency.
2.We will look at a near-miss event where tunnel vision and complacency may have flawed situational awareness.
3.And we will address a question from an SAMatters community member about how to make mayday training more realistic.
FEATURE TOPIC
We all know we have habits. Some of them are good habits. And some of them are…well… not so good. The less often talked about cousin of a habit is a routine. Habits and routines can definitely impact your situational awareness in both good and bad ways.
But where do habits and routines come from? Does a habit turn into a routine? Or does a routine turn into a habit? Do habits and routines prevent complacency or do they contribute to complaceny? All good questions. Let’s explore habits, routines and complacency.
Habits
Webster defines a habit as: A behavior pattern acquired by frequent repetition or physiologic exposure that shows itself in regularity or increased facility of performance; an acquired mode of behavior that has become nearly or completely involuntary.
Routines
Webster further defines a routine as a habitual or mechanical performance of an established procedure.
So, by definition, routines are habits formed from following established procedures. Thus, by definition then, habits are only routines when they are formed from following procedures. But we have many habits that are formed while not following formally established procedures.
The chicken or the egg
The definitions offer up the age-old, or should I say the “egg old” question: What came first, the chicken or the egg? In the context of this topic, the question is: Do habits form routines or do routines form habits? An argument could be made for either to come first. Your routines can become your comfortable habits. Your habits can be developed into formal routines.
Enter complacency
Webster defines complacency as: Self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies. It is very unfortunate that complacency has turned into a habit for some workers. Some have become satisfied and comfortable in doing things in ways that are dangerous to the point they have become unaware (or arguably, uncaring) about the dangers. The dangers are no longer seen as dangerous. This can have catastrophic consequences.
Contagious complacency
A complacent worker can “infect” other workers as well. When this happens, the consequences can be significant. In fact, an entire work group can become complacent. And worst of all, an entire department or organization can become complacent. When this happens, the workers can sink into a comfortable rut and become arrogant.
When this happens, employees can begin to believe they are so good at what they do that bad outcomes will never happen to them… because they never have. The success of past outcomes can contribute to complacency, especially when risky behavior is rewarded (seemingly) with good outcomes). When workers perform in ways that are not consistent with best practices – and get away with it (i.e., no bad outcome) – it can build their confidence that is based in luck, not ability.
False confidence
When workers experience successful outcomes, this builds confidence. This, unto itself, is not a bad thing so long as the success was based on performance that is consistent with best practices. However, all success builds confidence. Meaning success resulting from luck also builds confidence, albeit a false confidence.
Psychologists that study the behavior of gamblers see this all the time. A gambler wins because they seemingly have some “strategy” for beating the odds – the mathematical probabilities of risk and return. Their success gives them confidence which can, in turn, increase their risk taking.
Over the long run, a gambler who thinks they can beat the odds is likely going to lose… a lot. But not every gambler is a loser over the long run. There is a small number whose luck runs longer than others and certain games are based on the strategy of one player versus another… and of course… the ability to “bluff” your opponent. But there’s no bluffing dangerous machinery or hazardous environments in the work setting.
Observing workers who have found long term luck can give others workers a false confidence that they too can cheat the system and be successful.
In the end, the casino will win. If you doubt this, only look at the lavishness of a casino. Those structures and fixtures are built on the losses of gamblers whose luck ran out.
Chief Gasaway’s advice
To overcome the curse of complacency, workers must first be aware of the affliction they are facing. This awareness comes from becoming a student of best practices. This involves learning about best practices and comparing what your organization does to other best practices in your profession. Read casualty reports to learn how workers get hurt and killed. Then compare the circumstances, situational awareness and decision making of catastrophic outcomes to how your organization does things.
When you see inconsistencies between established best practices and how your organization does things, it may be time to start asking the hard questions. Why does your organization do things differently than best practices dictate? Have you found a better way to get the job done? Is your better way safe? Or have you just been lucky?
Avoid judging bad outcomes that others experience. Oftentimes when workers read a casualty report they can judge the performance of others without turning that harsh judgment on themselves or on their own organization. We can be lulled into thinking the worker that experienced the bad outcome was less competent where, in fact, maybe their luck ran out.
Discussions
-
Discuss areas where your organization may have become complacent in training or performance.
-
Discuss areas where you have become personally complacent in your application of best practices.
-
Discuss ideas about how to break the cycle of complacency in your organization.
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS NEAR MISS LESSON LEARNED
This lesson comes to us from the Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System, where lessons learned become lessons applied.
COMPLACENCY AND LACK OF SITUATIONAL AWARENESS NEARLY DELIVER SHOCKING SURPRISE.
06-0000435
Saturday, August 19, 2006
We were dispatched for a report of "smoke coming from the grass" on the side of the highway. It was a rainy, humid, and foggy afternoon, so right away we were guessing that it was a motorist who saw fog and thought it was smoke as had been the case many times before. The engine crew responded and initially was unable to locate anything, went in service, and then on their way back to quarters located the smoke. Upon investigating, they found what appeared to be an approximately 18" corrugated metal pipe coming up out of the ground in the grassy area just off the right shoulder of the highway.
The lip of the pipe was only a couple inches above the surface and was near the ditch that ran along the tree line. It appeared to be some sort of sewer pipe, and one side of the lip was bent over like it had been hit or damaged. The crew used a shovel to dig around the pipe and then a pry bar in and around the pipe to bend the lip clear of the opening. They then noticed an extremely large amount of heat coming from the pipe (too hot to touch) and then noticed that the rain water inside the pipe was literally boiling.
They also thought that they felt the ground vibrating slightly around the pipe. As they pondered what they were looking at, our Assistant Chief came on the radio and questioned if it could have anything to do with the highway light poles. Sure enough, the crew looked up, and there was a light pole about 100" away (perpendicular to the highway) and all you could see was the very top of it above the trees. The crew dropped their tools and retrieved the "AC HotStik" from the engine, which indicated that the pipe was in fact energized.
Construction was being done in the area, and a Department of Transportation (DOT) crew was working about a quarter-mile away. They were summoned to the scene. The DOT workers put on their electrical safety gear and used their insulated electrical tools to pull a large wiring harness up and out of the water-filled pipe. They were in the area trying to figure out why the highway lights were not working. This shorting electrical equipment was the reason why.
The DOT workers said that the wiring carried about 480 volts of electricity and is supposed to be buried underground unnoticeable from the surface. The scene was turned over to DOT and the engine crew cleared.
LESSONS LEARNED
When the call went out, complacency reared its ugly head in our thinking that it was just a motorist seeing fog. However, I don’t believe that this contributed to the incident being a "near-miss." The Captain on scene does admit though that there was a bit of tunnel vision on their part in that they saw the pipe and assumed it was some sort of sewer pipe.
It had never crossed their minds that it could be electrical until the Assistant Chief mentioned it on the radio. She credits his intervention with possibly preventing an electrocution had they continued. I think this incident is a good reminder to always be aware of your surroundings.
Don"t be a moth to the flames (or smoke). Look up and around you for anything that could be related to what you"re investigating. This was an unusual event. However, I do believe that voltage-detection devices (i.e. our "AC HotStik") are under-utilized and should be one of the first tools coming off the rig more often during utility emergencies/investigations.
You can visit them at www.FirefighterNearMiss.com
If you have experienced or witnessed a near miss and would like to be interviewed on this show, visit my companion site:
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Click on the “contact us” link. Thank you, in advance, for sharing your lessons learned so others may live.
INFORMATION
If you are interested in attending a live event, you can check out the Situational Awareness Matters Tour Stop schedule at: SAMatters.com. Click on the Program and Keynotes tab just below the header, then click on the “Events Schedule” tab. If I am in your area, I hope you will consider attending a live event.
If you are not able to attend a live event, consider signing up for the SAMatters On-Line Academy. The Academy contains videos and articles that cover the same content as a three-day live tour event, delivered in 14 modules you can go through at your own pace, from your own computer. The Academy Plus version of the Academy includes four books that are referenced throughout the Academy. The Plus version is a great bargain because the tuition simply covers the cost of the books… making the Academy free!
Just click on the link below the header on the SAMatters home page titled On-Line Academy.
SAMatters COMMUNITY Question
This question comes from the Q&A session held at the end of the Training For Failure program.
QUESTION: What can we do to ensure our mayday training program is more realistic?
ANSWER: Thanks Chris for the question. It was easier for me to demonstrate my answer in the webinar because I was able to make sounds that I am not going to be able to replicate here in the newsletter. That aside, one of the ways to make training realistic is to increase the stress level of participants by making the incident look, feel, smell and sound as real as possible.
The example I shared with Chris has to do with simulating a mayday. If you are simulating a crew calling a mayday, then make it sound REAL over the radio.
During your drills, make sure the company that calls a mayday sounds like they are REALLY in distress. Have them give incomplete or partial information as to their whereabouts and why they need help. When they key the radio, have them only give a partial message and then have the radio go silent. Have their voice be so garbled that it is unreadable.
That simple change in radio communications will be enough to raise the stress level of your commander. If you want to see the difference in performance, do it once with regular (non-stressed) voices. Then do it again with stressed communications. I think you'll see two different outcomes.
CLOSING
Thank you for sharing some of your valuable time with me today. I sincerely appreciate your support of my mission.
If you like the show, please go to iTunes, and search for SAMatters Radio and subscribe to the podcast and leaving your feedback and a 5-star review. This will help others find the show.
You can also sign up for the free SAMatters monthly newsletter by visiting www.SAMatters.com and clicking the red box on the right side of the home page.
Be safe out there. May the peace of the Lord, and strong situational awareness, be with you always.
You have been listening to the Situational Awareness Matters Radio show with Dr. Richard B. Gasaway. If you are interested in learning more about situational awareness, human factors and decision making under stress, visit SAMatters.com.
If you are interested in booking Dr. Gasaway for an upcoming event, visit his personal website at RichGasaway.com
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424
Welcome to the first episode of the Situational Awareness Matters! Radio show.
And since this is the first episode I thought it would be appropriate to share with you how the back story of how Situational Awareness Matters got started.
You will also be provided with a good working definition for situational awareness and explanation as to why it is so darn important to the process of making good decisions.
The focus of this show is to improve situational awareness and decision making… for individuals and teams… working in high stress, high consequence environments.
Our mission is simple… To help you see the bad things coming… in time to change the outcome.
Situational Awareness Matters! website
www.SAMatters.com
On-Line Academy
http://www.samatters.com/situational-awareness-matters-academy/
Upcoming Events Schedule
http://www.samatters.com/programs-keynote/eventschedule/
Books and Videos (Store)
http://www.samatters.com/store/
Firefighter Near Miss Reporting System
http://www.firefighternearmiss.com/
Close Call Survivor Website
www.CloseCallSurvivor.com
Contact Rich Gasaway
www.RichGasaway.com
Support@RichGasaway.com
612-548-4424