Protecting Firefighters Workshop summary

on
September
2009
22

16th Annual
2009Conference
Meeting Expectations
I
the

16th Annual
2009Conference
Meeting Expectations
I
Incorporated the …

16th Annual
Protecting Firefighters
Preconference Workshop

This Pre-Conference Workshop …
was part of an ongoingprocess
1
Commencement of CRC Research D2.3
May 2009
Workshop
Sept 2009
22

Currently lead by …
Contact Jen Lumsden
Education Manager
Jen.Lumsden@bushfirecrc.com
Tel: 03 9412 9605
May 2009
Workshop
Sept 2009
22

Soon to be
Currently lead by …
May 2009
Workshop
Sept 2009
22

The Bushfire CRC and the research have come a long way to get to this point
May 2009
Workshop
Sept 2009
22

44
people
participated

in a meeting of
mindsbetween
Researchers
Agency & Industry

44
from
22
fire agencies

44
from
22
fire agencies
from
12
land management

44
from
22
fire agencies
from
12
land management
others
10
from universities, SES, local government
& the private sector

fromeverystate & territory
44

fromeverystate & territory
including
44

Why
bring all these people together
?

3
reasons

Conversations
1st
that deepen agency and industry understanding about the Bushfire CRC Research …

1st
Conversations
2nd
Relationships
strengthening the links between researchers, agency and industry staff …

1st
Conversations
2nd
Relationships
strengthening the links between researchers, agency and industry staff …
3rd
Practical Action
ways of getting industry-wide adoption of research resulting in improved firefighter safety

At the
centre
of the workshop
were …

rigorous
3
pieces of Research

Let’s look at a snapshot of all
3

1
Safe Behaviour & Decision Making
Project Leader: Mary Omodei
Email: m.omodei@latrobe.edu.au

Understanding this …

Fire Behavior

Fire Behavior
… is essential to effective
bushfire fighting

Understanding this …

Human Behavior

… is critical to understand how human behaviours influence safety outcomes
Human Behavior

We allknowthis…

The FireTriangle
Air
Heat
Fuel

Now we all need to understandthis!

aHuman Factors Fire Triangle
Thinking
Relating
Co-ordinating

aHuman Factors Fire Triangle
“these factors influence
safety on the fireground”
3
Thinking
Relating
Co-ordinating

One of the key lessons…

We are good at managing the fire, but not good at managing ourselves!

Let’s build on this
key lesson and look at research topic
#2

1
2
Firefighter Health & Safety
Dr Brad Aisbett
Lecturer Deakin University
brad.aisbett@deakin.edu.au

“Cutting edge science based on real fireground work…helping fire agencies preserve the health and safety of their personnel”

This research puts
things under the
forensic microscope
4

Fatigue
Hydration
Fitness
Cardiovascular Health

Hydration
One of the key findings …
across 3 studies

Firefighters not only leave the firegrounddehydrated

They actually arrivedehydrated!

Why is hydrationimportant?

dehydrationleads to...

↑cardiac stress

decision
making
abilities
↓
↑cardiac stress

decision
making
abilities
↓
↑cardiac stress
risk of collapse
↑

decision
making
abilities
↓
↑cardiac stress
risk of collapse
↑
↓
productivity

A key message to communicate!

Manage your hydration

Fatigue
Hydration
And!beyond hydration
Cardiovascular Health
Fitness

Manage your fitness

These findingshave
BIG implications
way beyond health and safety!

Less fit firefighters get injuredmore often
Injuredfirefighters↓ workforce
Injured firefighters↑ compen$ation

is your workforceFit for duty??

And now to
research topic
#3

Drum roll please…

1
2
3
Information Flow & IMT effectiveness Dr Christine Owen
Program leader: Education and Training
Project Leader: Enhancing Information Flow and IMT effectiveness Bushfire
Bushfire CRC – www.bushfirecrc.com

One of the key lessons…

Effective Incident Management
... is less about managing the fire

Effective Incident Management
& more about informationflow

Incident management
is all about managing ...

Incident management
Complexity

Incident management
Complexity
Interdependency

Incident management
Complexity
Interdependency
&On-flow effects

Problematic
coordination blockages occur ...

Problematic
during escalation

Problematic
during escalation
@ ICS Level 2-3

Problematic
during escalation
@ ICS Level 2-3
when multiple stakeholders involved

Problematic
during escalation
@ ICS Level 2-3
when multiple stakeholders involved
weak links between IMT &Fireground

& one more thing …

During Briefings …

During Briefings …
where one was received!

Problems in
hearing, seeing & speakingoccurred

only33%of respondents heard
alternative strategies …

only33%of respondents heard
alternative strategies …
even in incidents that were complex

Ok, what ACTION is needed to achieve …

Ok, what ACTION is needed to achieve …
and …

…
industry adoption of this research

?
…
effective decision making

?
?
effective decision making
…
a safer and more efficient workplace

Here’s a snapshot of
practical actions
developed by participants
on September
22

Communicate
the research & implications …

Communicate
by targeting the right people

Communicate
with simple language,
concrete images and …

Communicate
stories from the field!

Spread knowledge

Spread knowledge
using credible sources

Spread knowledge
& using existing networks

Spread knowledge
& remember Word of Mouth

Build research into existing training

Engage directly

Engage directly
At all levels

Engage directly
across all agencies
& organisations

and finally …

Practice what
we Preach!

So …whois going to
take responsibility
for action implementation?

So … meis going to
take responsibility

So …youis going to
take responsibility

So …usis going to
take responsibility

all ofusis going to
take responsibility

all ofusis going to
take responsibility
for action impleme so that …ntation?

… we achieve industry-wideadoption of the research

improved firefighter
health and safety

improved decision making
at all levels …

a greater capacity for
multi-agency
collaboration …

in times of increasing
uncertainty
& complexity!

What
did workshop
participants
“have to say”
about the September
workshop?
22

I have to do more
in relation to the research
areas in my agency” Workshop Participant
“

The empowerment to go back
to my agency and begin to make a difference and guide my colleagues into becoming a HRO*
for greater safety and
decision making”Workshop Participant
*HRO = High Reliability Organisation
“

Participants valued the interactions across diverse participating organisations

I learnt that people in all
positions and levels have
the same concerns
for their staff and
fellow workers” Workshop Participant
“

A shared understanding about
the level of change needed emerged

“
It confirms that implementation of human factors into doctrine
is on the right path for organisational change.”

Consensus about the need for a National approach & at all levels

“
The problems we have on firegrounds due to human factors
are a ‘national issue’ ...
... and needs to be addressed
at all levels, supported by
AGENCY HEADS”Workshop Participant

The importance of
scenario planning

“
The value of running a
‘worst case’ or ‘what if’
examination of
real life scenarios
as a training/learning tool”
Workshop Participant

Ongoing communication about the research is critical

“
The importance of
communication: personal, agency, interstate, national.” Workshop Participant

end
The

The Small Print
This Slideshow content came directly from the BCRC Sept 22 Protecting Firefighters Preconference workshop. It is a summary of the (mostly) qualitative analysis that came from the workshop activities and participants.
Participant feedback and quotes are based on an evaluation process held with the 44 participants at the end of the workshop.
The recommended next steps and actions also came from processes at the workshop involving the participants.
Slide story designed by Geoff Brown (Tangent Consulting) in conjunction with the workshop steering committee lead by Jen Lumsden of the Bushfire CRC.
Slideshow pictures were sourced from the AFAC Conference website at Flickr.com, from the CFA and from iStockphoto.com
Slide design by Geoff Brown (Tangent Consulting). Design inspired by designs from Garr Reynolds of Presentation Zen.com and the book of the same name.
If you have any questions, or would like a full copy of the workshop proceedings, please contact Jen Lumsden at the Bushfire CRC – Jen.Lumsden@bcrc.com
Geoff Brown
www.tangentconsulting.com.au

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Protecting Firefighters Workshop summary

by Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre on Dec 17, 2009

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Protecting Firefighters Workshop summary — Presentation Transcript