This slideshow presentation is a summary of what was communicated at the Protecting Firefighters Workshop prior to the AFAC / Bushfire 2009 Conference on the Gold Coast.

1. on September 2009 22

2. 16th Annual 2009Conference Meeting Expectations I the

3. 16th Annual 2009Conference Meeting Expectations I Incorporated the …

4. 16th Annual Protecting Firefighters Preconference Workshop

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

6. Currently lead by … Contact Jen Lumsden Education Manager Jen.Lumsden@bushfirecrc.com Tel: 03 9412 9605 Commencement of CRC Research D2.3 May 2009 Workshop Sept 2009 22

7. Soon to be Currently lead by … Commencement of CRC Research D2.3 May 2009 Workshop Sept 2009 22

8. The Bushfire CRC and the research have come a long way to get to this point Commencement of CRC Research D2.3 May 2009 Workshop Sept 2009 22

9. 44 people participated

10. in a meeting of mindsbetween Researchers Agency & Industry

11. 44 from 22 fire agencies

12. 44 from 22 fire agencies from 12 land management

13. 44 from 22 fire agencies from 12 land management others 10 from universities, SES, local government & the private sector

14. fromeverystate & territory 44

15. fromeverystate & territory including 44

16. Why bring all these people together ?

17. 3 reasons

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

19. 1st

20. 1st Conversations that deepen agency and industry understanding about the Bushfire CRC Research … 2nd Relationships strengthening the links between researchers, agency and industry staff …

21. 2nd

22. 1st Conversations that deepen agency and industry understanding about the Bushfire CRC Research … 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

23. 3rd

24. And!

25. At the centre of the workshop were …

26. rigorous 3 pieces of Research

27. Let’s look at a snapshot of all 3

28. 1 Safe Behaviour & Decision Making Project Leader: Mary Omodei Email: m.omodei@latrobe.edu.au

29. Understanding this …

30. Fire Behavior

31. Fire Behavior … is essential to effective bushfire fighting

32. And!

33. Understanding this …

34. Human Behavior

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

36. We allknowthis…

37. The FireTriangle Air Heat Fuel

38. Now we all need to understandthis!

39. aHuman Factors Fire Triangle Thinking Relating Co-ordinating

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

41. One of the key lessons…

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

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

44. 1 Safe Behaviour & Decision Making 2 Firefighter Health & Safety Dr Brad Aisbett Lecturer Deakin University brad.aisbett@deakin.edu.au

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

46. This research puts things under the forensic microscope 4

47. Fatigue Hydration Firefighter Health & Safety Fitness Cardiovascular Health

48. Hydration One of the key findings … across 3 studies

49. Firefighters not only leave the firegrounddehydrated

50. They actually arrivedehydrated!

51. Why is hydrationimportant?

52. dehydrationleads to...

53. ↑cardiac stress

54. decision making abilities ↓ ↑cardiac stress

55. decision making abilities ↓ ↑cardiac stress risk of collapse ↑

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

57. A key message to communicate!

58. Manage your hydration

59. Fatigue Hydration And!beyond hydration Cardiovascular Health Fitness

60. Manage your fitness

61. Why?

62. These findingshave BIG implications way beyond health and safety!

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

64. is your workforceFit for duty??

65. And now to research topic #3

66. Drum roll please…

67. 1 Safe Behaviour & Decision Making 2 Firefighter Health & Safety 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

68. One of the key lessons…

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

70. Effective Incident Management & more about informationflow

71. Incident management is all about managing ...

72. Incident management is all about managing ... Complexity

73. Incident management is all about managing ... Complexity Interdependency

74. Incident management is all about managing ... Complexity Interdependency &On-flow effects

75. Problematic coordination blockages occur ...

76. Problematic coordination blockages occur ... during escalation

77. Problematic coordination blockages occur ... during escalation @ ICS Level 2-3

78. Problematic coordination blockages occur ... during escalation @ ICS Level 2-3 when multiple stakeholders involved

79. Problematic coordination blockages occur ... during escalation @ ICS Level 2-3 when multiple stakeholders involved weak links between IMT &Fireground

80. & one more thing …

81. During Briefings …

82. During Briefings … where one was received!

83. Problems in hearing, seeing & speakingoccurred

84. only33%of respondents heard alternative strategies …

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

88. Ok, what ACTION is needed to achieve …

89. Ok, what ACTION is needed to achieve … and …

90. … industry adoption of this research

91. ? industry adoption of this research … effective decision making

92. ? industry adoption of this research ? effective decision making … a safer and more efficient workplace

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

95. Communicate the research & implications …

96. Communicate by targeting the right people

97. Communicate with simple language, concrete images and …

98. Communicate stories from the field!

99. Spread knowledge

100. Spread knowledge using credible sources

101. Spread knowledge & using existing networks

102. Spread knowledge & remember Word of Mouth

103. Build research into existing training

104. Build research into existing training

105. Engage directly

106. Engage directly At all levels

107. Engage directly across all agencies & organisations

108. and finally …

109. Practice what we Preach!

110. So …whois going to take responsibility for action implementation?

111. So … meis going to take responsibility for action implementation?

112. So …youis going to take responsibility for action implementation?

113. So …usis going to take responsibility for action implementation?

114. all ofusis going to take responsibility for action implementation?

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

116. … we achieve industry-wideadoption of the research

117. improved firefighter health and safety

118. improved decision making at all levels …

119. a greater capacity for multi-agency collaboration …

120. in times of increasing uncertainty & complexity!

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

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

123. 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 “

124. Participants valued the interactions across diverse participating organisations

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

126. A shared understanding about the level of change needed emerged

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

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

129. “ 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

130. The importance of scenario planning

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

132. Ongoing communication about the research is critical

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

134. end The

135. 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