Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk

Question 1

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p195-196

What are the different operational philosophies currently in fire service generally?

Answer 1

Departments that are risk-averse for firefighters
Departments that are risk-averse for occupants
Blue-collar fire services the believing experience and hard work
White-collar fire services believing education, data, safety first philosophy

Question 2

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p196

What is the first action steps that departments must take to support a given operational philosophy?

What should happen next?

Answer 2

1. The first action step that departments must take to support a given operational philosophy is to visualize operational success based on the chosen philosophy.
2. Communicate the operational philosophy and develop performance standards and operational guidelines that support the vision of success

Question 3

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p197-198

What is the main difference between the two operational scenarios presented by Thompson at the beginning of this chapter. One in a small assembly, the other in a strip mall?

Answer 3

The first incident in the assembly maintain the initial operations of the first on scene engine company and stayed to learn the structure. There was not a redirect from a more knowledgeable, experienced person.

In the strip mall the battalion chief redirected ordered companies out of the building prior to collapse based on his knowledge of building construction and fire behavior.

__

Question 4

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p198

What are the two operational philosophies that currently exist in fire service organizations?

Answer 4

Firefighter safety first philosophy, and
Victim survival first philosophy

The organizational culture and subcultures with value one over the other.

Question 5

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p199

Where is operational philosophy reflected?

Answer 5

It’s reflected in guidelines, training, identify best practices, and by the things that fire companies are encouraged to do or discouraged from doing. For example, policies that prohibit or guidelines that discourage such things as vertical ventilation or aggressive search reflect an operational philosophy that favors firefighter safety and limits fire rescue operations.

___

Question 6

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p199

What is TCFD’s operational philosophy

Answer 6

Their operational philosophy values maximized fire suppression capabilities and operational effectiveness. Meaning firefighters are expected to be trained and well rehearsed at taking manage risk to save lives and in some cases even personal property.

Question 7

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p199

How does TCFD ensure maximum recall and performance on critical task?

Answer 7

Critical test must be rehearsed at a minimum every 90 days to assure maximum recall and performance. This is the reasoning for the Quarterly Basic Big Five drills.

Question 8

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p199

How does Thompson see TCFD’s philosophy?

Answer 8

Smart first operational philosophies value balancing firefighter safety and victim survival based on risk management decision-making process.

Question 9

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p200

Safety first operational philosophy

Answer 9

Pessimistic views on victim survivability.

Assumes aggressive tactics are not justifiable and therefore capabilities of a fire company are restricted because victim survivability is not probable.

Restrictions placed on aggressors strategies and tactics, with emphasis placed on suppression and prior rescue training. Accountability for fire companies held to preparedness

Question 10

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p200

Smart first operational philosophy

Answer 10

Optimistic view on victim survivability

Chosen learning culture that values firefighters being smart, committed to firefighter safety. Values critical thinking and risk management as essentials for maximizing firefighter success and survival.

Question 11

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p200

10 essentials necessary for smart first philosophy

Answer 11

1. Define and communicate what ops success looks like
2. Commit to risk management
   a. Organizational and operational
   b. Processing systems
   c. Acceptable vs unacceptable risk-taking
   d. Roles and responsibilities
3. Develop and implement objective based operational guidelines
4. Implement a coaching and mentoring program that models the right way and provides feedback
5. Develop and implement operational standards for the Big Five in the first five minutes
6. Make preparedness a priority second only to serving the public (training, practice, mental imagery, accountability)
7. Choose a deployment model that maximizes operational capabilities
8. Put the best people in the right places
9. Developed a quality of supervision
10. Commitment to continual improvement

Question 12

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p203

What damage to fire service leaders inflict to their organizations when they play it safe to avoid criticism or say where an EMS department that goes to fires, etc.

Answer 12

These views impact the motivation and preparedness of their organizations. These are destructive opinions.

Question 13

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p203

In the two perspectives experiment Thompson spent time with fire chiefs and company officers to get a better understanding of what three issues?

Answer 13

1. Trust between the chief the department and company officers. What builds that trust, and the behaviors and decisions that damage it.
2. Operational and leadership philosophy: gain insight on the position of each group in relation to these two philosophies. How the groups individual philosophies were developed, how they are communicated, how they’re being perceived by each level of the organization.
3. Views on safety and commitment to the mission: gain an understanding of how fire chiefs balance their philosophies of protecting firefighters while committing to trapped or potentially trapped fire victims. Understand the company officers position on safety, risk management, etc.
   ___

Question 14

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p204

What can fire chiefs do to bridge the communication and perception gaps that exist between fire administration and firehouses?

Answer 14

It’s important that chiefs understand these gaps exist in that aggressive action is necessary. A good initial step is a commitment to:
regular communications,
aggressive rumor control,
admittance of fall,
transparency,
clear vision of success, and
talking about the three F’s – family, fishing, and fire –
over a cup of coffee in the firehouse.

Question 15

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p204

Based on the conversations that Thompson had with fire chiefs and company officers he found that the intent of many fire chiefs was to make safety policies black-and-white. But in practice they appeared vague. What caused the practice of safety policies to be vague?

Answer 15

Fire chiefs had a clear vision of what they believe safety looks like from from an administrative perspective, but lacked an effective plan for communicating that vision so that safety principles and practices can be applied at the organizational level. Policies ended up too vague or so specific they felt to consider the realities of the job.

Question 16

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p205

When developing safety policies what should you strive for?

Answer 16

You should strive to make, what being safe looks like at the task and tactics level, and the overall strategic level as clear as possible. So the company officers don’t feel like they need to make black-and-white safety policies work in very gray, dynamic situations.

Question 17

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p205

What harm occurs when departments cut and paste safety policies or practices from other departments?

Answer 17

The value that culture places on safety and risk management impacts many things. Every safety protocol or practice must be specific in application, serve a purpose, have a defined method for implementation and enforcement at the company level.

Simply policies are designed specifically for the operations, staffing, and culture of the department. Removed from that context they could lead to disastrous results.

Question 18

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p205

What did Thompson learn overall from the conversations with fire chiefs and fire officers?

Answer 18

A better understanding of how the word safety is applied and perceived. And a lesson that the word should be used cautiously and applied specifically to definable situations.

Question 19

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p205

Smart operational philosophies values risk management at what level?

Answer 19

At the company level, were fire ground decisions are frequently made.

Question 20

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p206

How does TCFD approach risk management at the company level?

Answer 20

By effectively recognizing & controlling known hazards:

Hazard has the potential to cause harm (fire, smoke, heat, collapse, etc.)
Risk is the likelihood (possible, probable, certain) of that hazard causing harm, and the severity of that harm

RM helps guide fire ground decisions the balance fire victim survival, and firefighter safety.

Question 21

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p206

What does Thompson see as the safety competition happening in the fire service?

Answer 21

A competition of safety between firefighters and fire victims. Where safety first departments costs fire victim seconds if not minutes.

Thompson argues that the public, (and NFPA 1710) has an expectation and that that is a clear mandate.

Question 22

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p206

What does the Fire Chief need to do to ensure all levels of the organization are adhering to his vision of safety and risk management, regardless of the level of risk tolerance decided upon by the fire chief.

Answer 22

The fire chief or operations chief must provide the necessary direction to the organization in the form of philosophy, policies, procedures, guidelines, and recognized best practices, so that the fire companies clearly understand the rules of engagement and the allowable aggressive tactics to be used to address fire problems.

Question 23

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p207

What is the challenge posed to the fire service by cancer?

Answer 23

How to best protect firefighters while allowing them to perform at a professional level, without taking seconds away from their investors, taxpayers.

Question 24

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p207

what is the most direct path towards positioning firefighters for success and survival on the fire ground?

Answer 24

To continually look for ways to train firefighters on acceptable (justifiable operational aggression) and unacceptable (reckless) aggression.

Question 25

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p207

What is the first step on training firefighters between acceptable and unacceptable aggression?

Answer 25

The first step is identifying what each looks like.

Question 26

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p207-208

What are the decisions and actions that can lead to reckless levels of aggression or indicate that it is occurring? 9

Answer 26

1. When operational philosophy & tactical freelancing is taking place.
2. When ego is allowed to trump reason
3. When fire companies compete for preferred fireground assignments
4. When convenience is chosen over best practice.
5. When carelessness and complacency are present
6. When PPE is missing or improperly worn
7. Failure to take the time to accurately size up incident problems
8. When capabilities have been intentionally exceeded for reasons other than life safety
9. When the level of operational aggression can no longer be supported, the aggression has become reckless

Question 27

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p208

How can you recognize when justifiable aggression is occurring?

Answer 27

When experience, critical thinking, available information, best practices, and risk management are being used to form an incident action plan that is not exceed the capabilities of the resources assigned to the incident.
__

Question 28

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p208

Thompson argues that if we listen to data input emotion aside departments can successfully perform aggressive tactics as long as…

Answer 28

When it comes to life-and-death decision-making, we need to train our people on the severity and likelihood of the risk associated with the activity in terms of certainties, probabilities, and possibilities before we start writing off civilians lives and property.

Question 29

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p209

Which fire ground decision-makers can change the tempo of an incident when necessary to prevent a catastrophic outcome?

Answer 29

Fireground decision-makers that have obtained training and experience at the redirecting level

Question 30

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p209

How do you prevent each shift commander and company officer from interpreting operational priorities and making decisions based solely on their individual knowledge and experience?

Answer 30

Managers must make operational priorities clear, and then package this critical component of the operational philosophy in the manner that can be clearly communicated and taught to each level of the organization.

In the absence of a unified operational philosophy, operating standards, and operating directives it becomes impossible to effectively determine operational wins and losses, to achieve operational consistency, and to achieve a measurable level of operational improvement

__

Question 31

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p209

Thompson argues that operational priorities should be identified as well as tactical priorities. How would this look?

Answer 31

Operational priorities are defined and communicated prior to the event to provide a balance between firefighter safety and victim survival. Operational priorities should address things such as the priority of primary search or the minimum flow requirements, etc.

Question 32

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p209-210

In TCFD crews at a structure fire would use survivability profiling to estimate how long someone could survive and then decide if a rescued is probable with the available resources and within the window of opportunity. How does a TCFD officer make that decision?

Answer 32

When experiences lacking the officer or IC would be forced to rely on the experiences they do have, what they have been taught, what they feel or believe at the time based on their senses and emotions.

The decision-makers knowledge of building construction, fire behavior, victim tendencies and survivability, operational capabilities and limitations, strategy and tactics will help the decision-maker.

Question 33

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p210

Why would it be a cause of concern if you ask your fire officers to describe their mental process for determining survivability of occupants and receive varying answers?

Answer 33

This is a sign your training is not supporting the operational philosophy, and should be a focus for additional training.

Question 34

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p210

What is the preferable method for determining a survivability profile?

Answer 34

Survivability should start with the uniform assessment (trainable) and should not be determined solely on the subjective opinions of the personnel that are on duty. The assessment should be uniform so that companies are making similar decisions.

Question 35

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p211

What are the most important intellectual tools for determining if a rescue is possible or if an attempt should even be made?

Answer 35

Experience maturity with interpreting the incident a clear operational philosophy, understanding the capabilities and limitations of the resources on scene, and emotional intelligence are the most important intellectual tools for determining if a rescue is possible or not.

Question 36

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p211

What does a RM philosophy focus on?

Answer 36

On identifying and assessing the existing and potential risk to firefighters and civilians, and then implementing a plan to prioritize and mitigate the risk.

Question 37

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p211

Why is it that aggressiveness is commonly viewed it as bad in the fire service?

Answer 37

This reputation is the result of reckless firefighting operations that clearly ignored the principles and practices of both safety and RM.

Question 38

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p211

How should Smart risk taking be viewed?

Answer 38

Aggressive problem-solving and risk-taking that are managed and supported using an operational standard such as SMART³ are essential for gaining experience maturity, as well as maximizing operational capabilities.

It’s a matter of standards, preparation, and quality decision-making.

Question 39

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p211

What must you do if you really hope to reduce firefighter injuries and deaths that are caused by fire ground activities?

Answer 39

You must commit to finding a way to teach operational risk management and acceptable operational risk taking based on the operational capabilities and limitations of the resources involved with incidents.

There are plenty of careers that require unsafe participation to be successful, yet find ways to be safe and manage risk.

Question 40

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p212-213

Training that includes the following has proven effective for training firefighters and fire officers in operational aggression:

Answer 40

1. Objective based operating guidelines-provide a template for evaluating fire operations. Where objectives met based on aggressiveness of IAP, operational capabilities, conditions, time?
2. Task and tactics ownership-FFers take ownership of tactics, task and techniques through a personal commitment to preparedness, deliberate practice, mental imagery, and quarterly rehearsals.
3. Static stimulation (scenarios)-useful for training on identification, assessment, and prioritizing risk, and for choosing control options. This involves recognizing risk, reciting possible solutions, rehearsing problem-solving skills. Allow for immediate feedback/analysis.
4. Dynamic stimulation- reality-based simulation that causes mental and/or physical progression and decision-making based on standards, time, and that defined or desired outcome. Necessary to get firefighters to the redirection level of knowledge and experience. Allows immediate feedback and correction.
5. Critiquing aggression and risk- the level of problem-solving aggression and risk exposure should be critiqued at every incident as part of the formal or informal after action review.

Question 41

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p213

When critiquing aggression and risk as part of the after action review what questions should be asked?

What drill is beneficial in this situation?

Answer 41

Questions
1. Did you utilize your capabilities (complete at the highest level) to solve the incident problems without exposing firefighters to unjustified risk?

2. Did you create opportunities, or did you wait for opportunities to solve fire, smoke, structural integrity, and life safety problems?

The Monday the morning quarterback drill is useful for aggression and risk management training the question that should be asked here is:

Was the level of aggression and risk-taking justifiable based on risk versus gain, and the possibilities, probabilities, or certainties of risk exposure to firefighters and fire victims?

Question 42

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p213

One of the four target system outputs from the colony projects is “maximize operational capabilities” what does that mean in TCFD?

Answer 42

As an organization they have the responsibility to develop principles and practice that maximize the lifesaving and property saving capabilities of our people and our equipment. As part of the commitment the chief must continually monitor operational philosophy to make sure we are not restricting those capabilities. Restricting capability decreases R-value and the return on the taxpayer investment.

Question 43

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p214

Firefighters agree to share risk with the people on the day there experiencing a fire, rescue, or medical emergency. While we agree to share risk by taking an oath we should not make them share…

Answer 43

We should not make them share our lack of preparedness, our complacency or incompetence.

Question 44

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p214

Why is risk acceptance particularly relevant to functional fire companies?

Answer 44

Risk acceptance regulates the capabilities of the fire company team. This is the level of risk that a company chooses to accept in order to fulfill the mission.

If we hope to maximize capabilities of the fire company the effort should be towards increasing experiences, building confidence, training on sensible aggression versus reckless aggression, and an operational philosophy that values firefighters confronting in managing more risk.

Question 45

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p216

What is risk management in the fire service?

Answer 45

An organizational and operational commitment to identifying, assessing, and prioritizing risk, and then using the information to make decisions on choosing and implementing actions to mitigate the harm caused by the risk.

Question 46

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p216

In risk management what are you attempting to do?

Answer 46

Looking forward into the future (1 minute to 1 decade) and looking for what things can go wrong, and then doing something right now to prevent it from going wrong.

Question 47

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p216

In the 1990s Gordon Graham identified 10 families of risk that fire departments must be aware of and manage.

Answer 47

1. External risk
2. Legal and regulatory risk
3. Strategic risk
4. Organizational risk management
5. Operational risk management
6. Information risk
7. Human resource risk
8. Technology risk
9. Financial risk and reputational risk
10. Political risk

Question 48

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p216

What do organizational RM and operational RM involved?

Answer 48

Organizational RM involves identifying and managing the risk that can cause short-term or long-term harm to the organization.

Operational RM involves managing mission related risk with urgency and effectiveness.

Question 49

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p216-217

What is the most important knowledge a firefighter can have on the fire ground?

Answer 49

The most important knowledge that a firefighter can have on the fire ground is recognizing and understanding risk – risk to firefighters and wrist to fire victims.

Without this understanding operations can be neither safe nor effective.

Question 50

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p217

What is the problem with the fire services standard for sizing up acceptable risk – risk a lot to save a lot, risk a little to save a little?

Answer 50

The process for coming to either conclusion is almost always subjective and based on past experiences.

Question 51

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p217

The international Association of fire Chiefs issued a policy for all firefighters addressing rules of engagement. What are they?

Answer 51

Do not risk your life for the lives or property that cannot be saved.

Extend limited risk to protect savable property

Extend managed and supported risk to protect and rescue savable lives

Question 52

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p217

What does NFPA 1500 say about risk?

Answer 52

1. Activities that present a significant risk to the safety of members shall be limited to situations where there is a potential to save endangered lives.
2. Activities that are routinely employed to protect property shall be recognized as inherent risk to the safety of members and action shall be taken to reduce or avoid these risk.
3. No risk to the safety of members shall be acceptable when there is no possibility to save lives or property

Question 53

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p218

What factors must be assessed prior to developing an action plan? 9

Answer 53

1. Time in window of opportunity
2. Building size and considerations
3. Openings (natural, man-made, potential)
4. Fire location and dynamics
5. Wind speed and direction
6. Flow path management and vent considerations
7. Survivability profile
8. Capability and limitations of resources
   staffing
   experience
   equipment
   water supply
9. Risk to firefighters and fire victims

Question 54

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p218

Why would a risk profile for the same incident change between departments?

Answer 54

The experience of company officers, the number of functional fire companies, the operational philosophy, etc.

Question 55

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p218

What is meant by “predictable is preventable” and who coined the phrase?

Answer 55

Gordon Graham coined the phrase and he explained that “identifiable risk are manageable risk”, and that the “things that go wrong in life are predictable, and predictable is preventable”

One of the best ways for preventing bad things from happening is to understand why bad things happen.

Question 56

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p218

Gordon Grahams primary reasons for why bad things happen in fire department organizations. 7

Answer 56

1. Complacency
2. Egos
3. Distraction
4. Fatigue
5. Risk homeostasis
6. Failure to prepare

Question 57

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p218

Gordon Grahams primary reasons for why bad things happen in fire department organizations:

Complacency

Answer 57

Company officers must combat complacency in the firehouse. Training, drilling, and engaging the company are few action steps that the CO can take to ensure complacency isn’t creating risk for the company.

The most obvious sign of them a fire company complacency is the lack of preparedness; for example firefighters who do not check their equipment that they depend upon at the start of shift. Complacency can spread like the flu if allowed.

Question 58

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p218

Gordon Grahams primary reasons for why bad things happen in fire department organizations:

Ego

Answer 58

In the fire service egos often lead to complacency. The officer who has no preparedness standards has either become complacent believing nothing bad can happen or they have an ego leaving the company is good enough under their leadership.

Question 59

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p220

Gordon Grahams primary reasons for why bad things happen in fire department organizations:

Distraction

Answer 59

Distractions come in all shapes and sizes. Personal distractions caused by impatience, immaturity, horseplay, social media and a short attention spans should be on every officers radar.

On a larger scale distracted drivers cause fire departments in terms of equipment and firefighter injury/death. Distraction is a growing concern.

Question 60

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p220

Gordon Grahams primary reasons for why bad things happen in fire department organizations:

Fatigue

Answer 60

Studies conducted by the international Association of fire Chiefs tell us sleep deprivation and fatigue because by firefighters work schedule is a proven cause for working health problems. A fatigue body is less able to heal or fight disease and thus may contribute to firefighter cancers.

Functional fire company officers make the best decision for individual companies which may not be the fairest decision for the individual good officers manage work cycles to maximize effectiveness of the company without putting too much of a burden on any one individual.

Question 61

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p221

Gordon Grahams primary reasons for why bad things happen in fire department organizations:

Risk homeostasis

Answer 61

The book crew resource management for the fire service describes risk homeostasis. It explains why firefighters continue to get injured or killed even when they are prepared. The authors explain how people always subconsciously accept the level of risk they are comfortable with. One of the goals of training in drilling should be to increase confidence however increase confidence can easily lead to an increased level of unacceptable risk taking if not aggressively managed.

Failure teaches valuable lessons and results in humility, and honest self-assessment. Failure is invaluable for keeping egos in check. It also checks complacency and risk homeostasis. Failure can be valuable as long as failure doesn’t risk injury or death or come at the expense of others.

Question 62

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p221

Gordon Grahams primary reasons for why bad things happen in fire department organizations:

Failure to prepare

Answer 62

The primary difference between functional fire companies and all the rest is their commitment to preparedness. Preparedness is an action step four recognizing and managing risk. In TCFD many of the bad things that occur such as on-the-job injuries or accidents can be contributed directly to a lack of mental, physical, or mechanical preparedness.

Incidents or close calls and failures in the fire service should not be viewed as the same. Incidents often result from carelessness, which is the result of a negative attitude towards responsibility. Failure comes from the lack of adequate preparation, low-quality decision-making, or the inability of the fire company to complete at the necessary level.

Question 63

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p222

What are the first and second most important things they do at TCFD?

Answer 63

1. Solving the public’s fire and EMS problems

2. Preparedness

Question 64

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p222

After reviewing LODD’s over the past 10 years and based off the interpretations of NIOSH reports, Thompson believes that _____ directly or indirectly contributed to a higher percentage of close calls and LODD’s

Answer 64

Thompson believes that a lack of mental, physical, mechanical, and procedural preparedness directly or indirectly contributed to a higher percentage of close calls and LODDs.

Question 65

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p222

Gordon Graham’s list of issues that are “over represented in consequences” 14

Answer 65

1. SCBA maintenance records- including air quality
2. SCBA proficiency training and documentation
3. Live fire issues
4. Live powerline issues
5. Rapid intervention operations and equipment
6. Fatigue
7. Vehicle operations, training and license verification
8. Size of prior to deploying resources
9. Company integrity
10. Personal accountability on fire grounds
11. Not complying with the direction of supervisors
12. Discrimination, harassment, and bias
13. Constant risk versus benefit analysis
14. Failure to have policies and best practices

For each issue there should be a risk management responsibilities at each level of the organization to assure consequences are avoided or minimized. It’s important to include operational and organizational risk management responsibilities in the job descriptions of every position in the department.

Question 66

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p223

The Process – Operational Risk Management for Functional Fire Companies

Overview

Answer 66

Step 1. Recognize and identify operational risk
Step 2. Assess and prioritize risk
Step 3. Mitigate risk

Question 67

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p223

The Process – Operational Risk Management for Functional Fire Companies

Step 1. Recognize and identify operational risk

Answer 67

The ability to recognize and identify risk comes from training, experience, and situational awareness. Being able to identify risk will have a direct impact on firefighter and victim survival.

Application of this step in the fire service would include training, for example on reading smoke, and understanding the hazardous conditions that are present. Identifying flow paths, recognizing a ventilated limited fires, and understand what would happen when the building is opened up. Having the ability to recognize flashover situations and identify signs leading up to flashover. The Big Five in the First Five Minute drills are a great place to start recognizing and identifying operational risk.

Question 68

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p223-224

The Process – Operational Risk Management for Functional Fire Companies

Step 2. Assessing and prioritizing risk

Answer 68

Risk assessment is a process of identifying potential hazards and assessing the harm it would cause. It would also assess the likelihood of the hazard to actually cause harm to firefighters far victims.

Given what we know about heat and smoke associated with fire we understand that the likelihood of collapse and victim death increases with time. If predictable is preventable then we know that if we don’t remove the fire from the building or the people from the building that bad things will happen. The more information you can obtain from preplans, senses, combined with your experience to help you interpret that information the more accurate you will be with predicting and preventing harm.

Once you have assessed risk, you must prioritize the risk and use the information for decision-making. After risk are assessed and prioritized you can start making decisions on how to mitigate the risk. Typically the first decision you need to be prepared to make is whether to remove the fire victim from the hazard or remove the hazard from the victim. Our capabilities (staffing experience etc.) will determine how many of the incident problems can be addressed simultaneously. With very limited staffing you may be forced to choose putting out fire to mitigate other risk.

Risk assessment and prioritization will help you decide to go in order to stay out, and if you do go and how long to stay in.

Question 69

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p224

The Process – Operational Risk Management for Functional Fire Companies

Step 3. Mitigate risk

Answer 69

Risk mitigation involves the actions a functional fire company can take to reduce the severity of the risk in the impact on firefighters, people, and the building.

Question 70

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p224

How is risk management structured, who is responsible?

Answer 70

TCFD realized the preparedness and RM are best accomplished by the person closest to the activity.

It made sense to place the responsibility for preparedness and RM with the individual based on their operating roles and responsibilities.

The responsibilities for preparedness and mismanagement start with the individual and go up the chain of command.

Question 71

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p225

What is each position in TCFD is responsible for and empowered to handle what at their organizational level? 5

Answer 71

1. Identifying existing organizational or operational risk
2. Communicating identified risk up the chain
3. Making recommendations for mitigating risk
4. Documenting the risk and the action taken
5. Following up and monitoring

Question 72

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p227

Three reasons fire chiefs shy away from a fire focused philosophy in favor of an EMS first mindset.

Answer 72

1. They believe because the majority of the calls are EMS related, it only makes sense to focus on preparing for the delivery of EMS.
2. They believe any form of moderately aggressive fire operations is too dangerous. Therefore they are uncomfortable committing any hard and fast aggressive fire suppression philosophies or standards.
3. They don’t understand fire operations to a degree that allows them to visualize and articulate what fire operation success looks like.

Question 73

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p227-228

What are the four problems that occur when operational philosophies are decided at the battalion or company level?

Answer 73

1. If one BC has a more aggressive operational philosophy than another BC then victim survivability is determined by where someone lives and what shift is on duty.
2. When fire personnel change shifter work at other stations, they basically must learn the operational philosophy of that BC on the fly
3. Experienced maturity is hard to come by because every fire is approached differently. Firefighters don’t get the chance to achieve an expert level of understanding.
4. Firefighters may be put in a position to perform a task with little experience, or that they have not rehearsed recently.

Question 74

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p228

operational standards and commitment to preparedness allows for…

Answer 74

A systematic approach for preparation and problem solving that fire events that delivers a consistent and predictable level of fire suppression and fire rescue capabilities.

Question 75

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p228

How are fire-first philosophies safer than EMS focused operational philosophies

Answer 75

Fire-first philosophies prepare for fire, train for fire, and understand the difference between sensible aggression and reckless aggression. They know how to actively manage risk associated with firefighting.

Philosophies that don’t value preparing for fire in managing risk of putting firefighters in a position to fail. In a survival stress reaction (SSR) with little to no preparation and uncoordinated operations, and lack of confidence necessary to be successful and survive.

Question 76

Chapter 10: Being Safe and Managing Risk p228-229

What is Thompson’s suggestion for fire departments?

Answer 76

Define what your department can do, then commit to delivering those capabilities by being prepared to do so as a unified team, not the divided organization.