Firefighter Preparedness and Risk Management Quiz

Study Notes

Educating non-fire personnel on firefighter fatigue is important to justify rest periods.
Risk homeostasis explains why firefighters may take unacceptable risks even when prepared.
Preparedness is a top priority for functional fire companies to manage risks and prevent incidents.
Lack of mental, physical, mechanical, and procedural preparedness can contribute to close calls and incidents.
Managing preparedness and risks should be included in officer development programs.
A list of specific risk management responsibilities should be addressed at each level of the organization.
The process of operational risk management involves recognizing and identifying risks, assessing and prioritizing them, and making decisions to mitigate them.
Risk assessment involves identifying potential hazards and assessing the harm and likelihood of harm they may cause.
Prioritizing risks and using information for decision-making is essential in managing risks.
Capabilities such as staffing, experience, and skill level determine the ability to remove hazards from fire victims or vice versa.
The functional fire company approach involves three steps: prepare, respond, and mitigate risks.
Risk assessment and prioritization are important in determining whether to go in or stay out during a rescue attempt.
Risk mitigation involves actions to reduce the severity of risks and impact on firefighters, people, and buildings.
Preparedness and risk management responsibilities should be combined and assigned to individuals based on their operational roles and responsibilities.
Two suburban fire departments with different leadership and operational philosophies are discussed.
Safety-First Fire and Rescue (SFFR) prioritizes emergency medical services over fire suppression and fire rescue.
SFFR has an "extreme safety" culture based on avoiding risks whenever possible.
SFFR uses a staffing and deployment model where every firefighter is proficient at performing every task on the fireground.
Some fire chiefs opt for a strong "EMS first" mindset due to a majority of their calls being EMS-related and a belief that aggressive fire operations are too dangerous.
The lack of commitment to operational preparedness is evident in the operational inconsistencies of fire suppression tactics between shifts, battalions, and different parts of the city.