September

2009

on

22

16th Annual

2009 Conference

Meeting Expectations

I

the

16th Annual

2009 Conference

Meeting Expectations

I

Incorporated the …

16th AnnualProtecting Firefighters

Preconference Workshop

This Pre-Conference Workshop …

was part of an ongoing process

May 2009Workshop

Sept 200922

1Commencement of CRC Research D2.3

Currently lead by …

May 2009Workshop

Sept 200922

Commencement of CRC Research D2.3

Contact Jen LumsdenEducation ManagerJen.Lumsden@bushfirecrc.comTel: 03 9412 9605

Currently lead by …Soon to be

May 2009Workshop

Sept 200922

Commencement of CRC Research D2.3

The Bushfire CRC and the research have

come a long way to get to this point

May 2009Workshop

Sept 200922

Commencement of CRC Research D2.3

44 people participated

in a meeting of

minds between Researchers

Agency & Industry

4422

fromfire agencies

4422

fromfire agencies

12from

land management

4422

fromfire agencies

12

10

fromland management

from universities, SES, local government & the private sector

others

44

from every state & territory

44

from every state & territoryincluding

Whybring all these people together

?

3 reasons

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

1st

1st Conversations

2nd Relationships

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

strengthening the links between researchers, agency and industry staff …

2nd

1st Conversations

2nd

3rd

Relationships

Practical Action

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

strengthening the links between researchers, agency and industry staff …

ways of getting industry-wide adoption of research resulting in improved firefighter safety

3rd

And!

At the

centre of the workshop

were …

3 pieces of Research rigorous

Let’s look at a snapshot of all

3

1 Safe Behaviour & Decision Making

Project Leader: Mary OmodeiEmail: m.omodei@latrobe.edu.au

Understanding this …

Fire Behavior

Fire Behavior

… is essential to effective

bushfire fighting

And!

Understanding this …

Human Behavior

Human Behavior

… is critical to understand how human behaviours influence safety outcomes

We all know this …

The Fire Triangle

Air Heat

Fuel

Now we all need to understand this!

a Human Factors Fire Triangle

Thin

king Relating

Co-ordinating

a Human Factors Fire Triangle

Thin

king Relating

Co-ordinating

“these factors influence

safety on the fireground”

3

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 Safe Behaviour & Decision Making

2 Firefighter Health & SafetyDr 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

Firefighter Health & Safety

Fatigue

Fitness

Hydration

Cardiovascular Health

One of the key findings …

across 3 studies

Hydration

Firefighters not only leave the

fireground dehydrated

They actually arrive

dehydrated!

Why is hydration

important?

dehydration

leads to ...

↑cardiac stress

↑cardiac stress

decision makingabilities

↓

↑cardiac stress

decision makingabilities

↓

risk of collapse↑

↑cardiac stress

decision makingabilities

↓

productivity↓risk of collapse↑

A key message to communicate!

Manage your hydration

And!beyond hydration

Fatigue

Fitness

Hydration

Cardiovascular Health

Manage your fitness

Why?

These findings have BIG implications

way beyond health and safety!

Less fit firefighters get injured more often

Injured firefighters ↓ workforce

Injured firefighters ↑ compen$ation

is your workforce

Fit for duty??

And now toresearch topic

#3

Drum roll please …

1 Safe Behaviour & Decision Making

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

Firefighter Health & Safety

One of the key lessons…

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

Effective Incident Management

& more about information flow

Incident management

is all about managing ...

Incident management

is all about managing ...

Complexity

Incident management

is all about managing ...

Complexity

Interdependency

Incident management

is all about managing ...

Complexity

Interdependency

& On-flow effects

Problematic

coordination blockages occur ...

Problematic

coordination blockages occur ...

during escalation

Problematic

coordination blockages occur ... during escalation

@ ICS Level 2-3

Problematic

coordination blockages occur ... during escalation

@ ICS Level 2-3

when multiple stakeholders involved

Problematic

coordination blockages occur ... during escalation

@ ICS Level 2-3

weak links between IMT & Firegroundwhen multiple stakeholders involved

& one more thing …

During Briefings …

During Briefings …where one was received!

Problems in hearing, seeing & speaking

occurred

only 33% of respondents heard

alternative strategies …

only 33% 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

? industry adoption of this research

… effective decision making

? industry adoption of this research

?

…

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

Build research into

existing training

Engage directly

Engage directlyAt all levels

Upper

Middle

Fireground IMT

Lateral

Bottom

Engage directly across all agencies

& organisations

and finally …

Practice what we Preach!

So … who is going to take responsibility

for action implementation?

So … me is going to

take responsibility for action implementation?

So … you is going to

take responsibility for action implementation?

So … us is going to

take responsibility for action implementation?

all of us is going to

take responsibility for action implementation?

all of us is going to

take responsibility for action impleme so that …

ntation?

… we achieve industry-wide adoption 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 Brownwww.tangentconsulting.com.au