Research and consultancy with the police and fire service with a particular emphasis on formal and informal cultures, modernisation, entreprenerial thinking, change management, resistance, racism, sexism and equality. Women fire fighters, women in the fire service police, policing and equality in the police and fire service - the fitting-in website where academia and the fire service can meet to discuss fire service culture and other matters- a resource for research and consultancy for the fire and rescue service and firefighters and police and policing- Organised by Dr Dave Baigent this site provides a place to share and publish your own research, to look at what others have written about the fire and police service and to ask about our commercial offerings.
Academics are not the experts,
managers in the emergency services are the experts.
What fitting-in can do is help managers to use their expertise.
Theory without practice is a waste - practice without theory may just be dumb.
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Summary
This study examines the
performance of fire command teams in emergency situations and explores
the idea that specific team member behaviours contribute to
effective decision making. The results of some primary research undertaken
as part of the project are then offered as a platform for debate about
the future training of such teams.
A
number of models which relate to team working are considered,
and although none are specific to the Fire Service
many appear to have relevance to emergency situations. Consideration
is given to the experiences of other industries who have wrestled
with similar problems defining and assessing effective team performance.
One model, Klein's
Advanced Team Decision
Making Model (ATDM), is examined
in detail and its value as a descriptive tool and method of data collection
is discussed. The study considers the emergence
of naturalistic models of decision making which concentrate
not on the moment of choice
but rather the activities which lead up to the decision. The value
of these models and the idea of using decision making as a criteria
by which to Judge performance is explored.
The study describes how
the ATDM model is adapted to construct a self assessment
questionnaire for team members undertaking a simulated fire command task. This provided data on
the team members perception of what behaviours were exhibited
whilst operating in the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority's Minerva simulator. In addition,
details are given of how a current questioning protocol is adapted
and used by independent scorers to assess overall team effectiveness.
The data on both team member behaviour and the team's
effectiveness was then analysed. The results reveal a strong correlation
between the behaviours identified in the ATDM model and the team's
overall performance.
The report concludes
by calling for further research in this area to improve both our understanding
of and our training for command teams. It also recommends that specific
training for teams should be introduced and that simulation plays
a major role in that training. A common glossary of command
terms and concepts is also advocated. The author suggests that
as operational command lies at the core of our professional status
we cannot afford to neglect this key area of our function.
We are just back from working with leaders in the Swedish Fire Service and they have said:
"Fitting-in with their unique insight into real world fire service culture and a firm theoretical base in academia provided the MSB (The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency) with invaluable expert advice and assistance in developing a national action plan targeted at increasing equality and diversity in the Swedish fire service."
This is what Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service had to say about the Ethos research, communications and training project:
"The Service are delighted with the research and reports produced by "Fitting-in. We believe that your original hypothesis and work undertaken in Merseyside has resulted in a ground breaking piece of work that can only serve to inform the wider fire and rescue communities."
References: see what Merseyside Fire and Rescue, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Fire Services and Tom Carroll (retired Chief Fire Officer and Past president of CFOA ) and others have said.
For further information or just to talk about what fitting-in can provide ring Dr Dave Baigent (GradIFireE) 07802 495 329 or email
Academic theory without practice is a waste - practice without theory may just be dumb
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