.::fitting-in.com::.

Fire service research, the fitting-in website where academia and the fire service can meet - a resource for research and consultancy for the fire and rescue service and firefighters - Organised by Dr Dave Baigent this site provides a place to share your own research, to look at what others have written about the fire service and to see our commercial offerings.

Academics are not the experts, fire and rescue service managers are the experts. What fitting-in can do is to help managers to recognise their expertise and to further understand the issues through that recognition.
Home Main Index Government's new Equality and Diversity Strategy: 2008-2018 for the F&RS Reports Consultancy Snapshot Audits Workshops on fire service culture Problem solving by fitting-in Elite briefing/workshops Impact Assessments Equality Action Plans Draft papers for reading Contact us Recent index of contrbutions Older index of contributions CV & References Have you seen Ethos? One Decade On - Survey on women firefighters New CFOA President Minister's speech Audit Commission on equality Melbourne DiversityConference How do I send my writing to fitting-in for publication What does fitting-in publish How do I do research - some basic tips Writing a bibliography Home Testimonials/References Reports from Government Diversity Strategy Public Service Degree online or face to face Stats Contact us	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.
	"The Service are delighted with the research and reports produced by "Fitting-in. We believe that your original hyphothesis 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." This is what Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service had to say about the Ethos research, communications and training project (2007) For further information or just to talk about what fitting-in can provide ring Dr Dave Baigent (GradIFireE) 07802 495 329, email or write to 17 Headley Gardens, Cambridge, CB22 5JZ Academic theory without practise is a waste - research without theory may just be dumb Bringing research in the fire service straight to you Site under reconstruction 10-5-08 please notify me of any errors Contact us z

"The Service are delighted with the research and reports produced by "Fitting-in. We believe that your original hyphothesis 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."

This is what Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service had to say about the Ethos research, communications and training project (2007)