Thursday, September 19, 2013

Situational Awareness, cont

I was all inspired to hammer out a few more thoughts which leads me to awareness of the situation.  I notified some important people in the past days.  It was great to hear from them so soon, expressing thanks and thoughts. 
I notified the Battalion Chief, my friend in the San Rafael Fire Department.  I have been retired from the fire service for over three years.  I was an EMT during my fire career.  Recent training included advanced training using the new 12 lead heart monitors recently acquired and approved for field use.  This is probably industry standard now.  Our recent training also focused on another different but equally important subject. 
Much of the recent time and money consumed by our training included a whole new chapter in emergency services.  In the 80's, it was hazardous materials and environmental awareness.  In the 90's, the fire service focused on personal protection and safety in our industry.  In the time following the events of 9/11, so much focus has been on preparing for terrorism.  The fire service, being a uniformed organization, was a focus of attention.  We trained for various elements of action.  The fire service can be visioned as a military force, especially at large incidents.  The Incident Command system of managing emergencies parallels military command systems.  Integrated into our fuller understanding of the IC system, a huge emphasis on situational awareness became a very important factor in emergency mitigation.  Lack of situational awareness can lead to unwanted consequences. 



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