Medical Xpress 2 November 2011
Article summarises findings from a study by Michael R. Baumann, Carol L. Gohm, and Bryan L. Bonner in an article titled "Phased Training for High-Reliability Occupations: Live-Fire Exercises for Civilian Firefighters,"
The authors assessed the value of current scenario-based training programs and found they may not effectively prepare firefighters for the range of scenarios they are likely to encounter
Firefighters must make complex decisions and predictions and must perform extreme tasks at a moment's notice. Failure to keep a level head in the face of a dangerous situation may result in disastrous consequences. The most common form of training exposes firefighters to one or a very small set of live-fire scenarios designed to reduce stress and encourage calm decision-making skills. But repeated exposure to the same scenario may fail to adequately prepare firefighters for changing situations, as lessons learned in that scenario may not transfer to a different scenario. "If you learn the scenario, you can predict what will happen in that one scenario, but you can't predict what will happen in situations that look a little different," said Baumann. "If you learn general principles, then you can predict what is going to happen in a wide range of situations."
The authors suggest that trainers should increase the range of scenarios to which firefighters are exposed. Desktop-based simulators are available to supplement live-fire training with a variety of scenarios to enable trainees to learn basic principles, even though such simulators cannot replicate a live-fire environment.
Article summarises findings from a study by Michael R. Baumann, Carol L. Gohm, and Bryan L. Bonner in an article titled "Phased Training for High-Reliability Occupations: Live-Fire Exercises for Civilian Firefighters,"
The authors assessed the value of current scenario-based training programs and found they may not effectively prepare firefighters for the range of scenarios they are likely to encounter
Firefighters must make complex decisions and predictions and must perform extreme tasks at a moment's notice. Failure to keep a level head in the face of a dangerous situation may result in disastrous consequences. The most common form of training exposes firefighters to one or a very small set of live-fire scenarios designed to reduce stress and encourage calm decision-making skills. But repeated exposure to the same scenario may fail to adequately prepare firefighters for changing situations, as lessons learned in that scenario may not transfer to a different scenario. "If you learn the scenario, you can predict what will happen in that one scenario, but you can't predict what will happen in situations that look a little different," said Baumann. "If you learn general principles, then you can predict what is going to happen in a wide range of situations."
The authors suggest that trainers should increase the range of scenarios to which firefighters are exposed. Desktop-based simulators are available to supplement live-fire training with a variety of scenarios to enable trainees to learn basic principles, even though such simulators cannot replicate a live-fire environment.
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