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Ford, Fire and Emergency Services Safety & Survival

© 2012 by Pearson Education, Inc.

FIRE AND EMERGENCY

SERVICES SAFETY & SURVIVAL

Risk Management

Chapter 3

Risk Management Defined

• Illustrate concepts of risk management

as applied to the fire service

• Identify attributes of effective risk

management


• Provide methodology of assessing and

mitigating risk – Ultimate goal of helping organization

• Improve safety

• Reduce LODD

FIGURE 3.7 Risk to firefighters should be limited to situations in which the

potential to save lives is a real possibility.

Courtesy of Barry Byers


• Integrate risk management

• Make decisions at appropriate level in

chain of command

• Accept no unnecessary risk


• Risk – Faced with numerous risks daily

– Risks carry consequences • Consequences vary for risks

• No single solution for managing risks

• Determining how to manage risk is decision

made by every department.


• Many definitions – NFPA 1500

• A measure of the probability and severity of

adverse effects

• The adverse effects result from an exposure to

some type of hazard.

FIGURE 3.1 Risk management matrix.


• This chapter – Defined as potential negative impact of the

exercise of vulnerability.

– Risk can be individual – the firefighter

– Risk can be departmental – the crew

Frequency/Severity Model

• Risk combines two concepts – The frequency of an event

• How often

– The severity of an event • Potential loss

FIGURE 3.2 Regardless of frequency, fires involving truss roof

construction have a high severity of associated risk.

Courtesy of Martin Grube


• High frequency/high severity incidents

are priorities for risk management.

• Using frequency/severity model can

help establish safety priorities.


• Some incidents are so severe that they

should be avoided regardless of

frequency.

• Challenge is to identify exposure and

take proper action.

Risk Management

• Risk management – Goal to improve performance of their

organization and to reduce risks

Management

• Act or art or manner of managing or

handling, controlling, directing. – Suggests an organized and directed

approach that implements evaluated

techniques to control systems, events and

people.

– A system for treating pure risk;

identification analyses of exposure,

selection of appropriate risk management

techniques to handle exposure.

FIGURE 3.5 The risk management plan may be used to limit, reduce, or

eliminate the probability of an undesirable event.

Courtesy of Wayne Haley

The Process of Identifying

Risk • Assessing risk

• Taking steps to reduce risk

• Manage threats that could severely

impact.

• Generally involves review of department

operations – Address most likely threats


Risk • Is a structured approach to manage

uncertainty reacted to a threat. – A sequence of human activities

– Risk assessment

– Strategic considerations to manage risk

– Mitigation of the risk using managerial

resources


Risk • May refer to threats caused by

environment, technology, human

organization and politics

• Implements a proactive approach to

reduce risk

• A systematic effort to identify evaluate

and control risk.

The Purpose, Principles, and

Tools of Risk Management

• Conservation and preservation of

resources – Assets

– Evaluating and controlling risk

• Activities within a department should

minimize inadvertent losses.



• Risk management does not: – Replace sound tactical decisions

– Inhibit flexibility, initiative or accountability

– Remove all risks

– Sanction illegal behavior

– Remove the need for training



• U.S. Army five step risk assessment

process – Developed during World War II

– Influenced contemporary management



• Five Step U.S. Army Process – Identification of hazards

– Assessment of those hazards

– Development of controls to aid with

decision making

– Implementation of controls

– Supervision and evaluation of safe

execution



• U.S. Army five step risk assessment

process – IC makes tactical decisions and strategic

plans based on known and reasonably

expected risks.

– Conditions must be continually evaluated.

– Evaluation of the emergency scene should

be a continual process to determine of

control measures are effective.



• Components and tools in risk

management – Routine evaluation of risk

– Well-defined strategic options

– SOPs/SOGs




management – Effective training

– Personal protective ensemble

– Effective incident management

communications




management – Safety polices, procedures, and guidelines

– Rapid intervention

– Adequate resources




management – Rest and rehabilitation

– Regular re-evaluation of conditions

– Pessimistic evaluation of changing

conditions

– Experience based on previous incidents

and critiques



• START Information Box – Stop, Think, Act, Review

– Basic yet effective decision making risk

management tool



• Stop – Briefly pause before performing a task to

enhance the mental focus on specific task



• Think – Understand what is to be done before

acting

– Question the situation

– Do not proceed in the face of uncertainty



• Act – Gather the necessary tools identified

during the previous phase

– Be sure all protection schemes are in place

– Perform intended action



• Review – Verify that the actual response is the

expected response

– If an unexpected response is obtained,

take action as previously

anticipated/determined.

– Ensure all actions are conservative.

Process of Risk

Management • Process of identifying, evaluating,

prioritizing, and controlling risk

• Incorporates a full range of control

measures

Process of Risk

Management • Five Step Risk Management Process

– Risk Identification • Identify the worst case scenario

• Can be done by reviewing both emergency and

nonemergency risk

Process of Risk


– Risk Evaluation • Evaluate for frequency and severity

Process of Risk


– Risk Prioritization • Those of high severity/high frequency should

be addressed first

Process of Risk


– Risk Control Measures • Finding the proper solution for the identified risk

Process of Risk


– Risk Monitoring • Evaluate the effectiveness of the controls

implemented should periodically reviewed and

required modifications made to the plan.

Process of Risk

Management • Strategies and Techniques of Risk

Management – General Strategies

• Avoid the risk

• Controlling the negative effect of the risk

• Accept some or all of the consequence of a

particular risk

Process of Risk

Management • Incident Command System as a Risk

Management Strategy – NFPA 1561, Standard on Emergency

Services Incident Management System

– Provides structure and coordination to the

management of emergency incident

operations

Process of Risk


Management Strategy – Recommended that departments develop a

qualification process for individuals who

will act in this capacity.

– Firefighters should have a periodic

refresher course to review policies and

procedures.

Process of Risk


Management Strategy – Departments should develop and establish

an incident management system. • Well coordinated approach to an emergency

• Accountability

• Overall safety of all firefighters on the scene

NFPA Standards Related to Risk

Management and Safety

• NFPA 1250, Recommended Practice in

Emergency Service Organization Risk

Management – Minimum criteria to develop, implement, or

evaluate a fire department risk

management program for effect risk

identification, control, and financing. • Risk management as a function of

management

• Identifying and analyzing risk exposure



• NFPA 1250, Recommended Practice in

Emergency Service Organization Risk

Management – Minimum criteria to develop, implement, or

evaluate a fire department risk

management program for effect risk

identification, control, and financing. • Formulating risk management alternatives

• Select risk management alternatives

• Implement risk management alternatives

• Monitor the risk management program



• NFPA 1500, Standard on Fire

Department Occupational Safety and

Health Program – Consensus standard to directly address

many issues that are related to the

avoidance of fatalities, injuries and

occupational illnesses of firefighters.





Health Program – Plan focuses on following areas

• Administrative

• Facilities

• Training





Health Program – Plan focuses on the following areas

• Vehicle operations

• Personal Protective Ensemble (PPE)

• Operations at emergency incidents

• Other related activities



• The following risk management

principles shall be utilized by the

incident commander – Situations where the members are at

serious risk, shall be limited to where there

is a potential to save lives

– Activities that are employed to protect

property shall be recognized as inherent

risks, and actions shall be taken to reduce

or avoid these risks.



• The following risk management

principles shall be utilized by the

incident commander – No risk to member safety of no possibility

to save lives or property.

– Where risks are excessive limit to

defensive operations.

OSHA Plan States

• Twenty-three states and two territories

that have developed agreements with

the department of labor.

• Designated state agencies in OSHA

Plan States are required to enforce

federal regulations on public agencies.

OSHA Plan States

• OSHA regulations are a minimum

standard

• States determine if they will enforce

regulations over volunteer organizations

IAFC Rules on Engagement

as Risk Management Tools • IAFC team identified the need for two

separate sets of rules of engagement – Responders

– Incident commanders

After-Action Review As a

Risk Management Tool • Compares outcome of an event against

organizational policies, procedures and

guidelines for a task to be performed.

• Constant search for ways to improve

training/education

• Ability to perform safely and effectively


Risk Management Tool • Critical to the AAR is an understanding

the information will be used to improve

the organization.

• Fundamental goal is the enhancement

of operational capabilities while

minimizing loss.


Risk Management Tool • Answer four general questions

regarding a mission and potential for

improvement – What was the incident?

– What went well?

– What happened that could have been

improved?

– How can the lessons learned be

incorporated into future SOPs/SOGs and

training policies?

Risk Management for

Wildland Operations • Four basic hazards

– Lightning

– Fire weakened timber

– Rolling rocks

– Entrapment by running fires

Risk Management for

Wildland Operations • Firefighters must know LCES

– Lookouts • First assigned

• Responsible for overall safety of everyone at

scene

FIGURE 3.11 LCES should be established before any wildland

operation begins.

Photo by Miranda Simone

Risk Management for


– Communications • Effective communication is essential

• Must be properly established for everyone at

scene

Risk Management for


– Escape routes • Take into account to move people to safety if

events change

Risk Management for

Wildland Operations • Firefighter must know LCES

– Safety zones • Areas large enough for personnel and

equipment to stay safe if conditions change

Risk Management for

Wildland Operations • LCES is built on two basic guidelines:

– Before safety is threatened, each firefighter

has to know how the LCES will be used

– LCES must be reevaluated continuously.

Chapter 3 Summary

• Few departments have taken the time to

develop a risk management program.

• Risk management encompasses three

processes: risk assessment, risk

mitigation, and evaluation and

assessment.

Chapter 3 Summary

• Risk management is viewed by both

NFPA and FEMA at three separate and

distinct levels: – The community as a whole

– The emergency response organization

– Emergency response operations of

individuals

Chapter 3 Summary

• A successful risk management program

will rely on: – Senior management’s commitment

– Support and participation of the

department leaders

– Awareness and cooperation of everybody

in the department

Case Study

• THE SCENE: A call in regards to a structure fire was

received by the dispatcher. The first

company that arrived on the scene

encountered a ranch-style home with

heavy smoke showing from the opened

windows. A woman who was on the scene

told the Company Officer that her 9-year-

old boy was trapped in the basement.

Case Study

• THE SCENE: The crew advanced a hand line to the

basement to search for the missing child.

Suddenly, the officer’s low-air alarm went

off, but he decided to continue the search.

When the officer ran out of air, he unsealed

his mask and took a total of two breaths at

floor level.

Case Study • THE SCENE:

In the confusion that ensued, everyone

failed to check the surrounding areas and

the missing child was discovered to be on

his friend’s lawn across the street. A very

similar call less than two years earlier was

experienced by this same crew and officer.

They had followed the same procedures at

a basement fire previously and extensively

searched without locating a young girl who

was later found to be deceased in the

basement.

Things to Consider

1. Remember the risk versus benefit

during search and rescue operations.

2. Do not become a victim yourself.

3. Be aware of your air management.

Other Considerations?

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