FOPP - Chapter 3 Flashcards
What are the five parts of the communication cycle?
Message
Sender
Medium
Receiver
Feedback
What up-to-date information does a fire officer need to have?
FD’s SOGs
Policies and Practises
Personnel regulations
Approved FD budget
Current union contract
What determines successful communication?
Whenever 2 people can exchange information and develop mutual understanding
What are some examples of a visual medium?
Written words
Pictures
Symbols
Gestures
What is the message as presented in the communication cycle?
Represents the text of the communications
The information to be conveyed
What is the sender as presented in the communications cycle?
The person or entity sending the message
Could be a person a sign a sound or an image
What is the medium as presented in the communication cycle?
The method used to convey the information from the sender to the receiver
What is environmental noise?
A physical or sociological condition that interferes with the message
What is physical noise?
Background conversations outside noises or distracting sounds and make it difficult to hear
What are some examples of sociological/environmental noise?
Prejudice and bias are examples
What will help improve communication by minimizing sociological environmental noise?
Do not struggle for power
Avoid an offhand manner
Keep emotions in check
Remember that words have meaning
Do not assume the receiver understands the message
Immediately see feedback
Provide an appropriate level of detail
Watch out for conflicting orders
What is the receiver as presented in the communication cycle
The person who receives and interprets the message
It is the receivers responsibility to capture and interpret the information
What is feedback as presented in the communication cycle?
Confirming receipt and verifying the receivers interpretation of the message
What should the sender have the receiver do when relaying critical information during a stressful event?
Repeat back the key points of the message in their own words
What is listening in a face-to-face situation?
An active process that requires good eye contact, alert body posture and frequent use of verbal engagement
What are some ways to improve listening skills?
Do not assume anything
Do not interrupt
Try to understand the need
Look for the real reason the person wants your attention
Do not react to quickly
What is a good way to keep a conversation on topic?
Directed questioning
What are key points for emergency communications?
Be direct
Speak clearly
Use a normal tone of voice
Use plain English rather than 10 codes
Use common terminology that is recognized
Hold the microphone 2 in from mouth
Allow for time delay after keying mic
Avoid being in proximity of other noise sources
What is the communications order model?
A standard method of transmitting an order to a unit or company at the incident scene
During a CAN report what can be described under the conditions heading?
Location on the fire ground
Smoke and heat conditions
Obstacles encountered
What is burning
During a CAN report what can be described under the actions heading?
Completing a primary search
Finishing an assigned objective
Activities in progress
Reporting fire is under control
During a CAN report what can be described under the needs heading?
Urgent assistance
Additional firefighters
Tools or equipment
Ventilation
When given the option many firefighters prefer to use a telephone or face-to-face communications instead of a radio to transmit what?
Complicated or sensitive info
What is a good practice when using a radio to transmit information?
Think first
Position the microphone
Depress the key
Take a breath
Send a concise, specific message in a clear tone
What initiative did chief Don Abbott begin in 2015?
Project Mayday to improve fire command awareness
Where did chief done Abbott get his information for his project MAYDAY initiative?
Examined nearly 3000 recordings during a 48 month. To identify events and communications that occurred during operations that include a Mayday
What did project MAYDAY find happened in 87% of mayday calls?
A major breakdown in communication, orders issued or received, missed messages, walk over communications, missed MAYDAY the first time
How often did project MayDay recognized MAYDAY calls were missed?
54%
What phrases appeared in 88% of the Mayday recordings reviewed and should serve as a trigger for an IC to reconsider current operations?
We have zero visibility conditions
We have fire above our heads
We have fire below us
We need more line to reach the fire
We have not found the seat of the fire
We are running out of air
This is a hoarder structure
We have had a flash over
We have had a ceiling/roof collapse
We have lost multiple windows
It’s getting really hot in here we are backing out
Our exit has been blocked
We are sending a fire fighter out with a problem
We have a hole in the floor/we have had a floor collapse
Command his last communications with multiple crews
We have a lot of sprinkler heads going off in here
What three areas does a fire officer need to keep the chief officer informed about?
Progress toward performance goals and project objectives
Matters that may cause controversy
Attitudes and morale
Effective fire officers create a work environment that should encourage subordinates to report what immediately?
Bad news
What is referred to as the grapevine?
An informal communication system which flourishes in the vacuum created when the official organization does not provide the workforce with timely and accurate information about work related issues
What are some general supervisory responsibilities for first line supervisors?
Set the direction for the fire company work that carries out the department’s mission, vision and strategic goals
Ensure your company members deliver high-quality work
Manage the workload is your fire company can deliver work that is on time and within the department budget
Maintain a safe and harassment free workplace
Hold your fire company members accountable for both outcomes and behaviour
Develop your fire company members through leading supporting coaching and counselling
What is a grievance?
A dispute, claim or complaint that any employee or a group of enclosed ploy ease may have about the interpretation, application, or alleged violation of some provision of the labour agreement or personal regulations
What is a grievance procedure?
A formal structured process that is employed within an organization to resolve grievance
What is the objective of a grievance? And who should be involved?
The grievance procedure should specify a sequential process in a timeline to move through the steps
An employee can contact the union representative at any time to discuss whether a grievance should be submitted
The union representative usually becomes formally involved at either the first or second step of the grievance process
The objective should always be to resolve the problem at the lowest possible level and in the short as possible time
How many steps are in a grievance procedure?
Four
What is the basic idea step one in a grievance procedure?
The grievant presents their complaint verbally to a supervisor
What three pieces of information I need to be included in step one of a grievance procedure?
The article and section of the labour agreement or personal regulation alleged to have been violated
A full statement of the grievance, giving facts, dates, and times of events, as well as specific violations
A statement of the desired remedy or adjustment
What does step two of the grievance procedure initiate?
The formal part of the grievance procedure
What is done in step two of the grievance procedure?
The employee may prepare and submit a written grievance. The employee the employee’s supervisor and the personnel office receive copies
How long does someone have to respond to step two of the grievance procedure? What must be supplied with the response?
The supervisor has 10 calendar days to reach a decision and provide a written reply to the grievance
What must be provided in step three of the grievance procedure?
Another specific grievance form stating the same as step two grievance form along with a copy of the step two grievance form and the supervisors response are all attached
Who receives the step three grievance and how long do they have to respond?
Second level supervisor/administrative fire officer
10 calendar workdays to respond
What is submitted in a step four of the grievance procedure and to whom is it submitted
The same written information along with all the documentation from previous steps to the fire chief
How long does the step four receiver have to respond to the step four grievance?
10 workdays
What is a systematic approach to ensuring high-quality decision-making?
Defined the problem
Generate an alternative solutions
Select a solution
Implement the solution
Evaluate the result
What is the first step in solving any problem?
Examine the problem closely and define it carefully
How are company level problems most likely to be solved?
By involving the members of the company
Define brainstorming
A method of shared problem-solving in which all members of a group spontaneously contribute ideas
What eight steps can assist when brainstorming solutions to problems?
Use a flip chart whiteboard or chalkboard
Give the group a time limit to generate ideas
The fire officer should function as a scribe
Tell everyone to contribute alternative solutions
Once brainstorming time is up select the five ideas they like best
Write out five criteria for judging which best solves the problem
Have every participant rate the five solutions
Add up the scores for each idea
When is a problem truly resolved?
Once a solution has been implemented
When should solutions to problems be evaluated?
Initial evaluation should be Immediately after implementation and follow up evaluation’s should be performed at regular intervals
What is a fire company?
A basic tactical unit for emergency operations with the fire officer in the role of working supervisor
What three positions can be assigned by the IC of any company officer?
Incident safety officer
Liaison officer
Public information officer
What is the role of an incident safety officer?
Responsible for overseeing the incident
Keeping IC informed of safety concerns
Taking preventative action when an immediate hazard is identified
What is the role of the liaison officer?
functions as the link between the IC and reps from various agencies
What is the role of the Public information officer?
Gathering information to be released to the general public
Developing news releases
Giving interviews or press conferences
The PIO acts as a spokesperson for the IC
What is the fire officer’s primary responsibility at an incident scene?
The team of firefighters safety actions and performance
What are two choices in assigning tasks at an emergency incident?
Pre-assigning them
Assign them as needed on scene
When is the autocratic leadership style used?
When immediate action is required
What are the two obligations required from a MAYDAY response?
1st: Maintain radio discipline so the IC can determine the MAYDAY location and situation
2nd: Maintain company integrity to facilitate the MAYDAY rescue and continue to fight the fire or control the hazard
According to Joseph Pfeifer as a novel incident increases in scale and complexity what is leadership about?
Stepping back and detaching from the management of the incident to analyze what is taking place and project future actions then reconnecting to guide management in adapting to novelty
How does the fire officer accomplish routine organizational goals and objectives in non-emergency conditions?
Through the efforts of the firefighters
How does an effective fire officer include employees in the decision making process?
Provide a more participative form of leadership in routine activities
What is the definition of training?
The process of achieving proficiency through instruction and hands on practice in the operation of equipment and systems that are expected to be used in the performance of assigned duties
What is the definition of coaching?
A method of directing, instructing and training a person or a group of people with the aim of achieving some goal or developing specific skills
What are the four steps in the four step method of skill training?
Prepare
Present
Apply
Evaluate
What was the four step method of skill training renamed to be and when?
Job instruction training during World War II
What does it mean to be unconsciously competent?
A crew maintains proficiency of core competencies so well that a given task is automatic