Part 2 (Barriers to Commander Situational Awareness) Chapter 16: Command Location

Question 1

The focus of this entire book is _____, with a heavy emphasis on the barriers to forming and maintaining _____

Answer 1

SA

Question 2

What the auther calls “being in the seat”

Answer 2

Command location inside a vehicle

Question 3

What the author calls “being in the street”

Answer 3

Command location outside of a vehicle

Question 4

These commanders prefer to be out in the action where they can see and hear everything. It allows them to speak to people face-to-face. If they cannot see what is happening, they can physically move to another vantage point where they can directly assess what is going on

Answer 4

in the street commanders

Question 5

These commander prefer to be removed from the action to avoid seeing and hearing everything. They want to avoid face-to-face discussions and like to have a quiet environment where the can calmly process information

Answer 5

In the seat commanders

Question 6

Street commanders acknowledge their SA can be adversely affected due to the close proximity to the scene, the distractions that come with it, interruptions from people, missing radio communication and the inability to use worksheets. _______ is also a huge distraction for street commanders and first responders

Answer 6

weather

Question 7

Disadvantages to commanding from a car is if the commander does not have someone to serve as front-line eyes and ears and he does not have a good view, then critical ______ can be missed

Answer 7

information

Question 8

A strong argument could be made that humans evolved to be exquisitely tuned in to signs of _______. A skill that was not acquired by sitting in a cage.

Answer 8

danger

Question 9

Engine noise for seat commanders may create a significant audible distraction. Wearing a _____ ___ to reduce ambient noise may reduce this barrier

Answer 9

radio headset

Question 10

Some street commanders articulated the application of rules of thumb they apply to help them decide when to physically move back from the action or retreat to a vehicle. These include

Answer 10

• when there is a known victim or rescue or a mayday is called
• when the incident upgrades to a second alarm

Question 11

The author found it beneficial at larger and more complex incidents to have an _______ and ______ officer to serve as his forward set of eyes and ears

Answer 11

operations and safety officer

Question 12

A safety or operations officer can be a valuable asses to a commander when in a position to ____ ,____, and ______ essential information back to the commander

Answer 12

capture, filter, and communicate

Question 13

There are 4 facts that are indisputable that the author calls the “Laws of work interruption”. They are

Answer 13

• (1st law of interruption): Interrupted workers make more mistakes
• (2nd law of interruption): Interrupted worker miss more clues and cues
• (3rd law of interruption): Interrupted workers take longer to complete their tasks
• (4th law of interruption): When interrupted, a worker is likely to lose track of the task being performed prior to the interruption

Question 14

A commander working in an isolated environment, such as a command vehicle, can control many of the ____ and ____ that can hinder his SA

Answer 14

distractions and interruptions

Question 15

Two strategies that can help manage the impact of being overwhelmed with information are:

Answer 15

• writing notes about the situation and using checklists

Question 16

A commander should use a _____ _____ to document details of the incident. Keeping mental track of multiple company locations, crew size, and activities under stress is not realistic and can become especially challenging if an incident deteriorates rapidly

Answer 16

tactical worksheet

Question 17

Another strategy to help manage information is to avoid allowing your attention to be drawn to objects and events with which you should not be ______

Answer 17

concerned

Question 18

One of the most insidious facts about SA is you may never know you’re losing it until it’s too late. Most incidents, it’s a ______ degradation over a period of time

Answer 18

gradual

Question 19

The conscious awareness of your SA has a name. It is known as ________. You develop ______ by figuratively stepping outside yourself and looking at your own level of awareness as if you were a 3rd party observer/evaluator. Rate yourself

Answer 19

Meta-Awareness

Question 20

If it were possible to attach a sticky note to your brain, the following might serve a reminder about how to develop and maintain strong SA

Answer 20

• Ensure you are capturing the most important clues and cue
• Understand the meaning of the those clues/cues
• Make reasonable predictions of future outcomes

Question 21

_______ is a hallmark of those who can maintain strong SA. They use an internal assessment tool to rate their own performance in real time. This helps them see if their SA is weak or strong

Answer 21

Conscious (meta-) awareness

Question 22

Putting distance between yourself and the incident not only helps you physically see the big picture, it also removes you from the people, lights, noises, and activities that can draw your attention away and impact your SA. Take _____ steps back

Answer 22

100