Airmanship on the ground: how the aviation industry can fundamentally change the way first responders manage complex emergencies

Abstract

Police and fire departments today are challenged with an increasing frequency of complex emergencies and a continuing cultural divide. Devoted people from both agencies are actively working to improve their response capability. Rather than solving the problem solely in house, other disciplines may be able to help. This thesis investigated what the aviation industry could teach the emergency services field about how to approach complex life-sensitive problems. A structured focused comparison model was used to evaluate aviation’s use of Crew Resource Management, the pre-flight briefing, and the concept of airmanship in relation to how they may benefit the response capability of police and fire commanders at a combined emergency response. The research concludes that police and fire departments in the United States would immediately benefit from instituting joint pre-shift briefings and discipline training. It is recommended that FEMA amend its ICS procedures to reflect the benefit of instituting a pre-shift briefing. By building relationships with a police or fire counterpart during briefings and showing discipline on an emergency scene, the public at large will immediately benefit.