Fighting the fire in our own house: how poor decisions are smoldering within the U.S. fire service
dc.contributor.advisor | Kiernan, Kathleen | |
dc.contributor.advisor | Jasper, Scott | |
dc.contributor.author | Cavnor, Charles Dale | |
dc.date | Mar-18 | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2018-06-01T20:08:59Z | |
dc.date.available | 2018-06-01T20:08:59Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2018-03 | |
dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10945/58281 | |
dc.description.abstract | This thesis examines how large organizations that routinely engage in high-risk activities-particularly the U.S. fire service-discover, interact with, and counteract deviant behaviors that latently influence safety-centric attitudes within organizational frameworks. To a larger extent, the thesis analyzes how sociological interactions in the workplace shape decision-making processes in dangerous situations. The research question specifically asks whether the U.S. fire service has normalized deviant behaviors that negatively influence firefighter safety. A policy analysis with recommendations was the methodology incorporated to validate the absence or presence of normalized deviance. This method required analyzing at a granular level the policies and procedures of a large metropolitan fire department, with the Dallas Fire Rescue Department (DFRD) chosen as a representative organization. While the thesis did not reveal widespread institutionalized deviance within DFRD’s emergency operation procedures, analysis of internal documents about specific emergency incidents signal a trend toward abnormalities in decision-making abilities in low-probability, high-risk incidents. Recommendations include capturing routine information for best-practices reinforcement in addition to comprehensive analysis of emerging deviance patterns. Additionally, a second recommendation suggests incorporating an anonymous near-miss reporting system to identify workplace incidents that fall short of an accident, but nonetheless contain pertinent educational information. | |
dc.description.uri | http://archive.org/details/fightingfireinou1094558281 | |
dc.publisher | Monterey, California: Naval Postgraduate School | |
dc.rights | Copyright is reserved by the copyright owner. | |
dc.title | Fighting the fire in our own house: how poor decisions are smoldering within the U.S. fire service | |
dc.type | Thesis | |
dc.contributor.department | National Security Affairs (NSA) | |
dc.subject.author | normalization of deviance | |
dc.subject.author | fire service | |
dc.subject.author | structural secrecy | |
dc.subject.author | drift into failure | |
dc.subject.author | satisficing | |
dc.subject.author | amoral calculator | |
dc.subject.author | loose coupling | |
dc.subject.author | Swiss cheese model | |
dc.subject.author | line of duty death | |
dc.subject.author | escalation of commitment | |
dc.description.service | Fire Lieutenant, Dallas Fire Rescue Department, Dallas, Texas | |
etd.thesisdegree.name | Master of Arts in Security Studies (Homeland Security and Defense) | |
etd.thesisdegree.level | Masters | |
etd.thesisdegree.discipline | Security Studies (Homeland Security and Defense) | |
etd.thesisdegree.grantor | Naval Postgraduate School | |
dc.identifier.thesisid | 30131 | |
dc.description.distributionstatement | Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. |
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