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Emergency response and the associated competencies with RelyOn

October 4, 2024

Steve Watkins, Consultant at RelyOn Fire Academy, discusses the need for competency-driven emergency training to handle incidents effectively, focusing on realistic scenarios, skill development, and strategic investment

A question an organisation often asks is whether their responders are competent to deal safely with the incidents that they could be faced with?

A company has a responsibility to not only show that they have the resources and personnel to deal with a credible scenario associated in their business but also that they can do that safely.

Personnel at all levels should have the necessary training and demonstrate competence in dealing with these situations.

Bridging the gap between standards and realities

As we delve into this subject, I want to challenge a common assumption that emergency response training is sufficiently covered by generic standards and job performance requirements, such as those outlined by the NFPA.

While these standards provide a crucial foundation, there is a pressing need to go beyond the basics to ensure that our response efforts are truly effective, efficient, and safe.

Let’s begin by acknowledging the importance of the NFPA Job Performance Requirements.

These standards offer a robust foundation for emergency response, outlining essential skills and knowledge.

However, these guidelines are often seen by trainers as generic.

They provide a broad overview but may not encompass the specific nuances of every unique situation.

Relying solely on these standards can lead to a dangerous gap between theoretical knowledge and practical, real-world application.

For example, Fire teams may have certain knowledge and skills, but lack understanding when applied in a real world situation.

Generic training sessions are a common approach, but they frequently lack the realism necessary for effective preparation.

Consider this: if your training only includes standard fire drills or basic hazard responses, what happens when you encounter an unusual or complex incident that does not match your training drills? Can you adapt? This lack of preparedness can result in slower, less effective responses, increasing the risk of escalation.

Applying the elementary skills to a changing situation when focus must also be placed on the dynamic environment can be challenging.

Furthermore when incidents are not managed in their entirety, they can lead to severe consequences, including greater risks to responders and significant financial and reputational damage to the company.

So, how do we bridge these gaps? To resolve incidents effectively and prevent them from escalating, it is imperative to focus training on the following key areas:

  • Realistic scenario planning
  • Targeted skill development
  • Strategic training investments.

The case for realistic scenario planning

Firstly, realistic scenario planning is essential.

Generic training scenarios may not accurately reflect the specific challenges your organization might face.

For example, a pump seal fire could be a regular occurrence and training on a simple simulator prop would suffice 9 times out of 10.

However, what if the access is difficult, exposure to other equipment or t o personnel is high.

These unique conditions require tailored scenarios that reflect real-world risks and operational environments.

By investing time and resources into developing scenarios that mirror potential real-life incidents, you prepare your responders for the specific challenges they might encounter.

Training is often perceived expensive and does not contributing to the profitability of the business.

But there is an old saying “If you think training is expensive, then try an incident”

Design realistic, tailored scenarios that reflect the specific risks and operational contexts of your organization, moving beyond generic, one-size-fits-all drills.

Develop training exercises that closely simulate the actual threats and conditions your team may face.What is most likely to go wrong and are there critical steps that need to be taken to prevent escalation.

Work with the facility process operations team to design a scenario which fits in with their dilemmas.

For instance, a liquid pool fire needs the correct firefighting foam application techniques but when this has to be done whilst cooling critical equipment with water, then conflicting actions can arise.

By creating exercises that replicate the exact challenges faced in your environment, your teams have an improved understanding of the situation and are better prepared to adapt to meet the scenario demands.

Tailoring skills to meet specific operational demands

Secondly, targeted skill development is crucial.

Competencies defined by standards like the NFPA are a starting point, but they must be adapted to address the particular demands of your organization’s emergency scenarios.

This means identifying and honing the specific skills that will be required in various situations.

Tailoring skills training to these specific needs ensures that responders are not just familiar with broad concepts, but are adept in the precise competencies required for their roles and the realities of their job.

While NFPA standards outline core competencies “Job Performance Criteria”, responders must also develop specialized skills relevant to their operational context.

This includes:

  • Technical skills: For example, understanding the intricacies of specific products, procedure and protocols.
  • Decision-making skills: Training should enhance the ability to make quick, informed decisions under pressure. Simulations can help        responders practice these critical decision-making moments. Often the decision makers are often excluded during routine training.
  • Team coordination: Effective response often relies on seamless teamwork. Training should emphasize communication and coordination strategies tailored to your specific team structure and incident types.

Investing in strategic training for lasting impact

Finally, investing in strategic training is key.

Companies must allocate time, money and resources to continuously improve their emergency response training programs.

This involves updating scenarios, reflecting the change in risks and incorporating lessons learned from past incidents and near-misses.

To achieve these goals, companies need to strategically invest in their training programs.

This involves:

  • Utilizing training simulation tools: Train on realistic simulators that mimic the incident. Talk to training providers if you don’t have your own training facility about your needs. For example if liquid firefighting of polar products is a major risk, can you train with real polar liquids and Alcohol Resistant Foams? Without this Live Fire training experience the necessary knowledge and skills cannot be applied in the correct setting.
  • Regularly updating training protocols: Continuously incorporate lessons learned from real incidents and near-misses to keep training relevant and effective. Identify the hazards, the most effective strategy, tactical deployment to manage the incident that brings in risk mitigation measures for safe operations.
  • Engaging Experts and consultants: Collaborate with industry experts to develop and refine training scenarios and protocols. A well-designed training scenario should cover the skills required but also the time pressures, decision making and interoperability with other departments.

In summary, while generic emergency response competencies are valuable, they should not be seen as a comprehensive solution.

By focusing on realistic scenario planning, targeted skill development, and strategic training investments, we can enhance our preparedness and response capabilities.

This approach not only mitigates the risks associated with emergencies but also minimizes financial and reputational losses for our organizations.

Beyond the specifics of training, it’s also important to foster a culture of preparedness within your organization.

This means encouraging ongoing learning, promoting a proactive attitude towards emergency management, and recognizing the importance of both individual and collective readiness.

Let us commit to going beyond the basics and ensure our responders are equipped not just to meet standards, but to excel in real-world situations.

Together, we can build a safer, more resilient future.

About the Author

Steve Watkins is a former Fire Officer with the British Fire Service, where he was responsible for conducting inspections under Fire and Health & Safety legislation.

Since joining RelyOn Nutec, he has been extensively involved in Command and Crisis Team training and has focused on developing innovative training concepts.

In recent years, Steve has organized major European civil defense exercises and contributed to the creation of quality standards across multiple markets.

He is also the co-author of emergency response requirements for LNG incidents in inland waterways.

This article was originally published in the October 2024 issue of Fire & Safety Journal Americas. To read your FREE digital copy, click here.

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