Fire Officers Research Articles

The Impact of COVID-19 on Learning and Training of Law Enforcers: A Case for Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia

In the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, online distance learning is an essential part of ongoing education for law enforcement officers all over the country. However, limited research has been done on using learning management systems by law enforcement agencies for professional development. This study aims to determine how law enforcement officers perceive and respond to distance learning as a tool for professional development. They may have adopted distance learning technology without determining its effectiveness in training or education. This study examines the characteristics, benefits and drawbacks of open distance learning (ODL), as well as the difficulties in its application to the legal training of fire services officers (FS officers) in the Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia. The study utilized a focus group consisting of 15 FS officers. Quantitative and qualitative data are combined using the mixed-methods research design. The findings indicate that FS officers encountered various obstacles when applying to and completing training programmes via online ODL, which included practical legal training. The primary hurdles identified are adaptability, technical knowledge, computer literacy, communication, distraction issues and time management. However, the study found that law enforcement officers perceive and respond well to distance learning as a tool for professional development. The instructional material design stimulates active learning by the trainees so they can track their progress during the training, contributing to this result.

Analysis of the Efficiency of Budget Planning at the Bandung City Fire and Disaster Management Service

The process that becomes an impediment in budget absorption is due to inadequate budget planning at the Bandung City Fire and Disaster Management Office, budget absorption varies and is still weak in carrying out efficiency. The goal of this study is to assess the Bandung City Fire and Disaster Management Departement efficiency in carrying out budget planning utilizing the dimensions of budget policy formulation and budget operational planning, and it can also be utilized as evaluation material in budget planning efficiency. The method used in this research is a qualitative approach and the type of research is descriptive. Primary and secondary data sources were used in gathering data utilizing a purposive sample strategy using information based on people who contribute information based on experience and expertise. The Miles and Hubberman approach was utilized in data analysis, comprising the steps of data reduction, data display, and generating conclusions. According to the findings of this study, the Bandung City Fire and Disaster Management Office's budget planning efficiency could not be optimized.

Managing fire risk in housebound people who smoke and require air-alternating pressure-relieving equipment

Air-alternating pressure mattresses are advised for housebound patients with poor mobility and at risk of developing pressure ulcers. However, those patients who smoke are under significant dangers of fire risks, especially as the pump to provide alternating pressure requires oxygen. This article describes the development and introduction of a comprehensive risk assessment to help guide community nurses' discussions with any patient on their caseload who smokes and also requires air alternative mattresses. A questionnaire was developed by the Task and Finish Group comprising of nurses from the community and tissue viability teams, members from South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue and a trust fire officer. This questionnaire was developed to guide clinicians when discussing the problem of smoking and the risk of fire with patients, their families and general practitioners. The questionnaire was shared with all teams who visited patients at home, who met the criteria to promote its use. Further work is planned to audit the use of this questionnaire and to ascertain how it can help the decision-making process when discussing risks with this vulnerable and at-risk group of patients.

소방공무원의 직무스트레스 완화를 위한 무용프로그램 개발

This study aims to understand the mental and physical symptoms appearing due to Korean fire officers’ job stress and manage and alleviate them through a dance program. Concretely, this study would understand the characteristics of fire officers’ job, their job stress, and the mental and physical factors appearing due to that to develop a dance program that could alleviate stress based on these principles. For this purpose, after a preliminary literature review, this study assessed the factors appearing due to fire officers’ job stress through a qualitative research method. Based on these research results, since fire officers are much exposed to dangerous situations, they require strong physical strength and mental strength and have considerable mental and physical stress coming from them. It is expected that the results of this study would be utilized as the baseline data for academic and practical developments of dance program for fire officers as a study related to their participation in dance activities, who have a special job as well as Korean fire officers’ institutional improvements, proposing follow-up studies investigating the values of the effect of their participation in dance activities.

An Exploration of the Servant Leadership Literature in Connection with the US Fire Department Leadership Practices and Behaviors

This article uses a content analysis exploration of the literature to explore Servant leadership as a viable leadership model for U.S. fire department leaders and supervisors. Despite the importance of leadership to the paramilitary structure of the fire service, career fire department leaders do not generally receive mandated leadership training or knowledge of existing leadership theories that might assist them in their roles as leaders. Instead, in the fire services, leadership reflects the amount of time that career fire department officers have spent within the system. Servant leadership emphasizes the development of individuals so that the organization can become better and more productive.

A Study on the Differences between Indoor Job and Outside Job on the Factors of Health Disability in Fire Officials

This study aims to examine the regional differences in health disorder factors of fire officials across the country. As a result, the regional differences in job risk factors, risk factors in the field, and risk factors for health disorders were found to be insignificant. In urban areas such as Seoul, Incheon, and Daejeon, the perception of health disorder factors was similar. This is because the risk factors recognized by fire suppression agents, rescue workers, and paramedics are similar. In addition, in the difference of field risk factors, it is judged that the difference of region is insignificant because most urban areas have narrow jurisdiction and high population density, and the accident frequency in narrow areas is relatively high. Finally, the difference in the risk factors of health disorder was found to be insignificant due to the similar risk factors of fire officials' exposure to fire fighting activities due to smoke in the field, harmful gas, lack of sleep, and cerebral cardiovascular diseases caused by job stress.

Expansion of Firefighting Work Area by Improving the Forest Fire Response System in South Korea

On April 1, 2020, the South Korean Fire Officials Act was revised by unifying the right to appoint fire officials and the class system. Over the past five years, firefighting has expanded large-scale personnel, replaced aging firefighting vehicles and supplied insufficient personal safety equipment, providing conditions for safer and quicker field activities. Furthermore, the scope of work has gradually expanded from firefighting to rescue, emergency, disaster and natural disaster and life safety activities. In particular, based on the lack of firefighting personnel and equipment and on-site command in the Uljin and Samcheok forest fires, which caused property damage of KRW 226.1 billion over 213 h since 1986, a more effective forest fire response system was established that expanded the scope of firefighting by converting the organization and budget operation authority of the Korea Forest Service to a firefighting-led suppression system that the public is aware of.

Efisiensi Perencanaan Anggaran Di Dinas Kebakaran dan Penanggulangan Bencana Kota Bandung Tahun Anggaran 2019-2021

The process that becomes an impediment in budget absorption is due to inadequate budget planning at the Bandung City Fire and Disaster Management Office, budget absorption varies and is still weak in carrying out efficiency. The goal of this study is to assess the Bandung City Fire and Disaster Management Departement efficiency in carrying out budget planning utilizing the dimensions of budget policy formulation and budget operational planning, and it can also be utilized as evaluation material in budget planning efficiency. The method used in this research is a qualitative approach and the type of research is descriptive. Primary and secondary data sources were used in gathering data utilizing a purposive sample strategy using information based on people who contribute information based on experience and expertise. The Miles and Hubberman approach was utilized in data analysis, comprising the steps of data reduction, data display, and generating conclusions. According to the findings of this study, the Bandung City Fire and Disaster Management Office's budget planning efficiency could not be optimized.Keyword : Efficiency, Planning, Budget

Optimalisasi Dana Peningkatan Kesiapsiagaan Bahaya Kebakaran dan Bencana Dalam Perspektif Disaster Risk Management

The establishment of disaster preparedness in the community is a very important thing to be done by the government. This is because Indonesia is located in the ring of fire belt areas which causes a variety of potential disasters. In dealing with this, Bandung city government through the Bandung City Fire and Disaster Management Office established a program in order to improve preparedness. Therefore, the government needs to optimize the available budget in order to achieve this goal. The research objective to be achieved in this paper is to analyze how the optimization of funds for the Fire and Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Program from the perspective of disaster risk management in the Bandung City Fire and Disaster Management Office. This research is a descriptive research utilizing qualitive method. Data collection was conducted using structured interviews, literature reviews, and unstructured observations in research locations. The result of this research is the formation of disaster preparedness in the community has not been fully optimized. This is due to the non-fulfillment of existing parameters in disaster risk management such as knowledge about disasters, emergency planning, and warning systems. Keyword: Disaster Preparedness, Disaster Risk Management, Fund Optimazation

Group processes and interoperability: A longitudinal case study analysis of the UK's civil contingency response to Covid‐19

Our case study explored a Local Resilience Forum's (LRF) civil contingency response to COVID‐19 in the United Kingdom. We undertook 19 semistructured ethnographic longitudinal interviews, between March 25, 2020 and February 17, 2021, with a Director of a Civil Contingencies Unit and a Chief Fire Officer who both played key roles within their LRF. Within these interviews, we focused on their strategic level decision‐making and how their relationship with national government impacted on local processes and outcomes. Using a form of grounded theory, our data describe the chronological evolution of an increasingly effective localized approach toward outbreak control and a growing resilience in dealing with concurrent emergency incidents. However, we also highlight how national government organizations imposed central control on aspects of the response in ways that undermined or misaligned with local preparedness. Thus, during emergencies, central governments can undermine the principle of subsidiarity and damage the ways in which LRFs can help scaffold local resilience. Our work contributes to the theoretical understanding of the social psychological factors that can shape the behaviour of responder agencies during a prolonged crisis. In particular, the implications of our analysis for advancing our conceptual understanding of strategic decision‐making during emergencies are discussed.

Development of the Educational Program for Fire Officials’ Peer Psychological Support

This study aims to develop an educational program for peer psychological support in the fire officials’ organization. The program was developed through goal setting, component derivation, pilot study, model design, and effectiveness verification. Forty fire officials were divided into an experimental group and a control group of twenty people each. The program was conducted with a total of twelve sessions. Empathy, self-reflection, and interpersonal skill levels were examined before and after the program. The results indicated that the levels of empathy and self-reflection of the experimental group were meaningfully improved (F = 5.96, 5.45, p < .05) compared to the control group, but interpersonal relationship was not (F = 2.88, p < .05). This study makes a meaningful contribution through developing of program using a scientific and systematic method in the field of psychological education and counseling.

소방공무원 남녀 통합 체력검사에 대한 연구

Ten years after the introduction of the evaluation criteria for the physical examination of firefighters, integrated physical fitness standards for men and women have been raised. This study was conducted with the aim of producing basic data to prepare policy improvement measures to prevent physical factors from hindering the recruitment and deployment of female firefighters. According to the results of the physical fitness test conducted by foreign fire organizations, the difference in the evaluation criteria for men's and women's physical fitness test is reduced or eliminated, and in particular, the work situation, such as fire officials, is required to meet the same working environment. Currently, there are differences in male and female standards in the evaluation criteria of the physical fitness test and physical fitness test of firefighters, and these differences are applied to male applicants of firefighters. Therefore, it is believed that a physical fitness certification agency is needed to be in charge of the physical fitness test to recruit firefighters so that there is no disadvantage in fairness and specific gender as well as to derive scientific and reasonable physical fitness measurement methods. It is difficult to deny that it is still insufficient to analyze as each country's firefighting environment, firefighting laws, and male and female employment laws affect physical fitness test items and standards. It is hoped that follow-up research will be more active and will be the basis for the establishment of reasonable Fitness examination measures without gender advantages.

Main directions of improvement of fire training og police officers.

Main directions of improvement of fire training og police officers.

서울시 소방공무원 신규채용 인적성 검사 실태 및 인식조사

Among the new hiring procedures for firefighters, personality tests have been conducted since 2014 to the present when hiring new firefighters at the Seoul Fire Department. In order to find out the reality and improvement plan of the personality test, a case of disciplinary action among current employees was investigated for firefighting officials in Seoul who have been appointed since 2014. As a result of conducting an in-depth survey and an expert interview, disciplinary action occurred regardless of the results of the personality test, and there was a difference in the feeling of being evaluated by colleagues in the organization. To improve this, the personality test of fire officials should be completely supplemented from questions to calculating comprehensive scores by reflecting the occupational characteristics of fire officials, and evaluation methods should be used in terms of job placement management.

Barriers and opportunities of establishing an integrated prehospital emergency response system in North West Ethiopia: a qualitative study

BackgroundPrehospital emergency care helps to reduce mortality and morbidity from time-sensitive conditions. In this study, we summarised the perspectives of various stakeholders on the establishment of a prehospital integrated emergency...

Measures to Prevent Assault Damage to 119 EMS Personnel by Restraining Obstruction of Fire-fighting Activities

About 200 cases of 119 Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel suffer from violence annually. Interfering with the work of EMS personnel threatens the safety of people's life, body, and property. It also causes physical and mental damage to EMS personnel and must be improved. In 2021, the revision of the 「Framework Act on Fire-fighting」 established a new regulation that allows fire officers to directly restrain those who interfere with fire-fighting activities. However, misinterpretation or application of this could infringe on the fundamental rights of the people guaranteed by the constitution. EMS personnel should apply this provision only to the minimum extent required. However, they are not familiar with the professional interpretation of the constitution and law; therefore, the national fire agency shall prepare specific internal regulations for article 27-2 of the 「Framework Act on Fire-fighting」. It is also necessary to educate EMS personnel.

Full-scale tests of external rescue with firefighters in underground stations

In 2016 the Munich fire brigade carried out a series of tests to better understand the rescue of passengers with reduced mobility with regard to the design of new stations. The test series comprised 10 test arrangements with wheelchair users and one test arrangement with a hearing and visually impaired person. From three stations of different depths, an intervention team of the Munich fire brigade had to rescue one person. The following data were documented: (split) times, air consumption, age and pulse immediately after the test. The firefighters filled a questionnaire after the test to get information about the subjective exertion. Experienced fire officers watched the experiments and documented their observations.The results showed that the ascending rescue is challenging. The main factor for the exertion was the height difference between platform and ground level. In stations with complex concourse levels the rescue time after the operational order exceeds 10 min.The data and observations of the tests have later been used by a working group with different stakeholders and authorities for recommendations on firefighters lifts in new underground stations.

Effects of a Forest Therapy Program on Reducing PTSD and Depression and Improving Mood States in Fire Officers

Background and objective This study was conducted to investigate the effects of forest therapy programs on reducing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and improving mood states in fire officers. Methods To determine PTSD, depression, and mood states before and after the forest therapy program, the survey results of 185 fire officers were analyzed. Frequency analysis was conducted to identify the demographic characteristics of the participants, and Wilcoxon signed-rank test to analyze the differences among group. Results As a result of a comparative analysis of PTSD before and after the program, there was a significant decrease in PTSD from 10.65 ± 12.00 to 5.64 ± 8.29 after the program. Depression also showed a statistically significant difference from 3.21 ± 4.00 to 2.21 ± 3.47 after the program. As a result of comparatively analyzing mood states before and after the program, there was an increase in positive factors and a decrease in negative factors. Total mood disturbance (TMD) also showed a statistically significant decrease from 5.78 ± 17.37 to –7.38 ± 10.35 after the program. Conclusion This study has significance in verifying that forest therapy programs can bring psychological changes to fire officers, and these results can be used as a basis for stress management and relief of fire officers.

Lissette Lopez Szwydky. Transmedia Adaptation in the Nineteenth Century.

Lissette Lopez Szwydky. Transmedia Adaptation in the Nineteenth Century.

Deriving Major Fire Risk Evaluation Items Utilizing Spatial Information Convergence Technology in Dense Areas of Small Obsolete Buildings

As small obsolete buildings are exposed to high fire risks, governments are trying to evaluate their fire risks and preferentially improve fire protection performance for high risk buildings, however, the evaluation manpower and time are insufficient compared to the rapidly increasing number of obsolete buildings. Therefore, this study aimed to derive major fire risk index (FRI) evaluation items as part of developing a platform to quickly and efficiently evaluate fire risks in dense areas of small obsolete buildings utilizing spatial information convergence technology. To this end, 20 preliminary evaluation items specifically tailored to dense areas of small obsolete buildings were derived through a field survey, investigation of FRI evaluation items from existing works, and expert pre-reviews. Based on the derived 20 preliminary items, an importance survey was conducted with a total of 181 fire safety experts including fire officers, university professors, researchers, industry experts, and fire insurers. As a result, a total of 12 major evaluation items (e.g., outdoor fire extinguisher, distance to 119 Safety Center, building structure, building cladding, illegal alterations, illegal parking, and liquefied natural gas cylinder) were derived. Results can help to evaluate the fast and efficient fire risks in dense areas of small obsolete buildings.