Title: The effects of a scientifically-based team resource management intervention for fire service teams

Authors: Vera Hagemann; Annette Kluge

Addresses: Department for Computer Science and Applied Cognitive Science, School for Engineering, Institute for Business and Organizational Psychology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Lotharstr. 65, LE 206, 47057 Duisburg, Germany ' Department for Computer Science and Applied Cognitive Science, School for Engineering, Institute for Business and Organizational Psychology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Lotharstr. 56, LE 207, 47057 Duisburg, Germany

Abstract: Team resource management training for fire service teams has become increasingly popular. However, the effectiveness of this training, adapted from the well-established crew resource management training for flight crews, has not yet been evaluated for this audience. Ninety-one firefighters participated in a Team Resource Management seminar (experimental and control group) and in platoon leader training for conducting After Action Reviews (experimental group only). The intervention was evaluated, and its impact on knowledge acquisition, attitude, and behavioural changes at three different measurement times was assessed. The seminar was perceived as enjoyable and useful and participants stated an increase in knowledge, which was supported by an objective knowledge test assessment. Both the knowledge increase and three positively changed attitudes remained stable over the following seven months. Positive behavioural changes toward Team Resource Management were found in the experimental group only. Overall, the intervention proved to be effective according to several criteria.

Keywords: after action reviews; debriefings; high responsibility teams; HRTs; training design; evaluation; skill acquisition; crew resource management; team resource management; fire services; fire service teams.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHFE.2013.057617

International Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics, 2013 Vol.2 No.2/3, pp.196 - 220

Received: 09 Feb 2013
Accepted: 26 Jul 2013
Published online: 30 Apr 2014 *

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