Fire department drivers receive training and certification on specific "breeds" of apparatus (i.e. pumpers, ladder trucks, etc.). Once the firefighter demonstrates competency on that rig, they are frequently used as back up or relief drivers in other stations. The driver may be assigned to an unfamiliar area just because he/she is "qualified" to operate the rig.
The situation is complicated. On the one hand the driver is competent on the piece of apparatus. But that competency is only one factor in the equation of safely delivering personnel and equipment to and from the incident scene. Here's an excerpt from this week's featured report:
"I was driving the engine when the near miss occurred. The event was downtown and in an area that I was unfamiliar with and had never driven the engine through. I was unsure of where I was going and was getting directions from my captain. It was foggy, wet and in the peak of morning traffic. I merged onto a bridge crossing a river and did not realize two other roads merged onto the same bridge. As my lane ended and I began to merge to the right I noticed a car directly beside me in my mirror..."
The reporter in this incident provides some valuable insight through points in the Lessons Learned section of this week's report.
"After driving for four years, I know my district like the back of my hand?However; driving in a new environment caused my guard to be down. I made a mistake which almost caused an accident."
In the end, factors similar to other near misses are evident here; complacency, situational awareness and human error. The human factors involvement conveys to us that more than just "additional training" (i.e., muscle memory activity) is needed. Once you have reviewed the entire account (CLICK HERE) and reviewed the related reports, consider the following:
1. What practices are in place in your department to ensure drivers are competent in driving and area knowledge?
2. How often do you have to work with a detail/relief driver?
3. How does the relief driver affect your thought process relating to incident mitigation?
4. If you are a relief driver, do you let the officer and crew know you are not familiar with the area?
5. Do the subtle differences that exist in each piece of the same breed of apparatus pose any obstacles to the driving capabilities of the relief driver?
National Firefighter Near-Miss Reporting System Training Suggestion: Have the members of your shift take one of the related reports and prepare a briefing for the rest of the group. The briefing may or may not tie in with this week's topic, but will elevate awareness and call attention to adopting or reinforcing best practices.
Note: The questions posed by the reviewers are designed to generate discussion and thought in the name of promoting firefighter
