Every time emergency responders respond to an incident, they enter an
ambiguous situation that is an ill-defined problem space. As the responders engage with
the incident, they discover, piece by piece, the unique interlocking problems and act
quickly to put form and structure onto the potential solution. In order to quickly,
effectively, and safely resolve an incident, emergency responders must have depth and
breadth of knowledge across responder disciplines and domains. This knowledge is
acquired through both formal training courses and informal training in the station house.
The ability to quickly assess a situation, accurately identify the elements as they emerge
and their significance, then decide on a course of action combining a variety of domains
and skill sets speaks to the creative nature of emergency responders. This study uses
naturalistic inquiry to explore what it is like to be an emergency responder, describe how
creativity manifests itself in a field environment, and discuss what emergency
responders want in their training. This study found that being an emergency responder is emotional, exciting,
stressful, challenging, full of the unexpected, and rewarding. During an incident,
emergency responders are dealing with the complex interactions of various emotions
while resolving difficult and often sad situations. Being an emergency responder is
synonymous with being a good problem solver; they are also highly emotionally
resilient.
The process of creativity within an emergency response environment is seen
through preparation that is, training. The consistent review and development of skills
makes the skills automatic. Responders also cross-train and, often, an individual
responder will have expertise in multiple areas. The improvisational skills of emergency
responders to events which are often emergent and creative in their own right,
demonstrate a depth of creative force through the handling of complex, high-risk
situations with persistence, endurance, and determination.
Finally, this study found that emergency responders are passionate about their
training. They know that what they learn and practice during training evolutions forms
the foundation of their professionalism, provides opportunities to learn new skills or
hone already established skills, reinforces safety considerations, and will save their lives
and the lives of other people.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:tamu.edu/oai:repository.tamu.edu:1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2008-12-165 |
| Date | 14 January 2010 |
| Creators | Bastian, Marcia |
| Contributors | McNamara, James, Juntune, Joyce |
| Source Sets | Texas A and M University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Book, Thesis, Electronic Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
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