Barriers to Refusing Risk
“During the burnout operations, a sudden wind shift and explosive fire growth occurred, and personnel were cut off from their escape routes. Most of the firefighters moved back to their vehicles to exit the area. However, six individuals farther down the dozer line were forced to run in front of the advancing flame front, through unburned fuels to a nearby dirt road for approximately one mile before they were picked up and transported for treatment.”
— Mendocino Complex Entrapment Facilitated Learning Analysis (FLA).
From interviews conducted to support the FLA of the Mendocino Complex Entrapment, some common themes emerged concerning barriers to refusing risk. Those themes included the urgency surrounding the work assignment and the challenges of speaking up to address safety concerns with the tactical assignment.
URGENCY: Real and Perceived
“What are we doing here? Why are we burning? Where are our escape routes? I have a really bad feeling. This is not good. What is the fire doing? It’s dicey but it might be doable.” Resources assigned to DIV H burnout, Mendocino Complex Entrapment FLA.
SPEAKING UP: Creating an environment that promotes safety
“I should have spoken up sooner. When I drove up, I should have voiced more that this was not a viable plan.” Overhead, Mendocino Complex Entrapment FLA.
Discussion Questions:
- Operating in the wildland fire system is inherently risky on its own. When we add a sense of urgency to the system, how might that affect one’s decision-making processes [with regards to risk]?
- What conversations need to occur prior to/during an operational tempo increase to manage our assumption of risk?
- How do you ensure your instructions and assignments are clear? (18 Watch Out Situations, #6)
- How can a leader encourage their followers to speak up and contribute to the good of the crew even when using a directing leadership style? How does a follower do so when their thoughts or observations contradict their leader?
Resources:
- "Margin", Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center (video)
- Mendocino Complex Entrapment 2018, Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center
- NWCG Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG), PMS 461
