Transcript
EMERGENCY SERVICES HAWK
Vol.6, Issue 6
Civil Air Patrol
December 2007
To Be Ready, Responsive, and Relevant
SEMPER VI
Increasing Opportunity for Team Success
A successful mission sortie can be traced back to five interlocking team mental aspects. If one or
more of these aspects is weakened, the chance for success is diminished. Conversely, when the
team is aligned with each, the chance for success increases. The five interlocking mental aspects
are as follows:
Setting Objectives- every mission is a goal in itself, but objectives must be established to achieve
the goal. The amount of energy put into meeting the objective, while moving towards the goal is
significant in achieving success.
Anticipating Obstacles- every emergency services mission is an effort in facing unknown
obstacles. Teams, who can anticipate potential obstacles, will have an edge in achieving
success.
Developing Options- potential obstacles need options developed to find a way to meet mission
objectives. The team adapting to a rapidly changing situation with mental options already
developed or partially developed will experience greater success.
Focusing on Time- a team must orientate itself mentally in space and time; to focus on the
constant change of the present, anticipating future events, and quickly remembering the past as a
form of experience in how to adapt.
Optimism- a team pessimistic about the outcome of their sortie is more likely to experience
failure. A team positive mental attitude and an optimistic approach to outcome is a force multiplier
to success.
A team focusing on the above five interlocking mental aspects of a sortie will have a high and
reasonable opportunity for mission success. The final factor for increasing the chance for success
belongs with the team leader. This leadership mental aspect is called „risk orientation‟. The risk is
not related to safety, as putting team members at risk with a disregard for safety is unacceptable.
This risk is related to the ability of the leader to seek opportunity in obstacles. It is a measure of a
leader in accepting inherent risk from adapting to change, decision making, and situational
awareness. A good leader will seek out opportunity in chaos to improve the chance for success,
without putting the team at risk regarding safety.
FORTY SECOND BOYD
Lessons from the Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War- Col. John R. Boyd, USAF
What is the aim or purpose of strategy? To improve our ability to shape and adapt to unfolding
circumstances, so that we can survive on our own terms.
ALCYONEUS NOW
What to Do if Disaster Strikes
Remain calm and patient
Listen to your radio or television for news, information and instructions
Follow the advice of your local emergency response officials
If the disaster has hit your home, check the family for injuries and give first aid where
necessary
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Get a flashlight from your home emergency response kit
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Check for damage to your house
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Check for hazards that may affect you staying within your house such as fire,
chemical, electrical, or water
Shut off damaged utilities (gas, electrical, water)
Locate, confine, and secure all pets
Call a family contact, but do not use the telephone again unless there is a life-threatening
situation
Check on your neighbors to see if they need assistance
Form a neighborhood cooperative system to help each other until emergency service
resources can arrive
CARRYING THE FIRE
Working Knowledge Marketing
The key to marketing organizational emergency services programs not supported by public
funding (relying mostly on volunteers) is a concept using the working knowledge of the
volunteers. A good marketing plan requires a person or team to sit down with the knowledge
experts and tap into what they know about the product or service being offered. All too often the
marketing plan will use the techno-nerd end of the knowledge spectrum, and by-pass those
experts with working knowledge of the product or service. A good marketing plan will provide,
targeted and customized information from the working knowledge experts to the customer.
The first part of working knowledge marketing is to find your experts in the field who are the end
users of a process or who have provided the service in the past. These experts must have the
intrinsic feel for what the product of service can offer. It will be these people who will share the
needs and values of the customer. Your field experts will have been on the front lines of the
product or service when it was needed and valued most. They bring the working knowledge your
customer will need to evaluate.
When you have selected your working knowledge experts, ask them to discuss the following:
1. What are the strengths of our product or service?
2. What are the weaknesses of our product or service?
3. What is the real value of our product or service?
4. What features of our product or service will give the customer the critical edge they need
for success?
5. How do our products or service compare to other organizations involved in emergency
services response?
6. Who will be the likeliest to need our product of service?
Such a gathering of working knowledge experts will have a two-fold benefit. A marketing plan will
easily be developed based on the strengths of the product or service in a way the customer will
understand. Secondly, the people who have designed product or services will know what the
weaknesses are to make into strengths from those who are on the front line.
CREW’S CONTROL
Behavioral-Based Safety
Behavioral-based safety (BBS) is an effective approach for building a safety culture. In volunteer
emergency response organizations, it is difficult for the parent organization to act as an employer
to absorb all the responsibility for developing a safety program where volunteers (employees) can
feel and act safe. By nature of emergency response, no response organization can anticipate all
of the safety concerns and provide the exact equipment, rules, and regulations necessary for
responders to remain safe in the field during the response. It is necessary for all emergency
responders to act according to well-established and practiced behavioral safety. Each emergency
response leader can adopt the following behavioral-based safety strategies:
Conduct safety briefings using the right words- too often safety briefings discuss mandates,
regulations, compliance and such indicating required behavior as if all situations and
circumstances can be anticipated. Or, the use of nebulous verbiage such as, “let‟s be safe out
there”, where it is left to the people in the field to know and understand what that exactly means in
any and all situations. The BBS way of a safety briefing, is to describe the specific safety
precautions necessary in the field, but also to discuss how each member is a valuable asset, and
taking unnecessary risks or putting others at risk is not going to be benefit anyone if there is an
injury or accident. Stress how each member is responsible for his or her risk-behavior, and they
can assist other members of the team by looking after their risk-behavior too, feeling at ease
enough to stop others from performing risky or unsafe acts. Responders in BBS have to feel they
have a personal control of their own safety as well as the health and safety of others on the team.
Set a goal of being accident free- along with other mission or sortie goals and objectives, there
needs to be a goal to remain accident and injury free as mission/sortie goals/objectives are being
met. Be prepared to acknowledge and praise safe actions as they are being demonstrated in the
field, so they can be regarded as a form of competence. In the follow-up debriefings, ensure the
safety goals are openly discussed as a major part of the other mission/sortie goals.
Stress teamwork in reaching all goals- teams are more likely to remain accident and injury
free, compared to individuals. An individual is more likely to take unnecessary risks and perform
unsafe acts.
Promote self-efficacy- a person having self-efficacy believes he or she can handle the mission
or sortie. When tied in with established accident free goals, this is demonstrated confidence.
When properly briefed with safety goals, a confident person is less likely to take unnecessary
risks or perform unsafe acts.
Establish relevance of safety to the mission objectives- if specific safety precautions must be
taken in accomplishing the mission/sortie goals, it is important to openly discuss how safe acts
are relevant to emergency response success.
Debrief the ‘close calls- after the mission sortie has concluded, ensure there is an open and
frank discussion about the „close calls‟ or „near misses‟ experienced by the team in reaching the
goals. This has to include specific behavior that was witnessed or owned up personal behavior.
Set the tone of no blame or recriminations to those who speak up. The goal of BBS is to improve
everyone‟s safety goals in the field.
Learn from the ‘close calls’- a good leader will look beyond the number of „close calls‟ or „near
misses‟, realizing there are at least 10 times more of those than actual incidents or accidents. If a
continuous theme emerges from the review of the „close calls‟, a change in process should be
considered to eliminate the potential for an accident, incident, or injury in the future.
The above strategies can be used to establish a behavioral-based safety program, but all the
safety strategies in the world will be worthless, if the leader does not „walk the walk‟ in remaining
safe in all he or she does while leading the team. Leaders set the example for a safe operation.
THE ACE FACTOR
Keeping Your Brain on Track
How does a person keep his or her brain on track for development, in spite of advancing age, or
lack of educational challenges? Is it like any other muscle in the body, where you must use it or
lose it? It seems the key element for a healthy and developing brain is to provide a more
oxygenated blood supply and nutrients to the brain. Various neuropsychologists have ideas for a
healthy and developing brain.
Exercise- According to Mark McDaniel, PhD, Professor of Psychology at Washington
University (St. Louis) suggests a combined program of aerobic exercise and weight
training. In his research he states, “Exercise may forestall some kinds of mental decline,
and may even restore memory.” Research is indicating people in good physical condition
have sharper brains, than people who are not in shape. Also, those people who change
their life style to improve their physical health also sharpen their mental skills. So, not
only does aerobic exercise and weight training improve you chances to fight off heart
disease, obesity, and diabetes, it also improves your mental skills.
Nutrition- Carol Greenwood, PhD a research scientist at the University of Toronto states
high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol are tough on your brain. The
same condition you place on your body also has a detrimental affect on your brain. A
well-balanced, nutritious diet to go along with a solid physical workout is what your brain
needs to stay health and continue to develop. Dr. Greenwood recommends a diet to
include many colorful fruits and vegetables packed with antioxidants.
Practice- In recent studies, neurologists have found the brain at any age is highly
adaptable, meaning if you ask your brain to learn, it will learn. According to Michael
Merzenich, PhD, a neuroscientist at the University of California (San Francisco), all it
takes to redevelop a brain is to practice exercises of the mind. With that practice, you
also need to speed up your focus and response. It will essentially kick-start your brain to
a higher gear.
Relax and Stay Calm- Chronic stress can affect memory, and according to Jeansok Kim
of the University of Washington, traumatic stress (acute) can disturb the cognitive
processes such as learning and memory. It is important to remain calm, as it is to
challenge your brain. So, when performing your „brain exercises‟, do not forget to relax,
take in a soothing breath and stay calm. It will be a way your brain will stay loose and
ready for better use.
Rest- In research at Harvard Medical School conditions for people developing creative
solutions were studied. It was discovered a good night‟s rest doubled the chance for
creative solutions to complicated problems. It is theorized a sleeping or resting brain
synthesizes complex information while we are not even consciously aware of it.
Humor- A good sense of humor stimulates a chemical called dopamine, which sends
„feel good‟ messages to the brain. It is thought this feeling to the brain is a means for the
brain to rest from synthesizing information creating a momentary relaxation period it
needs, just as sleep does for our physical bodies. It seems the brain uses humor and that
shot of dopamine as the equivalent to rest.
Socialize- Cognitive performances can be related to social contact with others.
Maintaining strong social ties improves cognitive performance due to intellectually
stimulating activities usually associated with social relationships. Social contact is also
important for the support you need during stressful times, where the stress can have a
damaging effect on the brain.
Act Your Age- Researchers now believe in the „wisdom of age‟. The brain over time
accumulates millions of facts and scenarios top synthesize that information into
experience. Experience translates into the brain‟s ability to solve problems and use good
judgment.
SURVIVAL SENSE
The Mini-Survival Kit
There are numerous survival kits available in varying sizes. How about a survival kit of some
essentials that is small enough to put into the glove compartment of your car, in a purse, or in the
pocket of a coat/jacket.
1. A small multi-tool pliers/knife, which has varying tools and blades for almost any
emergency need.
2. A single battery micro photon light, which is small, inexpensive and provides plenty of
illumination during an emergency.
3. A small signal mirror or cut-down old „CD‟ disc for reflecting light, and can be seen from
many miles away.
4. A small and inexpensive „button‟ compass, which may lack in accuracy but will keep you
going in the same proper direction in a pinch.
5. A half dozen cotton balls dabbed in petroleum jelly, tightly double-sealed in two sealable
sandwich bags. The cotton balls will make excellent fire starter material and the sandwich
bags can be used for collecting water.
6. A magnesium/steel fire starter tool, which can be used to throw out a shower of sparks to
the fire starter material or collected tinder.
7. A small pencil sharpener, for making small twigs and sticks into tinder for a fire.
8. You favorite hard candy for instant energy when consumed, but will not spoil while
waiting to be used.
9. A small whistle, shrill enough to be heard 4-6 times farther than a yelling voice.
10. About 3 yards/meters of bright orange yarn to be used for marking trails or the tree
branches you have built your emergency shelter under.
When you have it all collected the volume should be able to fit into an old plastic band-aid
container, to be stored wherever you need it.
POINT OF CARE
How You Know When You are Not Coping with Stress Well
In the past six years since September 2001, there has been much discussion and development in
how to cope with stress, especially with emergency responders. Critical Incident Stress
Management (CISM) is quite common following every disaster or incident. But, how do you know
in those cases following CISM, if you or the emergency responder is coping well?
The following traits are common in people who are not coping with their stress well:
Impulsive Behavior- acting without thinking of the consequences
Compulsive Behavior- addictive-like behavior resulting in overindulgence (good or bad)
Obsessive Behavior- overtly meticulous-like behavior, inflexible or rigid thinking
Withdrawn Behavior- isolation and excessive passivity
Depressed Behavior- lethargic, weepy, tearful, downcast or verbalizing despair
Blaming Behavior- overly critical and finding fault with others for all problems
Vindictive Behavior- conniving and seeking revenge on others for any offense
Anxious Behavior- worried, tense, unable to let go of problems
Hostile Behavior- short temper, verbalizing sarcasm or cynicism
Ill-Health Behavior- real or psychosomatic illnesses, continual headaches, muscle
tension, intestinal problems, hypertension
I you recognize any of the above behavior in yourself or other responders following a critical
incident, report it to your closest CISM Health Care Worker to get the coping back on track.
FROM THE DOG POUND- Tips for Becoming a Better Aircrew ‘Crew Dog’
Exercises for Mission Observers/Scanners- For a Pain in the Neck From Doing Your Job
The prescribed method for observation and scanning is bound to give the crew dog assigned this
responsibility a royal pain in the neck and lower back. The Observer/Scanner is locked into a seat
with a chest and waist belt, with the only comfortable sitting position facing forward. However, the
scanning methods require the member twisting in the seat to face out the windows at the side to
do his or her job. This is the beginning of a lower back twist and strain that will start during the
sortie and can sometimes end well after the mission has been completed. While sitting in this
uncomfortable position the crew dog must scan the ground with a technique that can lead to neck
pain, and/or eyestrain. It is not easy being an Observer or a Scanner.
Here are some tips to limit the neck pain and eyestrain:
Eyestrain and eventual headaches can occur if the head/neck remains locked and stable
while the eyes do the moving across the scanning range.
Neck strain and eventual headaches can occur if the eyes remain fixed and the head
moves across the scanning range.
In scanning, maximum effectiveness is achieved in short, regularly spaced eye
movements, with the head moving in short sweeps to give the eyes a new range to scan.
The key to limiting eyestrain and neck pain is to combine the head and eye movements.
It is recommended that the Observer/Scanner do stretching exercises prior to climbing aboard the
aircraft. Stretching can help relax the muscles, increase circulation, and generally make you feel
better while you are in the cramped cockpit of the plane during the sortie. A routine exercise and
stretching program of your muscles will also serve to strengthen them to prevent injury.
The following is suggested as exercises within the confines of the cockpit en route to the sortie
objective:
Back Stretch-
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While in the seat, with the seat belt locked lean as far forward as you can to
stretch
Keep your head down and your neck relaxed for 10-20 seconds
Use your hands to „climb‟ up your legs and push yourself upright
With your feet flat on the floor of the cockpit and your knees relaxed clasp your
hands behind your head
Gently turn your torso at the waist to the left until you can feel the stretch
Hold for 8-10 seconds
Repeat with a gentle turn to the right until you can feel the stretch
Hold for 8-10 seconds
Release and relax
Neck Stretcho Move your chin down towards your chest until you can feel the stretch and hold
for 10 seconds
o With your chin up, your shoulders facing forward, turn your head to the left until
you can feel the stretch and hold for 10 seconds
o With your chin up, your shoulders facing forward, turn your head to the right until
you can feel the stretch and hold for 10 seconds
o With your chin up, your shoulders facing forward, slant your head sideways
moving your left ear towards your left shoulder until you can feel the stretch and
hold for 10 seconds
o With your chin up, your shoulders facing forward, slant your head sideways
moving your right ear towards your right shoulder until you can feel the stretch
and hold for 10 seconds
Shoulders and Armso Interlace your fingers behind your head, and slowly move your elbows back until
you can feel the stretch and hold for 10 seconds
o Interlace your fingers behind your head, and slowly move your elbows forward in
and towards each other until you can feel the stretch and hold for 10 seconds
o Hold your left arm just above the elbow with your right hand and look to the left
o Gently pull the elbow towards the right until you can feel the stretch and hold for
10 seconds
o Hold your right arm just above the elbow with your left hand and look to the right
o Gently pull the elbow towards the left until you can feel the stretch and hold for
10 seconds
Hands and Wristso Separate and straighten your fingers until you feel a stretch and hold for 10
seconds
o Relax and bend you fingers at the knuckles and hold for 10 seconds
o Relax and make a fist of each hand and hold for 10 seconds
o Relax and wiggle your fingers and shake your hands loose for 10 seconds
Eyes- (recommended to be done about once an hour during the sortie- ensure another
crew member takes over your scanning area while you do this)
o Close your eyes, but not tightly
o Place the palms of your hands over, but not touching the eyelids, with your
fingers touching your forehead
o Take several deep breathes and try to visualize a relaxing setting without
opening up or allowing light to get to your eyes
o Hold for 20 seconds, and then uncover your eyes
o Then return to you scanning
Eye Refocusing- (recommended to be done about every 20 minutes of a sortie during
scanning- make sure to have another crew member take over your scanning area while
you do this)
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Look at the tip of the wing
Relax and focus on it for 10 seconds
Look at something within arm‟s reach in the cockpit
Relax and focus on it for 10 seconds
Look at something on the ground at least a half mile away
Relax and focus on it for 10 seconds
Then return to your scanning
When your neck, shoulder and lower back pain makes sitting in the cockpit of an aircraft difficult
there are three conservative treatments that are recommended between sorties:
Initially treat the localized pain area with cold compress or ice pack for no longer than 15
minutes at a time. Ice should never be placed directly on skin for more than 5 minutes.
The rule of thumb is „ice for the first 24 hours, heat after that‟.
Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications (ibuprofen, naproxen) or pain relief
medications (acetaminophen, aspirin) can provide optimum relief with limited side effects.
No pain-relief or anti-inflammatory medications should be taken for a prolonged period of
time. Consult with your physician for the type of medication you should use and the
length of time to use it.
Heat is an easy and effective way to control localized pain and muscle spasms. Heating
pads for 15-20 minutes at a time are ideal. In the absence of a heating pad, a soft terry
cloth towel soaked in warm tap water will suffice until a heating pad can be found.
Editor‟s Comment: As in all procedures presented in this section, the above represents a point of
view based on in-depth research and practice from experienced aircrew members. It is up to the
reader to determine if the procedure should or should not be used in their operations. If someone
has a better tip to share, we encourage that person to come forward to share it with our readers.
GOING FROM GOOD TO GREAT
How to Complain the Right Way
There is nothing worse than a complaint, unless it is a bad complaint. A „bad‟ complaint is not
based on a bad situation. A bad complaint is a complaint that is mishandled by the complainer so
there is nothing the recipient of the complaint can do to make the situation better. On the other
hand, a „good‟ complaint is a complaint about a bad situation where the complainer handles it
properly, and the „how to correct the situation‟ by the recipient is a relatively easy fix. A wellhandled „good‟ complaint can actually improve customer service.
It is important to understand mistakes can happen in customer service, and they rarely (if ever)
are planned. Mistakes in customer service are always regrettable. No quality service provider
likes it when their agency, company, group, or organizations commit actions, which lead to a
complaint. Here are some tips on how to complain properly to get prompt and proper action:
1. Know specifically what you want to complain about, and do not generalize. The only way
things can get fixed is if you can provide detail, which can be addressed by the provider.
2. Complain immediately. Give the provider a chance to correct the mistake and smooth out
the situation so it becomes less onerous. Do not wait until you get home to complain. A
customer service organization is in business to help you (and keep you happy) now.
3. Pick your battles. Sometimes life throws out challenges (more often than we would like),
so learn to save your effort for a truly bad situation.
4. Keep your emotions in check. Out of control emotions and anger will not speed up
resolution of a problem, but will cause panic in the wrong direction wasting time and
effort. Develop a nice, and respectful command of the situation attitude of „this is not
good, and I am not happy‟. Maintain the correct sense of urgency, but keep the emotions
bottled up inside.
5. When issuing a complaint, complain to the person or party who can actually control the
situation. It wastes time, energy and effort when you complain about something the
recipient has absolutely no control over.
6. Clearly explain why the situation is bothering you. Your complaint should have a detailed
cause and a detailed reaction to why it is a problem for you. Complaining just because
you „do not like the situation‟ may not be enough detail to kick the complaint into an
appropriate sense of urgency. State why you are bothered.
7. Clearly state your position. Whether it is in writing or verbal, clearly state the problem and
your position on that problem. The recipient cannot help you if he or she does not
understand you.
8. State the consequences if your complaint is not handled properly. But, keep the
consequences real. State in detail the cause, why it bothers you, and what will happen if
the situation is not corrected. But, keep the emotions in check.
9. Start at the bottom of the ladder first. Complain to the level where something can be done
regarding your specific concern, where you will be able to get the most prompt and
complete response. Aim higher when the lower level offers no satisfaction at all. Starting
at the top to handle the situation my offer some form of personal satisfaction, but it rarely
gets things done as quickly and as specifically as you would really like.
10. If you are going to seek compensation, keep it real. Make the compensation match the
situation. Do not demand too much for your troubles. The best way to handle
compensation is to state in detail the situation, how you feel, what the consequences are
if the situation is not corrected, and then leave it in the hands of the service provider what
should be done. You will be surprised how effective your complaint is.
DID YOU KNOW?
Singing to Stay Alert and Drive Safer
A study of 1,780 drivers by a British car-insurance company found listening and singing to music
may help reduce the chance for an accident while driving. The study indicated that most drivers
with good driving records stated music relaxed them when driving and helped them stay alert. It
seems singing along with familiar tunes and repetitive lyrics found in soft rock, pop, and classical
music is the key to safer driving. Conversely most drivers with poor driving records admitted to
listening to fast, loud dance and hard rock with the sound system cranked up ranked up their with
cell phone use as the most distracting, and a contributing factor to their accidents. According to
music writer Ari Bendersky, the following list is the top ten songs to drive by as presented in
„Health‟ Magazine, Jan/Feb 2006:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
„Speed of Sound‟, Coldplay
„Everyday is a Winding Road‟, Sheryl Crow
„We Belong Together‟, Mariah Carey
„Boulevard of Broken Dreams‟, Green Day
„Respect‟, Aretha Franklin
„Breathe‟, Faith Hill
„Goodbye Yellow Brick Road‟, Elton John
„Somewhere Only We Know‟, Keane
„Walk On‟, U2
„Superstition‟, Stevie Wonder
So, it is recommended you burn a CD with your favorite sing-along songs to help improve your
driving record.
WORDS OF WISDOM- Coffee Cup Leadership Advice from the Military Pros
A good officer goes where he (she) is assigned and gives the best of which he (she) is capable.
Pain is weakness leaving the body.
Wake up America- You are the Militia!
A primary function of leadership is having the troopers see you do your job. (from an old U.S.
Cavalry saying)
FAMOUS QUOTES
In the position of air battle one thinks quite calmly, collectedly and weighs the probabilities of
hitting or being hit. He who gets excited in fighting is sure to make mistakes. He will never get his
enemy down. (Manfred Von Richtofen- The Red Baron)
SUBMISSIONS
Queries, suggestions, and news items are welcome. Please submit to the following address:
Mail:
Bruce Marxsen
5231 Topaz Crt.
Lincoln, NE 68516
The next issue of the „Emergency Services Hawk‟ will be sent out on or about 15-Feb-2008.
Please have information you would like to be considered in that issue to my attention no later
than 01-Feb-2008.