Decision-making during a fire is greatly affected by both overloads of information and limited time. In the following paper, the way these two factors might influence the one who makes a decision will be discussed.
First, discussing the way decision-making during a fire is affected by such factors as an overload of information, it should be stated that this factor is one of the most important in such a situation. It often happens that firefighters appear in the situation when they have vast territory for work with, many people who may be in the dangerous area, and an abundance of electronic communications switched in different places. All of these factors should be considered properly because they affect the lives of people. For example, it happens that at times firefighters could not timely identify all the places where electric lines are switched on. As a result, they may fail to switch off some electric lines which may result in the death of people in this sector. Being injured on the reason of switched on electricity is one of the often reasons of death among firefighters. To make a relevant decision during a fire, the specialist should ask himself a number of questions:
- Is the roof in the affected building stable?
- Who should be removed from the building first?
- How complicated is the situation of injured people, and who of them needs help as soon as possible?
- Is it reasonable for fire firefighters to stay in the affected building if the situation is getting too dangerous?
- Whether the currently present crew of firefighters is enough for coping with this fire?
- Whether the secondary search for possible victims is done effectively which means that firefighters may leave the scene if it is necessary?
These are the principal questions that need an urgent answer. Of course, such an overload of information is a great difficulty for the one who must make a decision. Unfortunately, people sometimes make serious mistakes under such great pressure. This means that firefighters need regular training directed into improving decision-making despite the overload of information.
Next, limited time is also a factor that makes decision-making during a fire complicated. Firefighters know that every single second during a fire is important for saving people’s lives, health, and propriety. For this reason, they have to act urgently. Such urgency is often a reason for a poor level of decision-making quality. This, in turn, leads to more problems during a fire.
Finally, limited time and overload of information have even a greater impact in combination. In real situations, these two factors are hand in hand with each other, and they both influence the person who is to make decisions. Knowing that human lives depend on a properly made decision, the chief of a fire fighting team should act operatively taking into account all the important moments which have their impact on decision making.
In conclusion, it should be stated that during such a stressful emergency situation as a fire, a number of factors including limited time and overload of information affect people who are responsible for decision making. To act successfully in such a situation, people who have to make decisions should strive to maintain self-possession to prevent panic attacks and develop the best plan of action helping to solve the biggest amount of existing problems.