WICKED PROBLEMS

and

EVIL PEOPLE

Hank Clemmensen

IAFC President and Chairman of the Board

“A Good Hockey Player Plays Where The Puck Is. A

Great Hockey Player

Plays Where The Puck Is Going To Be.”

~ Wayne Gretzky

Wicked Problems

Wicked Problem Defined

• “Wicked problems" is a term used to describe a problem that is difficult or impossible to solve because of incomplete, contradictory, or changing requirements.

Wicked Problem Defined

• The term ‘wicked’ is not used to denote evil, but rather its resistance to finding a solution. • Solving one aspect of a wicked problem may reveal or create other problems.

Wicked Problems

• Problems have we been avoiding?

• What makes these problems so uncomfortable?

• Do we solve those problems now or wait until they grow larger?

• Can we solve these problems alone?

• Are the solutions sustainable?

Wicked Problems in the Fire Service

• Cost-Efficiency • Data • Deployment and Staffing • Culture • Political Acumen

Wicked Problem

• Cost Efficiency – What is effective vs. efficient?

– What community defines it? • Some get really low cost, and some get really high service – is there a correlation?

– Who is responsible for defining it? – Whose model do you follow?

– Do we really save the building? – Is EMS effective?

Wicked Problem

• Data – Who has the model system? – Who uses it to make decisions?

– How accurate is the data?

– Who do you compare yourself to?

– How do you determine what to capture?

• Automated alarms? – Outcome-based research • San Jose IBM Study

Wicked Problem

• Deployment and Staffing – 1710/1720 and NIST study gives decision information. Local leaders?

– How much is four-person staffing worth to a community?

– Dynamic staffing models? Peak Activity Units – Volunteer vs. POP vs. Overtime vs. full-time staff – One-fire fire department

UL Ventilation Study

• Rapid flashover: modern = 3.5 minutes, legacy = 29.5 minutes • Ventilation to untenability: • 100 seconds/1 story • 200 seconds/2 story • 10 seconds to flashover • Opening the front door is ventilation • Can’t push fire from outside

Wicked Problem

• Culture – Swing from fire to EMS/all-hazards • How many test for EMS vs. fire skills?

– Generational differences – Diversity and inclusiveness – What skills are needed now?

– 24 and 48 hour shifts – Image issues – Age requirements / changes

Wicked Problem

• Political Acumen – How much training does a chief get in politics?

– Grey areas abound – Political appointees – Working with the elected body – Working with the citizenry – Working with labor – Being a part of local and state government – Ethics

Wicked Problems

• What’s next?

– Create dialogue and discussion – Put issues out for debate – If we don’t solve them or part of them, someone will solve them for us

EVIL PEOPLE

Factoids

• Active shooter incidents are occurring about once each week • Police are on scene in avg of 3 minutes • Average active shooter incident lasts about 12 minutes • 20% involve the use of IEDs • 50% of police officers in Newtown have not returned to work • 75% of IAFC survey respondents have no active shooter plan

Active Shooter System Approach

• Fire/EMS must engage in a different way • Leadership matters • Must be a consistent level of training for all responders

Active Shooter Systems Approach

• Must know counterparts in law enforcement and EMS • Train and exercise together • Must establish clear protocols on multi agency responses

Active Shooter Systems Approach

• Equipment options and sharing tricks of the trade • Legal responsibilities • ICS/NIMS must be consistently used and reinforced – Effort by some law enforcement to not have ICS – What is the alternative?

• Terminology Issue • PTSD Program

So What’s Next for Active Shooter Incidents?

WICKED PROBLEMS

and

EVIL PEOPLE

Hank Clemmensen

IAFC President and Chairman of the Board