Episode 221: Episode 8-3 - Capt. Dustin Lambert, PhD - "Driving Under the Influence of Dispatch!"

You are sound asleep. You’ve had a busy day with lots of runs. Add the training that was squeezed in and you’re exhausted. You lie down on your bunk and you’re “out like a light!” Seconds later, the horn blares and all the lights turn on! You jump up with a start, put on your gear and head to the apparatus floor. As you make your way there the PA adds, “Confirmed working residential working fire. Two adults, two children with one unaccounted for!” And yes, you are the driver of the first engine heading to the scene. Whether you are a rookie or you are the senior firefighter, those last words raise the hairs on the back of your neck!

Without us even thinking about it, those last words spur us on. We know what we have to do and the first task is to get to the scene as quickly and SAFELY as possible. But with our hearts beating fast and our concentration focused on the destination, are we driving with the due care that a vehicle of this size and weight demands? Or do we let our heart drive the rig and not our professional “mind?”

Our guest on this podcast, Capt. Dustin Lambert, PhD, has not only studied these factors for 20 years, but he also wrote his dissertation about it. When we allow our emotions to lead us on certain calls, we may not be driving the apparatus with due care. 

Listen as Capt. Lambert shares results of his research that, for some of us, we do not want to hear. However, we must remember that no matter the call, if we do not arrive and return to our firehouse safely, there could be troubles afoot. 

You can reach Capt. Lambert at [email protected] and find him on both X (Twitter) and Instagram @firefighterwisdom.  

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