‘Beyond tough appearances’: Karin Dangermond examined the influence of fire service culture on coping with major incidents
18 April 2023
Firefighters face major incidents during their work. This can have a major impact on their well-being. Karin Dangermond shows that informal peer support from colleagues in the fire service team is crucial for coping with these incidents, and that humour plays an important role in this. She will defend her thesis Beyond tough appearances: The impact of the fire service culture in the processing of critical incidents at the University of Humanistic Studies on 18 April 2023.
Firefighters usually experience major incidents collectively; in their team or fire brigade. Until now, however, it was unclear how firefighter culture affects the processing of major incidents. This study changes this. Dangermond shows which incidents firefighters experience as critical and what role firefighter culture plays in processing them. The experiences of firefighters themselves are central to this. Dangermond interviewed a large number of firefighters and key figures in the fire service organisation and was frequently present at 24-shifts and practice evenings of various fire brigades across the country. Never before has such a comprehensive survey of the Dutch fire service been conducted.
Why incidents are critical
Why and when firefighters experience incidents as critical depends on personal characteristics and circumstances, and the culture within the firefighting team. The impact of incidents is especially great when there is physical injury or death of the victim, when firefighters know the victim personally, when they perceive the emergency response as having failed, when they experience life-threatening situations, when children are involved, and when colleagues are threatened or die. Group expectations, standards and norms within the firefighter collective affect the processing of these events.
Informal peer support
When coping with major incidents, firefighters prefer informal peer support within the fire team or brigade they are part of. They do not have to explain their experiences and emotions because squad members have similar experiences. Moreover, informal support is more focused on personal needs than formal forms of support offered within the fire service. Humour is also important in coping with major incidents. It can strengthen social cohesion in the fire brigade squad and positively influence the atmosphere in the squad. Peer support is harder to come by for fire service volunteers than for professional firefighters because they work together less frequently and for longer periods of time.
Sustainable employability
In firefighters, a major incident can lead to serious mental issues such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicidal thoughts. For their well-being, it is important to understand how to cope with such incidents. Firefighters who are satisfied with the help they receive experience less stress. Better tailoring assistance and aftercare to their specific needs can contribute to their well-being and (mental) health. This is important for the sustainable employability of firefighters, and thus for the fire service organisation and society as a whole.
About the author
Karin Dangermond is a senior researcher at the Netherlands Institute for Public Safety (NIPV). You can download the thesis from our Research Portal. A public version of her thesis will be available in Dutch on the NIPV website from 18 April, along with related articles. The public version contains the main findings of the thesis, with results that are applicable and understandable for fire service practice (and beyond).
Firefighters face major incidents during their work. This can have a major impact on their well-being. Karin Dangermond shows that informal collegial support from colleagues in the fire service team is crucial for coping with these incidents, and that humour plays an important role in this.