Safety Week 2011: Avoiding Panic in Mayday Situations

Dr. Richard Gasaway talks about the science of avoiding panic during fireground emergencies.

He has conducted in-depth research on firefighter's reactions in situations, such as Maydays, and how the brain reacts based on previous experiences and irrational thought processes. Rich discusses the physical and mental challenges posed by tunnel vision in emergencies. 

He shares how firefighters can benefit from repetitive training to help trigger automated responses in high stress scenarios. These "pattern" responses can help calm a firefighter who has become lost or disoriented and, based on solid training, assess the situation and find a positive outcome.