Firefighters face many high-risk situations, from battling fires to managing hazardous materials and medical emergencies. The inherent dangers of these scenarios are reflected in the statistics from the U.S. Fire Administration, which reported 141 on-duty firefighter fatalities in 2021. Recognizing the critical need for enhanced safety, the…

The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to understand the perceptions of fire service employees about generational conflict within fire service organizations across the United States. The findings of the study could allow fire service organization leaders to develop better conflict resolution practices related to generational…

In recent years, first responders have faced increasing challenges in their operations, highlighting a growing need for specialized and comprehensive training. In particular, the firefighting incident commanders (ICs) are playing a pivotal role, providing directions to field operators and making critical decisions in emergency situations. Over…

Access to dangerous goods training for firefighters in remote areas is limited for financial and logistical reasons. Virtual reality (VR) is a promising solution for this challenge as it is cost-effective, safe, and allows to simulate realistic scenarios that would be dangerous or difficult to implement in the real world. However, rigorous…

Purpose: The reemergence of immersive virtual technology (IVR) provides both opportunities and challenges for workplace learning (WPL). The purpose of this study is to explore and develop knowledge about how gamification influences the WPL experience by addressing two research questions: "RQ1." What characterizes a gamified immersive…

This study employs the Experiential Learning Theory framework to investigate students' use of a wildfire simulation. We analyzed log files automatically generated by middle and high school students (n = 1515) as they used a wildfire simulation and answered associated prompts in three simulation-based tasks. We first analyzed students' log files to…

This research explores the perceptions of preservice teachers in Turkey in terms of their preparedness for various disasters, including epidemics, earthquakes, fires, and floods, all of which have profound social and economic impacts on education. Using a descriptive survey model, the study examined the responses of 512 preservice teachers at a…

Background: College students need the ability to generalize and apply solutions through reflective practice. University faculty need professional development to use authentic cases to prepare students for the future. Purpose: This study was to explore the experiences of faculty through a year-long professional development program that included a…

Purpose: The overall quality of education may be compromised due to the limited availability of safety and security (S&S) courses in professional teacher education. The purpose of this paper is to identify the main safety-related training needs of a higher education institution, which may provide insights for improving the quality of education…

The emergency industry has always been an important and challenging profession. Paramedics and firefighters are exposed on a daily basis to potentially traumatic situations with some of what they experience leading to transformations, changing them deeply and fundamentally. These transformative experiences (Paul [2016]. "Transformative…

Spatio-temporal processes are ubiquitous and prevalent across disciplines. Understanding the mechanisms underlying processes and integrating this information into models is of great interest, as it can improve forecasting accuracy and align with scientific motivation. Examples of such models include Partial Differential Equation (PDE) Models or…

Objectives: This case study examined multi-level social-ecological supports in promoting well-being through college students impacted by one of the deadliest wildfires in U.S. history. Participants: College students attending a large public university were surveyed (N = 354, M[subscript age] = 22.7, 76.2% female, 61% white).Methods: Measures…

Emergency response services are vital for enhancing public safety by safeguarding the environment, property, and human lives. As frontline members of these services, 9-1-1 dispatchers have a direct impact on response times and the overall effectiveness of emergency operations. However, traditional dispatcher training methods, which rely on…