Words matter: radio misunderstandings in wildland firefighting
Elena Gabor
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
Bradley University, 1501 West Bradley Avenue, Caterpillar Global Communications Center 332, Peoria, IL 61625, USA. Email: egabor@fsmail.bradley.edu
International Journal of Wildland Fire 24(4) 580-588 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF13120
Submitted: 26 July 2013 Accepted: 28 November 2014 Published: 11 March 2015
Abstract
Unclear, ambiguous communication during a wildland fire can have serious consequences for firefighters' safety. This paper grounds its observations in media richness theory and the theory of communicative action. Radio is a less rich medium than video or face-to-face communication because it relies on hearing only and it requires a longer time to convey understanding. The theory of communicative action explains that effective messages should be true (content-wise), appropriate and truthful (expressive). This paper uses data from the investigation reports of the Cramer fire in Idaho, 2003, the Dutch Creek incident in California, 2008, and the Panther fire in California, 2008, to show that ambiguous, shortened and information-poor messages can impact decision-making and the safety of firefighters. Although previous research has pointed to technical and cultural barriers to effective radio communication, this paper draws attention to the actual wording of messages.
Additional keywords: Cramer, Dutch Creek, HRO, Panther, speech acts.
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