A win for HROs. Employing high-reliability organization characteristics in EMS

Was I insubordinate, arrogant or disrespectful? You may feel that I was. But in reality, I was educated to a level that could have been validated and should have been respected by command. I was, in fact, practicing a key aspect of HRO. I was stopping an obvious dangerous condition before it could harm or kill emergency responders. My IC colleague knew it from the facts presented and, in fact, joked with me about my "subtle sarcasm" and moved the perimeter to the recommended half-mile distance. Did I win, or did a proactive HRO win? Actually, HRO won and potentially saved 30 lives. I simply presented the hazards of CFC inhalation. A high-reliability organization must not rely on only one source of data when detailed information on a hazard isn't immediately available, or if it isn't very informative during an emergency decision-making process. Read "EMS & High Reliability Organizing: Achieving safety & reliability in the dynamic, high-risk environment and practice its important principles," pp. 60-63. It's really common sense, not rocket science, and may save you, your crews or others in your community.