A negotiated-text method for assessing situation awareness information requirements from emergency responders

Role-specific situation awareness (SA) requirements analyses have the potential to significantly improve public safety agency responses during the ambiguous incipient stages of emergencies. The results of such analysis can be used to both (1) filter out information that is not goal-related, and (2) help people in other roles to understand how and why they should provide relevant information to first responders. This project adapted existing approaches to create an easily deployed method that does not require technical human factors expertise. The method is based on a semi-structured negotiated text approach where informants review data as it is recorded by the interviewer. In our study, interviewers entered data into a shared display that shows a table with four levels of an easily understood goal hierarchy: (1) high level goals (strategies) pursued by persons in the role; (2) objectives (tactics) that are the means to achieve the goals; (3) actionable decisions that are used to achieve the objectives; and, (4) information needed to make those decisions. Data were collected about three high-rise building scenarios (1) a reported fire; (2) a reported person who is hostile and potentially armed; and (3) an apparent release of a potentially toxic airborne contaminant somewhere inside or near the building. Data were obtained from representative of three first responder roles: firefighters, police officers and emergency medical technicians. Advantages to using the approach are discussed as well as limitations.