Tactics, command, leadership

Time is a more abstract concept than space. Space can be investi-

gated and experienced through sight, feel and body. Experiencing

time is more of a thought process that among other things is de-

pendent on an aptitude for dividing attention, i.e. having several

thought processes running simultaneously, changing focus from

one to another, retrieving images the eye took in and be able to

create and see images of future situations. Difficulties in time per-

ception sometimes concern the problem of visualising a course of

events in its entirety. This makes it difficult for the individual to

plan events, and places various demands on others who are wor-

king with diff erent types of information, even within the fram-

ework of a single emergency response operation.

The connection between time and the physical world becomes

apparent when for example it is necessary to assess how much of

a specific task can be executed in a minute or how the emergency

preparedness in a municipality can be changed within a certain

period of time. It is easier to estimate the time required on the

basis of previous experience of a similar situation than when con-

fronted with a totally new situation. It is important to examine

how one in retrospect evaluates and poss ibly adjusts, up or down,

the speed of execution, especially if the same task is to be execu-

ted again. The need, also at higher levels of command, for being

aware of the amount of time required to, for example, execute

different types of tasks or actions at an incident site should not be

underestimated.

In rescue service work the term forward planning is sometimes

used, i.e. when looking forwards in the development of a response

operation. This term can be somewhat misleading, as what it re-

ally concerns is seeing the effect of what is happening at present

The difficulty of seeing
and understanding
what is happening on
the other side of a
burning building.