Groups
Svedberg (2003) provides three definitions of groups. According to
the first, a group consists of two or more mutually dependent in-
dividuals who influence one another in a social interaction. The
second definition maintains that a group exists when two or more
persons define themselves as group members and when the group’s
existence is recognised by at least one other individual. According
to the third definition, a group is a number of persons who com-
municate with one another during a certain period. According to
this definition, each person must be able to communicate with the
others but they need not be at the same geographic location.
Napier and Gershenfeld (1981) maintain that the following re-
quirements must be fulfilled for one to be able to retain the group
as a group:
- Membership must be established. One knows who the
members are. - The members have a perception of the group as organised, i.e.
the members are not at the same location by chance. - There is a sense that the members have a common purpose.
- The members can explain why they are in the group.
- There is a sense of sympathy and nonsympathy between the
members and this provides feedback among the group mem-
bers. - There are expectations that are established by the group as
to how the members are to conduct themselves in various
situations. - There is a policy or rules for leadership.
These requirements on a group can be reasonably considered
to apply to rescue services. Through employment, formal mem-
bership is established and the employees feel that they belong
together, and that the group, which is included in a municipal
structure for providing rescue services, has some form of com-
mon purpose. The formal membership issue is resolved, but this
does not necessarily mean that it complies with the definition of
the group concept in other respects. The group members provide
support to one another, they know how to behave in interaction
with one another and how they are to work together, not the least
in conjunction with emergency rescue operations. Moreover, the-
re are certain more or less established rules for management roles
and leadership. In groups there are often different forms of sta-