TY - JOUR
T1 - Resilience, culture change, and cancer risk reduction in a fire rescue organization
T2 - Clean gear as the new badge of honor
AU - Harrison, Tyler R
AU - Yang, Fan
AU - Anderson, David
AU - Morgan, Susan
AU - Wendorf Muhamad, Jessica
AU - Talavera, Edmund
AU - Solle, Natasha
AU - Lee, David J
AU - Caban-Martinez, Alberto J
AU - Kobetz, Erin
PY - 2017/9/1
Y1 - 2017/9/1
N2 - Fire rescue organizations are central to community models of resilience, especially in the context of crisis. The ability of fire rescue organizations to fulfill their role relies on their ability to operate at full capacity; however, fire rescue services may face internal crises that require these organizations to be resilient in their own right. This study uses grounded theory drawing on concepts of organizational culture and resilience to show how one key partner in the community model of resilience (Palm Beach County Fire Rescue) is working to address their own crisis—an epidemic of cancer. Firefighters are engaging in behaviours to increase resilience by working towards cultural change to reduce cancer risk, using social capital to increase networks and expertise, and utilizing internal assets to enact change. Barriers to change include cultural practices, perceived threats to occupational practice, and logistics and resources to enact desired change. A model of risk reduction and resilience is advanced that explores how organizational culture and practice both support and undermine individual resilience and organizational resilience. Implications for communication and change efforts are explored.
AB - Fire rescue organizations are central to community models of resilience, especially in the context of crisis. The ability of fire rescue organizations to fulfill their role relies on their ability to operate at full capacity; however, fire rescue services may face internal crises that require these organizations to be resilient in their own right. This study uses grounded theory drawing on concepts of organizational culture and resilience to show how one key partner in the community model of resilience (Palm Beach County Fire Rescue) is working to address their own crisis—an epidemic of cancer. Firefighters are engaging in behaviours to increase resilience by working towards cultural change to reduce cancer risk, using social capital to increase networks and expertise, and utilizing internal assets to enact change. Barriers to change include cultural practices, perceived threats to occupational practice, and logistics and resources to enact desired change. A model of risk reduction and resilience is advanced that explores how organizational culture and practice both support and undermine individual resilience and organizational resilience. Implications for communication and change efforts are explored.
KW - cancer
KW - communication design
KW - firefighters
KW - health assets
KW - organizational culture
KW - resilience
KW - risk
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85026914558&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85026914558&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/1468-5973.12182
DO - 10.1111/1468-5973.12182
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85026914558
VL - 25
SP - 171
EP - 181
JO - Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management
JF - Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management
SN - 0966-0879
IS - 3
ER -