Communication in Hot Areas—Technology and Sign-Systems for Emergency First Responders

This chapter focuses on crisis communication on micro-level, e.g., emergency first responders (EFRs) operating in a hot area during a crisis. It is well established that in crisis EFRs suffers from potential blockages due to stress and information overload (Selye, 1980). This is also addressed by (Torgersen and Boe, Frontiers in Psychology 12, 2021) when they underline the importance and limits of working memory in communication. The main hypothesis of this chapter is that improved emergency communications and information solutions adapted to the human sensory ability will reduce injuries and save lives. Furthermore, it will improve safety and working conditions for EFRs. Few articles have assessed communication systems or messaging methods or outcomes. The need for accuracy and timeliness of information calls for studies on different types of awareness technologies. Communication failures during emergencies and disasters are well-known and broadly studied. They can be traced to failed technology and the filtering out effect of the human sensory memory. The distribution of the two types of failures is however seldom studied. There are good reasons to believe they are integrated, i.e., filtering out effect may be a result of insufficient technology transfer. Our initial mapping is of what types of simplified means of communication are needed for EFRs to receive information when conducting demanding tasks. A short questionnaire was used to collect data. The findings will also be pragmatically validated among a larger population of EFRs, in collaborative emergency exercises and among technology developers and communication providers/analysers.