Debriefing a rescue mission during a terror attack

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore a better understanding of Holistic Debriefing processes from a learning perspective. Design/methodology/approach – During a terror attack in which 69 people were killed and 66 were wounded, a Search and Rescue crew experienced “fear of death” while giving life-saving help to victims of the attack. Afterwards, the crew conducted a Holistic Debriefing. The crew participated in interviews to share their experience of this type of debriefing. Findings – The findings from the Holistic Debriefing sessions suggest that the debriefing process was experienced as positive in terms of social support, emotions and meaning. These experiences are further explained from a learning perspective. Research limitations/implications – This research was conducted on a small group of individuals experiencing an extreme situation, and findings may not readily generalize to other populations or situations. Practical implications – Holistic Debriefing has been adopted by an increasing number of squadrons in the Norwegian Air Force. Social implications – Holistic Debriefing has been implemented at the Norwegian Air Force Academy, and may be relevant for other units involved in similar operations. Originality/value – This study is unique when it comes to exploring Holistic Debriefing of rescue personnel in the aftermath of a terror attack. Moreover, Holistic Debriefing is also addressed as a reflection process in order to enhance individual and group learning processes.

Early Post-trauma Interventions in Organizations: A Scoping Review

“…Nineteen studies assessed the impact of non-specific “debriefing”—although the procedures and the focus of the intervention differed between studies. In 11 (58%), debriefing had positive gains for emergency responders, such as on emotions and meaning ( Robinson and Mitchell, 1993 ; Kenardy et al, 1996 ; Chemtob et al, 1997 ; Shalev et al, 1998 ; Regehr and Hill, 2001 ; Tehrani et al, 2001 ; Halpern et al, 2009 ; Palgi et al, 2012 ; Wu et al, 2012 ; Firing et al, 2015 ; Gunasingam et al, 2015 ). Tehrani and colleagues described the group debriefing session delivered to the employees following a response to a rail accident ( Tehrani et al, 2001 ).…”

“…The managers were found to be uniquely capable of creating either a safe learning climate for reflection ( Firing et al, 2015 ) or a culture of criticism, blame, and stigma ( Halpern et al, 2009 ). In many of the included studies, the workers highlighted the importance of having the support of their supervisors or departmental chiefs ( Brandt et al, 1995 ).…”

Debriefing to learn from extreme events: the case of Utøya

“…Exploring personal issues has the potential to facilitate greater learning through debriefing. In this case, another study of debriefing after Utøya might serve as an example (Firing et al, 2015).…”

Organizational Learning Through Debriefing: The Process of Sharing and Hiding Knowledge

“…This combines traditional debriefing and psychological debriefing by explicitly addressing emotional aspects of the mission. Holistic debriefing has been associated with traumatic events, such as the terror attack at Utøya, Norway, in 2011 (Firing, Johansen, & Moen, 2015).…”