I know a firefighter that was off duty when his neighbors house caught fire. The elderly lady that lived there was unable exit the home. The firefighter ran into the intense heat to rescue her. He searched for several minutes in deteriorating conditions before finding her unconscious on the bedroom floor. He picked her up and removed her from the home. Outside he found she was not breathing and began rescue breathing, ultimately saving her life. It was only after he knew she was all right that he found he had suffered second degree burns on his back, neck face and arms. He spent several weeks in the hospital recovering from his burns. How can an individual overcome the intense pain from burns in a critical situation? It is call Emergency Conditioning.
Many stories have surfaced over the years of soldiers in gun fights being shot several times. Never noticing their injuries until the fight was over. The mind is a fascinating organ that is capable of extraordinary feats. We can train our brain to function in high stress environments while experiencing severe pain. Many areas of the military do just that to help soldiers survive in the most grueling of conditions.
If you ever pay close attention to a gymnast preparing to compete, you will see them backstage, eyes closed going through every detail of their routine. They do this over and over, allowing the brain to absorb and file the movements that they must perfect.
As a fire chief I have looked at many buildings in our district as I pass by. I play a game I call “What if?.” What if this build were to ever catch fire? How would I attack it. I also play “What if?” when I’m in public places like restaurants, church, parking lots and department stores. What if a gunman came in and started shooting? Can I exit the building? Do I need to stand my ground and use my gun to protect myself and others? If I use my gun will I be able to shoot without injuring innocent people? I walk through many scenarios on a daily basis over and over in my mind. This helps develop Emergency Conditioning.
In Emergency Conditioning the goal is conditioning the mind in advance of emergencies. The what if exercise is one way to accomplish that goal. In emergency situations it is the unknown that usually presents the problem. By conditioning the mind, much the same way a gymnast does, we can make the unknown familiar. We know that personal experiences will determine what the mind will keep and file. But do not allow distractions keep you from carrying out your plan. Everyone can benefit from developing Emergency Conditioning. So you may want to start the “What if” scenarios today.
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