Spotlight Series on Research in Action

It was not until one battalion chief had a near miss in his department that he and his crew started thinking seriously about adopting evidence-based practices. Over the course of a decade, they gradually began to change their department’s training and operations from the ground up, ultimately fostering a culture of continual improvement based on the latest research.  

This story and others are told through the Spotlight Series from the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI), part of UL Research Institutes. This video series is for any department looking to bring science to their station. Each spotlight highlights one department and how they have successfully integrated evidence-based practices into their day-to-day operations. 

FSRI commits to sharing stories from fire departments around the country that have seen transformative change by adapting and integrating the latest research recommendations. First-hand stories like these help other departments understand what is possible when it comes to translating research to practice. These stories break down what can often feel like a daunting task and show how departments have successfully navigated similar challenges. By making incremental changes, these departments have enabled their crews to become safer and more effective. 

Research in Action Framework: Guiding the Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices

As you explore this video series, you will begin to recognize commonalities among the featured departments. Whether urban or rural, volunteer or career, these departments have taken similar steps that have informed the development of the Research in Action Framework¹. This framework is not intended to be used as a checklist but rather as a guide for enacting change.

Unfreeze: Prepare for desired change

• Feel a sense of urgency to jumpstart motivation.
• Identify relevant evidence and begin to challenge the status quo.
• Create a strategic vision and strategy.
• Gain buy-in from leaders of all levels, including those who might be resistant.
• Communicate the vision and the need for change.
• Enlist a group of champions to drive the change.

Change: Implement desired change

• Generate short-term wins.
• Make the change the responsibility of everyone.

Refreeze: Solidify and establish desired change

• Sustain and anchor the new approaches/establish metrics.
• Evaluate and continuously improve.

Take One Step Toward Adopting Evidence-Based Practices

The Spotlight Series offers concrete examples of the positive impact that comes from adopting research and provides practical ways to take action. Whether you’re a recent recruit or a seasoned officer, there are steps you can take in the next year, the next month, and even the next week to bring the science to your station. We hope you feel inspired to move your department towards adopting more evidence-based practices for firefighting. 

“FSRI is proud that so many departments around the country have taken our research and run with it. The changes they’ve made have already generated positive ripple effects across their departments and the communities they serve.”

—Angela Bennett, Director of Research Amplification, Education, Training, and Digital Media Production, FSRI

¹The Research in Action Framework was adapted from the following frameworks:

• Kurt Lewin’s 3-Stage Model of Change Theory 
• John Kotter’s 8-Step Process for Leading Change