Firefighter perception of risk: A multinational analysis

Abstract

This study addresses the question of risk perception among firefighters of four Spanish-speaking countries (Argentina, Chile, Ecuador and Spain). It identifies (i) the conditions that generate high and low risk perception. Moreover, the study analyses (ii) the impact of the type of labor system (volunteer vs. professional) on the risk perception. From the methodological point of view, the study applies the psychometric paradigm to a large sample of firefighters (N = 690) and resorts to a statistical analysis applying data mining, and bivariate and multivariate parametric techniques. The findings reveal for the first time that risk perception among firefighters can be discerned through the dimension known as delay of consequences (risks that may arise in the long-term). In addition, the dimension of personal vulnerability, as well as that of catastrophic potential, can contribute to a more accurate understanding of this perception in certain situations. Secondly, the study reveals that professional firefighters tend to have a greater risk perception than their volunteer counterparts. Nationality, by contrast, does not play a determining role in the formation of a high/low risk perception. The findings represent an advance for both academia and management, in particular for security managers. © 2019