How far can simulation be used to improve inter-team dynamics between emergency teams?

Due to a small population in Iceland first responder teams in different areas must often work together in challenging and hazardous situations. Therefore, responders must know and trust each other’s abilities and strengths. Various responders have different: leadership, culture, structure and more due to being full-time professionals, part-time professionals or volunteers. Different responder teams must make an effort to gain insight to the other teams, and therefore the teams must practice working together. Real-life simulations and another kind of learning methods are a good way for teams to learn how other teams operate and communicate. To investigate this the research question “How far can simulation be used to improve inter-team dynamics between emergency teams in Iceland?” To inquire into this first, there was held a large car crash simulation with over 200 responders from 7 different responder teams. A questionnaire was handed out which responders answered and returned the simulation. Secondly, to widen the perspective eight leaders from various responder teams were interviewed. Much data was collected through these interviews which gave a good insight on how the situation is today and how it has improved through the years. Research shows that simulations and other learning methods are valuable and useful to improve relations between responder teams. It also showed that other things like culture, structure, procurement amongst other things would also have to be looked at and should be investigated further. Keywords: Emergency teams, first responders, inter-team dynamics, group dynamics, intrinsic motivation