Decision-Support in the Wild: A Qualitative Study on How First Responders Use Technology for Rapidly Identifying Toxic Chemicals

Although many decision-support applications have been developed for assisting first responders to rapidly identify toxic chemicals during emergencies, little is understood about the contexts in which such tools are used. We therefore conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 first responders across two US states in an effort to understand their task contexts during a chemical incident and their use of decision-support tools. The results revealed three intersecting themes: the plurality of roles played by first responders, the combination of assorted tools used, and the multiplicity of conditions triggering the need for technology-assisted decision-support. These themes help to describe the complex information flow involved, in addition to providing design implications for future tools that can support more effectively complex decisionmaking in emergency situations. Introduction First responders use a wide range of decision-support tools to rapidly and accurately identify toxic chemicals in emergency situations such as terrorist attacks and chemical plant incidents. However, little is understood about the combination of tasks such tools support, and the contexts in which they are used. Here we describe preliminary findings from semistructured interviews with 20 first-responders recruited from fire departments, emergency management teams in hospitals, and chemical plants across two US states.