Webinar

Why Good People Make Bad Decisions: Ethical Decision Making in the Fire Service

Wednesday, May 21, 2025 | 1 pm Eastern [60 minutes]

In the fire service, tough calls are part of the job. But what happens when the right decision isn’t clear, or when pressure, fatigue or organizational dynamics cloud our judgment?

Join this Lexipol webinar as Fire Chief Kristopher Blume and firefighter and clinical social worker Susie Zavala explore how psychological factors impact ethical decision-making in the complex and demanding environment of the fire service. This session, adapted from a course traditionally offered through the National Fire Academy, uses real-world examples to explore why good people sometimes make poor choices.

You will learn:

  • The environmental and organizational conditions that often shape our decision-making process. 
  • How to expose ethical “blind spots” at the individual, situational and system levels.
  • The concept of moral injury and how it affects both individual firefighters and team dynamics. 
  • Leadership strategies that reinforce accountability, responsibility, and consistent decision-making under pressure at all levels of the organization. 

Presented by:

Fire Chief Kristopher Blume
Meridian (ID) Fire Department		 Susie Zavala, LMSW
Nicoletti-Flater Associates

Register now