Superintendent Scott Hayward: Mental Performance, Pressure & Incident Command
Incident management is one of the most mentally demanding roles in emergency services. It requires clear thinking, calm leadership, and decisive action, often with incomplete information, high emotional stakes, and intense sensory overload. In this episode, I’m joined by Superintendent Scott Hayward, Manager of Operational Command at Fire and Rescue NSW. Scott has over 20 years’ experience on the fireground and now trains and assesses new incident managers across the state. Together, we explore what it really feels like to take command under pressure and how process, preparation, and mental skills help people perform when it matters most. Key Ideas & Models Discussed Cognitive load & overwhelm Stress inoculation through training Recognition-Primed Decision Making (Gary Klein) Situational awareness The OODA Loop (Observe–Orient–Decide–Act) Incident phases & risk acceptance The “jockey and horse” analogy for state control Resources Mentioned Grenfell (Netflix documentary) The Kerslake Report – Manchester Arena Inquiry Richard Gassaway – Situational Awareness Matters On the Trail of Genghis Khan – Tim Cope Chapters: 00:00 – Incident Command Under Pressure 07:00 – Early Experiences of Overwhelm 12:30 – What Incident Management Really Involves 18:00 – Process, Preparation & Staying Calm 25:00 – Real Fireground Decision-Making 34:00 – Training, Assessment & Stress Inoculation 45:00 – Situational Awareness & Adaptive Command 58:00 – Mental Skills Training & Final Reflections
