Examining the Impact of Specialized Firefighter Training on Improving Crisis Management Performance in Urban Incidents (Case Study: Karaj City, ۲۰۲۲–۲۰۲۴)

Karaj, located at the southern foothills of the Alborz Mountains, is exposed to frequent natural hazards such as earthquakes and floods, which places high demands on the crisis management capabilities of its fire service. This study examined changes in the crisis management performance of firefighters in Karaj following specialized training programs delivered between ۲۰۲۲ and ۲۰۲۴. Using a pretest–posttest design, data were collected from ۱۰۰ firefighters with a researcher-designed questionnaire whose validity was confirmed and whose reliability was acceptable (Cronbach's α = ۰.۸۷). Performance was assessed in three dimensions: structural–organizational status, productivity and efficiency, and financial performance. Data were analyzed in SPSS with paired-samples t tests and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), with pretest scores as the covariate. Mean scores increased significantly after training in all three dimensions (p < ۰.۰۵): structural–organizational status from ۳۱.۱۲ to ۳۴.۶۵, productivity and efficiency from ۲۹.۸۷ to ۳۳.۹۱, and financial performance from ۳۱.۰۵ to ۳۴.۹۸. These findings suggest that specialized training is associated with improved crisis management performance in the fire service and may contribute to urban resilience. Because the study lacked a control group and relied on self-reported measures, future research should use controlled designs and objective indicators of operational performance, such as response times and incident outcomes.

کلیدواژه ها:

Specialized Training ، crisis management ، organizational performance ، Firefighters ، Karaj