title: Risk perception of different emergencies in a sample of European firefighters.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Firefighters frequently incur injuries while providing emergency services. Risk perception has been found to be associated with injury and safety behavior. This study examined risk perception of different emergency situations among firefighters. Along with risk perceptions, we investigated the role of practical experience, perceived training, tenure, and acute stress related to different emergency situations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were a sample of 1324 firefighters from Germany and Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was administered to participants on risk perceptions, practical experience, perceived training, tenure, and acute stress.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that different levels of risk perception are related to different practical experience, acute stress reactions, and training. Higher risk perception was associated with higher perceived training, practical experience, and acute stress reactions. A significant difference was found between the German and the Italian sample in risk perceptions. More specifically the Italian sample perceived disasters (e.g., earthquakes) as more risky. Moreover, there were some differences in perceived training and practical experience about the different emergency situations, in the two samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results underline the importance of considering organizational factors in the prediction of risk perception among firefighters.
authors.affiliation: Alma mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. gabriele.prati@unibo.it
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Prati
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pietrantoni
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saccinto
authors.forename: Doris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kehl
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Knuth
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004190:Disasters; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D061388:Firefighters / Q000523:psychology*; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D055815:Young Adult