Abstract
Recruits entering a firefighting training program gave predictions about the likelihood of positive or negative reactions after a stressful emergency call‐out. Their results were compared with a group of experienced firefighters. Recruits more frequently checked positive than negative reactions, a pattern resembling that of the experienced firefighters. The recruits, however, were generally more optimistic than the experienced group, and this did not change significantly across training. Expectations of positive reactions are not necessarily good or bad. Excessive expectation about positive reactions may increase vulnerability when emergency workers cannot do anything to save lives or prevent destruction. Alternatively, an excessive reliance on positive reactions may form a type of addiction making the emergency worker vulnerable to subsequent breakdown in coping and performance. Recruits’ expectations can be addressed during training, especially those expectations that put emergency workers at risk in disaster and emergency environments.