Ethical decision making refers to the process of evaluating and choosing among alternatives in a manner consistent with ethical principles. In making ethical decisions it is necessary to:
•Notice and eliminate unethical options – right vs wrong. Ethical thinking requires a sensitivity to perceive the ethical implications of decisions.
•Evaluate complex, ambiguous and incomplete facts. It is often difficult to obtain all the necessary information.
•Select the best ethical alternative. Resolve any ethical dilemmas – right vs right. Not all ethical responses to a situation are equal.
•Have an ethical commitment, ethical consciousness, and ethical competency. Ethical thinking and decision-making take practice.
•Noticing the ethical issues and being committed to act ethically are not always enough – reasoning and problem-solving skills are often necessary.
Write a 3-5 page paper single spaced, using 12 point font that responds to the following:
Describe a real ethical decision that you have faced or know about in your work (fire department)
•Outline how you would make and implement an ethical decision using the process described above.
•Your response should illustrate your understanding of ethics and ethical issues in firefighting and meet the minimum length requirements.
A successful paper will demonstrate accurate comprehension of the the links provided below, by providing citations and making appropriate references.
http://www.fireengineering.com/articles/print/volume-156/issue-2/features/developing-a-fire-department-code-of-ethical-behavior.html
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/code_of_ethics.pdf