A 47-item structured Q-sort methodology was used to identify and analyze the frameworks held by experienced emergency response personnel. The questionnaire was designed to determine the following: the characteristics/behaviors considered important by people within specific fields of emergency response; differences between individuals within a specific field; and extent of agreement/disagreement between members of different groups of emergency respondents. The study sample included 13 marine fire fighting trainees, 14 industrial fire fighting trainees, 34 hazardous materials response trainees, and 36 land-based fire fighters undergoing marine fire fighting training. On the basis of their responses to the questionnaire, the four groups were determined to consist of individuals with two, two, five, and four different types of frameworks, respectively. All respondents essentially agreed on the importance of characteristics associated with teamwork, personal responsibility, and problem solving. With the exception of the marine fire fighters, all groups agreed with the items "risk taker-action oriented" and "forceful personality." The Q-sort methodology was concluded to be a feasible way of identifying differences in the frameworks of different groups of emergency response personnel, and it was recommended that the issue of frameworks be incorporated into emergency response training. (Contains 10 references) (MN)