Flow is an operational mental state in which people is fully immersed in a performed activity. The aim of this study was to measure in professional firefighters flow and its relationship with performance in tasks with a high risk component. The state of flow was assessed by the Flow State Scale (FSS) in six professional firefighters during a simulation of a traffic accident (STA), together with their expected and perceived performance. Results indicated that firefighters reached high levels of flow during their work performance in risky tasks potentially generating high levels of stress. Adequate performance values and a positive correlation between flow and expected or perceived performance were obtained. Quantitative results were complemented by qualitative interviews after STA. Data obtained emphasize the relevance of flow study in those professions involving conditions of high risk.

Key words: Flow, firefighters, risk, performance