To be determined

The National Fire Service Research Agenda (NFSRA) has listed the examination of the physiological and psychological effects of heat stress as a key issue for improving firefighter health and wellness. The total number of fires has decreased significantly over the past 14 years, yet, in that same time frame, firefighter fatalities due to heart attacks have remained constant. Fireground injuries have declined by approximately 40% from 1990 to 2003, yet the number of injuries related to the two leading sources, overexertion/strain (OE/S) and slips, trips, and falls (STF), has only reduced by about 7% during the same time span. Explanations for these confounding fatality and injury trends may be found by investigating the effects of heat stress and fatigue during fire fighting. Previous heat stress research has focused on physiological and psychological changes during short term (<20 min) fire fighting drills; however, firefighters often perform multiple, longer duration (30-60 min) operations after short rest and rehabilitation periods. It is not known how these extended sessions can impact the physiological and psychological responses. Additionally, almost no research has investigated the effectiveness of the rehabilitation process. With regard to the incidences of slips and falls among firefighters, many of these events could be easily prevented; yet, efforts to understand the underlying mechanisms related to the occurrence of slips and falls, let alone the effect of heat stress and fatigue on STFs, have been essentially nonexistent.

• Examine how fire fighting and the related heat stress affects dehydration, body temperature, cardiovascular (CV) strain, balance, walking stability, and psychological stress.
• In Year 1, we plan to examine selected physiological, psychological and biomechanical measures during short term (<30 min) and long term (>1 h) structural fire fighting drills.
• In Year 2, we propose a novel study to investigate these same variables during non-traditional firefighter tasks, such as confined-space rescue operations that will last for multiple hours. Using the results of these studies, we will develop and disseminate, on a national scale, information to improve training and interventions to increase awareness on methods to reduce fatalities and injuries associated with heart attacks, OE/S and STFs.

• Brian Brauer - IFSI Fire Fighting Program Director
• Professor Elizabeth Hsiao-Wecksler - Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Illinois
• Professor Karl Rosengren - Kinesiology at the University of Illinois
• Professor Denise Smith - Chair of the Department of Exercise Science at Skidmore College (NY)
• Professor Steve Petruzello - Kinesiology and Psychology at the University of Illinois
• Gavin Horn - IFSI Research Program Director