Health and Safety Guidelines for Firefighter Training OVERVIEW

Health and Safety Guidelines for Firefighter Training

OVERVIEW Ø Introduction/Scope of Problem Ø Project Goals Ø Research Design and Execution Ø Health and Safety Guidelines

FIREFIGHTER FATALITIES � year number 2005 99 2004 108 2003 111 2002 100 2001 106 2000 105 1999 113 1998 93 (Plus 343 on 9/11)

TRAINING FATALITIES � year number 2005 14 2004 13 2003 12 2002 11 2001 14 2000 13 1999 3 1998 12

FIREFIGHTER FATALITIES Type of Duty-2005

SUDDEN CARDIAC DEATH 1995 -2004

LEADING TYPES of TRAINING ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED with FATALITIES (1990 -2000) Physical Fitness Equipment/Apparatus Drill Live Fire Underwater/Dive 8. 6 SCBA 6. 9 Class/Seminar 5. 2 Driver Training 3. 4 Enroute/Returning 1. 7 0 5 10 15 31 25. 9 17. 2 20 25 30 35 Source: USFA 2002

TRAINING INJURIES-2003 Category Burns Smoke Other Burns & Smoke Wound, Cut Su Inhalation Respiratory Inhalation Bleeding, Bruise N 330 25 85 35 1185 1660 % 4. 7 0. 4 1. 2 0. 5 16. 7 23. 0 Category Dislocation, Heart Attack Total Fracture or Stroke Sprain Strain, Thermal Stress N 340 70 4130 325 575 7, 100 % 4. 8 1. 0 58. 2 4. 6 8. 1 100 NFPA 2004 Oth

PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF FIREFIGHTING Ø Cardiac Failure Ø Thermal Stress Ø Inhalation of Contaminants Ø Disorientation and Panic

CARDIAC FAILURE Ø Most likely cause of firefighter fatalities is cardiac arrest Ø Severe exertion stresses the heart and requires it to deliver more blood to working muscles

PROJECT GOALS Ø Provide a tool to assist the fire service on a national level with reducing the number and seriousness of training-related injuries and deaths Ø Develop standardized guidelines for health management of firefighters during training activities

CENTER for FIREFIGHTER SAFETY RESEARCH and DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP Ø Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute Ø Fire Protection Engineering Department Ø Small Smart Systems Center Ø Vivo. Metrics Government Services Ø Project funded by Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program by DHS

THE LIFESHIRT SYSTEM Ø Ambulatory Monitoring Ø Objective Physiologic Data Ø Peripheral Diagnostic Devices

THE LIFESHIRT SYSTEM

Vivo. Metrics Life. Shirt DATA Ø Pulmonary Function Ø Respiratory rate Ø Tidal Volume Ø Minute Ventilation Ø Electrocardiogram (ECG) Ø Accelerometer Ø Blood Oxygen Saturation Ø Skin Surface Temperature Ø Core Body Temperature

RESEARCH PROTOCOL Ø Harvard Step Test Ø Training Evolutions Ø Maze Ø First Floor Burn Ø Third Floor Burn Ø RIT Ø Obtained data from actual firefighting activity

HARVARD STEP TEST Ø Validated test to estimate aerobic capacity based on fitness index Ø Subjects step to a 30 -step cadence on and off a 20 cm box for five minutes

MAZE EVOLUTION Ø Three story obstacle course Ø Participants in full PPE and SCBA Ø Traverse at own pace

BURN EVOLUTIONS Ø First Floor Ø Third Floor Ø RIT Team

INSTRUMENTATION Ø Temperature Sensors Ø Average ceiling temperature of 725 o. F Ø Range of temperature from 714 o. F to 1, 285 o. F Ø Temperature above 930 F not recommended o

THE PARTICIPANTS Ø Over 200 firefighters

AGE AND MORPHOMETRY

GENERAL FINDINGS Ø Maze and Burn Evolutions Ø Fitness Level Ø Hydration Status

FITNESS LEVEL vs PERFORMANCE Lower heart rates and levels of minute ventilation, breathing frequency and inspired and expired air flow were observed in the most fit individuals compared to all other fitness groups.

HYDRATION vs PERFORMACE The most hydrated participants had a significantly lower relative heart rate response compared to all other hydration groups.

BURN ROOM TEMPERATURES

TURNOUT GEAR PERFORMANCE

DECISION TREE Ø Based on multiple regression analysis and derivitive equations Ø Serve to predict the range of values expected based on age and fitness level

INSTRUCTORS Instructors are expected to comply with the standards in NFPA 1041, Fire Service Instructor Professional Qualifications (2002)

TRAINING FACILITIES Facilities used for live fire training are expected to comply with NFPA 1403, Standard on Live Fire Training Evolutions (2002)

SAFETY PLAN Before the beginning of any training evolution, and especially for live fire training evolutions, a safety plan must be developed.

PPE Full personal protective equipment will be available and required for all students participating in practical training evolutions.

SAFETY OFFICER During any live fire training evolutions qualified, experienced safety officer will be appointed and must remain through the duration of the evolutions.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS Training facilities and instructors should monitor weather conditions and adjust or cancel related activities as conditions warrant.

MEDICAL EVALUATION Medical evaluations in accordance with NFPA 1582, Comprehensive Occupational Medical Program for Fire Departments (2003) should be conducted as a baseline for surveillance and annually thereafter on all individuals engaged in firefighter emergency functions.

NFPA Study of United States Fire Service (2001) Ø 73 percent of firefighters worked in fire departments that did not have a program to maintain basic firefighter fitness and health as required in NFPA 1500 Ø In rural communities, (population under 2, 500), 88 percent of firefighters did not have a firefighter fitness and health program

U. S. Firefighter Fatalities Due to Sudden Cardiac Death, 1995 -2004 (NFPA 2005) Ø During the study there were 1, 006 on-duty firefighter fatalities of which 440 (43. 7%) fell into the category of “sudden cardiac death. ” Ø Autopsies or post mortem information was reported for 308 of the 440 victims of sudden cardiac death Ø Of the 308 firefighters, 134 (43. 5%) had prior known heart-related conditions. These included previous heart attack, bypass surgery or angioplasty/stent placement Ø An additional 97 firefighters had atherosclerotic heart disease defined as arterial occlusion of at least 50 percent

MEDICAL SCREENING The seven question PAR-Q should be used by fire training academies as a means to screen students prior to participation in firefighter emergency training evolutions.

PAR-Q & YOU

FITNESS EVALUATION Fitness evaluations in accordance with NFPA 1582, Comprehensive Occupational Medical Program for Fire Departments (2003) should be conducted as a baseline for surveillance and annually thereafter on all individuals engaged in firefighter emergency functions.

FITNESS SCREENING Fire training academies should conduct a two-fold fitness screening on all individuals prior to participation in firefighter emergency training.

BODY MASS INDEX BMI = Weight (lb)/[height (in)]2 * 703 BMI Weight Status Below 18. 5 – 24. 9 25. 0 – 29. 9 30. 0 and Above Underweight Normal Overweight Obese

FITNESS INDEX Harvard Step Test FI = (100 * test duration in seconds)/(2 * THB in recovery) Fitness Level Fitness Index Excellent Good High Average Low Average Poor >90 80 -89 65 -79 55 -64 < 55

HYDRATION The training academy should provide instructions to participants to and during firefighter emergency training to encourage proper hydration

MEDICAL MONITORING Training academies should adhere to NFPA 1584, Recommended Practice on the Rehabilitation of Members Operating at Incident Scene Operations and Training Exercises.

FUEL LOAD AND EXPOSURE In all cases, only fuels with known burning characteristics that are controllable are to be used and only in quantities needed to create the desired fire size.

Call to Action Ø Our duty now is to learn from the effort, but most importantly to implement the recommended firefighter training guidelines in each and every fire department throughout the United States. Thank you for your participation!