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Background Firefighter first responders dispatched in parallel with emergency medical services (EMS) personnel for out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) can provide early defibrillation to improve survival. We examined whether survival following first responder defibrillation differed according to driving distance from nearest fire station to OHCA site. Methods and Results From the CARES (Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival) registry, we identified non‐EMS witnessed OHCAs of presumed cardiac cause from 2010 to 2014 in Durham, Mecklenburg, and Wake counties, North Carolina. We used logistic regression to estimate the association between calculated driving distances (≤1, 1–1.5, 1.5–2, and >2 miles) and survival to hospital discharge following first responder defibrillation compared with defibrillation by EMS personnel. In total, 5020 OHCAs were included in the study. First responders more often applied the first automated external defibrillators at the shortest distances (≤1 mile) versus longest distances (>2 miles) (53.4% versus 46.6%, respectively, P2.0 miles), survival following first responder defibrillation did not differ from EMS defibrillation (odds ratio 0.77 [95% confidence interval 0.48–1.21] and odds ratio 0.97 [95% confidence interval 0.67–1.41], respectively). Conclusions Shorter driving distance from nearest fire station to OHCA location was associated with improved survival following defibrillation by first responders. These results suggest that the location of first responder units should be considered when organizing prehospital systems of OHCA care.

Clinical Question: Does the published literature support the use of composite FMS score to predict work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) in emergency service personnel (ESP)? Clinical Bottom Line: There is conflicting evidence of the usefulness of composite FMS score to predict WMSD in emergency service personnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this review was to critically appraise articles that have investigated the association between lower-body strength and power during load carriage in tactical personnel. Literature databases were searched with specific search terms, yielding 921 articles. Additional studies found from article reference lists were also assessed for eligibility. Out of these articles, 16 met the inclusion/exclusion criteria and were critically appraised. Articles were assessed by the Downs and Black evaluation tool with inter-rater agreement determined by Cohen's kappa and final results graded according to the Kennelly quality grading system. Of the 940 identified articles, 16 studies met the criteria for inclusion in this review. The average score of the eligible articles was 58%, considered to be of fair quality by the Kennelly grading system. The strength and volume of evidence reviewed suggests that: measures of lower-body strength and power can predict load carriage performance and appear to be important physical factors for load carriage ability, and that load carriage tasks negatively impact the performance of leg strength and power. Together these findings suggest that leg strength and power should be important considerations for tactical personnel training and assessment, as well as managing the impact of load carriage on tactical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little research has explored burnout and its causes in the American fire service. Data were collected from career firefighters in the southeastern United States (n = 208) to explore these relationships. A hierarchical regression model was tested to examine predictors of burnout including sociodemographic characteristics (model 1), work pressure (model 2), work stress and work–family conflict (model 3) and interaction terms (model 4). The main findings suggest that perceived work stress and work–family conflict emerged as the significant predictors of burnout (both p <.001). Interventions and programs aimed at these predictors could potentially curtail burnout among firefighters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Firefighters are exposed to a variety of combustion products during operational fires but also during live-fire training. As part of an on-going project investigating firefighter operational and training environments, this study measured the atmospheric concentrations of volatile organic compounds and acid gases outside and inside the structural firefighting ensembles worn by instructors during compartment fire behavior training using particleboard as a fuel. Atmospheric concentrations of benzene, formaldehyde, and hydrogen cyanide within the firefighting environment were observed to exceed Australian workplace exposure standards; although, the use of self-contained breathing apparatus throughout the training meant that atmospheric concentrations measured were not representative of firefighter inhalation exposures. Concentrations of air contaminants inside the structural firefighting ensembles during compartment fire behavior training were substantially lower than outside the ensembles, and much lower than those documented as potentially causing acute toxic effects in humans by dermal absorption from vapor. Although this study is focused on the generation of air contaminants in compartment fires, dermal absorption in these types of training environments may still constitute a potential route of low-level exposure to some combustion products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the Firefighter problem, a deterministic model of the spread of a fire or virus on a graph, SFIRE is the decision problem that asks if a specified set of vertices can be prevented from burning. We show SFIRE remains NP‐complete even when restricted to graphs with maximum degree 3 even when the fire starts at a vertex of degree 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims The main aim of this study was to assess dermal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and airway exposure to PAHs, volatile organic compounds (VOCs; benzene and 1,3-butadiene), and particles among firefighters (FFs) and police forensic investigators (PFIs) in Sweden. Methods Active (pump with a filter and sorbent tube) and passive (polyurethane foam -cyl and perkin elmer carbopack-tube) personal air sampling and dermal tape stripping (wrist and collar bone) were performed on seven FF team leaders during training fires and nine PFIs investigating the aftermath of live fire events. In addition, passive personal air sampling was performed on eight FF team leaders during live emergency fires. PAHs and VOCs were analysed using high-resolution gas chromatography low-resolution mass spectrometry. The mass concentration of total dust (particles) was determined using standard gravimetric methods. Results The air samples showed that the exposure to PAHs, benzene, 1,3-butadiene, and particles was below Swedish occupational exposure limits (OELs). Naphthalene was the predominant PAH in all air samples. Benzene and 1,3-butadiene were more abundant in live emergency fires, which caused higher exposures than the other studied situations. Both gaseous- and particle-associated PAHs were present on skin. The wrists seemed to be less well protected than the collarbone area. Conclusions FFs and PFIs are exposed to several hazardous compounds during their work. Air exposures varied considerably between working scenarios. The observed exposures were substantially higher than urban background levels but well below Swedish OELs. The measured dermal PAH exposures were comparable to previously reported doses for US FFs but lower than the exposures reported for Swedish chimney sweeps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildland firefighting requires repetitive (e.g., consecutive work shifts) physical work in dangerous conditions (e.g., heat and pollution). Workers commonly enter these environments in a nonacclimated state, leading to fatigue and heightened injury risk. Strategies to improve tolerance to these stressors are lacking. Purpose: To determine if glutamine ingestion prior to and after consecutive days of firefighting simulations in the heat attenuates subjective ratings of fatigue, and evaluate if results were supported by glutamine-induced upregulation of biological stress responses. Methods: Participants (5 male, 3 female) ingested glutamine (0.15 g/kg/day) or a placebo before and after two consecutive days (separated by 24 h) of firefighter simulations in a heated chamber (35 ffiC, 35% humidity). Perceived fatigue and biological stress were measured pre-, post-, and 4 h postexercise in each trial. Results: Subjective fatigue was reduced pre-exercise on Day 2 in the glutamine group (p < 0.05). Peripheral mononuclear cell expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and serum antioxidants were elevated at 4 h postexercise on Day 1 in the glutamine trial (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Ingestion of glutamine before and after repeated firefighter simulations in the heat resulted in reduced subjective fatigue on Day 2, which may be a result of the upregulation of biological stress systems (antioxidants, HSPs). This response may support recovery and improve work performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Firefighters are routinely exposed to various traumatic events and often experience a range of trauma-related symptoms. Although these repeated traumatic exposures rarely progress to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder, firefighters are still considered to be a vulnerable population with regard to trauma.AimsTo investigate how the human brain responds to or compensates for the repeated experience of traumatic stress.Method: We included 98 healthy firefighters with repeated traumatic experiences but without any diagnosis of mental illness and 98 non-firefighter healthy individuals without any history of trauma. Functional connectivity within the fear circuitry, which consists of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, insula, amygdala, hippocampus and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), was examined using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Trauma-related symptoms were evaluated using the Impact of Event Scale - Revised.Results: The firefighter group had greater functional connectivity between the insula and several regions of the fear circuitry including the bilateral amygdalae, bilateral hippocampi and vmPFC as compared with healthy individuals. In the firefighter group, stronger insula-amygdala connectivity was associated with greater severity of trauma-related symptoms (β = 0.36, P = 0.005), whereas higher insula-vmPFC connectivity was related to milder symptoms in response to repeated trauma (β = -0.28, P = 0.01).Conclusions: The current findings suggest an active involvement of insular functional connectivity in response to repeated traumatic stress. Functional connectivity of the insula in relation to the amygdala and vmPFC may be potential pathways that underlie the risk for and resilience to repeated traumatic stress, respectively.Declaration of interestNone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects on dehydration and cognitive performance from heat and/or physical activity are well established in the laboratory, although have not yet been studied for personnel working in occupations such as wildland firefighting regularly exposed to these types of conditions. This study aimed to investigate the effects of temperature and dehydration on seventy-three volunteer firefighters (35.7 ± 13.7 years, mean ± standard deviation) during a simulation of wildfire suppression under either control or hot (18-20; or 33-35 °C) temperature conditions. Results showed cognitive performance on the psychomotor vigilance task declined when participants were dehydrated in the heat and Stroop task performance was impaired when dehydrated late in the afternoon. Firefighters may be at risk of deteriorations in simple cognitive functions in the heat whilst dehydrated, although may also experience impairments in complex cognitive functions if dehydrated late in the day, irrespective of the environmental temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In 2016, nearly 45,000 deaths in the United States were attributed to suicide making this the 10th leading cause of death for all ages. National survey data suggest that among Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), including firefighters and Paramedics, rates of suicide are significantly higher than among the general public. EMTs face high levels of acute and chronic stress as well as high rates of depression and substance abuse, which increase their risk of suicide. Objective/Aim: To determine the statewide Mortality Odds Ratio (MOR) of suicide completion among EMTs as compared to non-EMTs in Arizona. Methods: We analyzed the Arizona Vital Statistics Information Management System Electronic Death Registry of all adult (≥18) deaths between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2015. Manual review of decedent occupation was performed to identify the EMT cohort; all other deaths were included in the non-EMT cohort. Using the underlying cause of death as the outcome, we calculated the MOR of both the EMT and non-EMT cohorts. Results: There were a total of 350,998 deaths during the study period with 7,838 categorized as suicide. The proportion of deaths attributed to suicide among EMTs was 5.2% (63 of 1,205 total deaths) while the percentage among non-EMTs was 2.2% (7,775/349,793) (p < 0.0001). The crude Mortality Odds Ratio for EMTs compared with non-EMTs was [cMOR 2.43; 95% CI (1.88–3.13)]. After adjusting for gender, age, race, and ethnicity, EMTs had higher odds that their death was by suicide than non-EMTs [aMOR: 1.39; 95% CI (1.06–1.82)]. Conclusion: In this statewide analysis, we found that EMTs had a significantly higher Mortality Odds Ratio due to suicide compared to non-EMTs. Further research is necessary to identify the underlying causes of suicide among EMTs and to develop effective prevention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are associated with increased suicide risk among firefighters. Few studies have examined modifiable factors, such as mindfulness facets, that might attenuate this association. This study examined the interactive effects of PTSD symptoms and mindfulness facets in relation to suicide risk among firefighters. Method: Overall, 831 career firefighters were assessed for PTSD symptoms, mindfulness facets, and suicide risk via the PTSD Checklist for DSM‐5, Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, and Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire—Revised, respectively. Results: Greater PTSD symptoms were associated with more severe suicide risk; however, higher levels of two specific mindfulness facets, acting with awareness and nonjudging of inner experience, attenuated this association. By contrast, higher levels of the observing facet of mindfulness potentiated the association between PTSD symptoms and suicide risk. Conclusions: Suicide prevention initiatives among firefighters, particularly those experiencing trauma‐related sequelae, might benefit from the inclusion of mindfulness‐based practices alongside frontline empirically‐supported approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The priorities of contemporary Ukrainian historiography on the issues of development of fire protection in the Ukrainian SSR during the interwar period are investigated. The key publications of the 90s of the twentieth century devoted to this problem are described. The features of historical researches of the functioning of communal professional fire departments, facility fire units, voluntary fire brigades both in the republic as a whole and in its certain regions are highlighted. The analysis of the directions of modern scientific research on the development of the fire protection system in the historical dimension has been carried out. The historical phases of the organization of the State fire control, rural fire protection, incentive system supporting firefighters and personnel training in the field of fire safety have been analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors conducted biomechanical tests with 21 firefighters and found that there is a significant correlation between boot height and lower body mobility and that using a fixed boot height mandated by National Fire Protection Association 1971 standard decreased lower body ranges of motion during various firefighters' job-related tasks. Statistical analysis of large anthropometric data also shows a fixed boot height cannot accommodate a wide range of firefighters' leg length. These findings indicate that shorter firefighters are likely to have limited lower body mobility due to reduced clearance between the knee and top of the boot and thus decreased space causing greater mechanical binding between multiple layers of turnout pants. The authors discovered a greater negative impact of fixed length of self-contained breathing apparatus cylinder on short firefighters on their upper body mobility, evidenced by limited range of motion in neck extension and lumbopelvic flexion while carrying fire gear compared to without any fire gear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Firefighters (N = 186) from two urban centers completed a set of questionnaires measuring empathy, traumatic stress, mental distress, aggression, world assumptions, and personality. Response rate was 81.5%. Both traumatic stress and mental distress were associated with higher use of emotional empathy. Emotional empathy was also related to anger, aggression, and sense of self-worth, as well as worldviews that included benevolence and meaningfulness. Of the big five personality traits, only neuroticism was associated with emotional empathy. Emotional empathy appears to be a substantial contributor to increased traumatic and general mental distress in firefighters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Firefighters are more facing to stressful situation than many other occupations. The purpose of this study was to investigate the way of firefighters' respond to occupational stress, and to create a theoretical model for this response regarding the Iranian culture. In this qualitative study, grounded theory with a Glaser approach was applied. A purposeful sampling method was carried out on 28 firefighters at one of the major firehouses in Tehran. After collecting the data and identifying the pattern, the final result was re-backed to participants to redesign a pattern with minor refinements. The results showed that firefighters experience both stress and post-traumatic growth. These two phenomena compete with each other and the outcomes that the individual experiences are the result of this competition. When an individual selects a passive reaction, post-traumatic stress will be overcome, and post-traumatic growth will be prevailing when he tries to change the situations and negative emotions effortful. Interpersonal, cultural and organizational factors play an important role in overcoming stress or post-traumatic growth in firefighters. By designing interventions, this group can be guided to personal growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is to summarize the evidence of health impacts of occupational exposure to wildland fires. The authors searched 3 databases for relevant articles and screened the results. After full-text review, articles were included based on pre-determined criteria. The authors identified 32 relevant articles. Occupational exposure to wildland fires affects lung function in the short term and may increase the risk of hypertension in the long term. Exposure to wildland fires is also associated with post-traumatic stress symptoms. There was insufficient evidence to comment on most longer-term risks, and in particular on respiratory disease or cancer risks. Further research is required to understand whether occupational exposure to wildland fires results in clinically significant impacts on respiratory function, and to further clarify the relationship between occupational exposure and blood pressure, mental health, and cancer outcomes. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2019;32(2):121-40. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple factors, including different environmental, physical, and psychophysiological agents, influence firefighters' health and safety in real fire and rescue operations. This experimental study investigated the effect of live‐fire training and cooling strategies on both physiological response and decision making. Twenty‐three healthy male firefighters performed live‐fire tasks in four separate conditions: namely rest or without cooling method (WCM), cool vest (CV), forearm immersion (FI), and cool vest and forearm immersion (CV + FI). Cooling effects of the employed interventions were evaluated based on heart rate (HR), tympanic temperature (TT), and Iowa gambling task (IGT) scores. At the end of the four experimental conditions, HR and TT increased, whereas IGT scores as a measure of decision making decreased relative to baseline. HR (beats per minute) and TT (°C) were significantly lower at the end of the experiment in the CV, FI, and CV + FI compared with the WCM conditions. There was no significant difference in Iowa scores between experimental conditions. These consequences demonstrate that live‐fire tasks are effective in raising the physiological and decision‐making responses following firefighting activities. It is concluded that CV, FI, and CV + FI were more effective than the WCM in attenuating physiological responses and decision making during live‐fire training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the scientific publication is to conduct an analysis of the development of firefighting technology, the design and implementation of models of fire vehicles, the introduction of fire and technical equipment in the garrisons of the fire protection of the UkrSSR in 1930-1939. The problems of the production and provision of firefighting equipment in the fire departments of the paramilitary fire brigades and communal fire services of Ukraine in the 1930s were investigated ХХ century. The influence of revolutionary events on the state of technical equipment of fire departments was studied. The conditions of manufacturing and introduction of firefighting equipment in the ‘30s are highlighted. The analysis of the main types of fire trucks which fire garrisons of Ukraine were equipped with was carried out. Problematic issues in the technical support of fire brigades were identified. On the basis of the application of general scientific methods, periods of production and introduction of domestic firefighting equipment in fire stations in the interwar period were generalized and established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smoke exposure data among U.S. wildland firefighters for carbon monoxide, respirable particulate and respirable crystalline silica are presented from a field surveillance program between 2009 and 2012. Models to predict fireline-average exposure to each inhalation hazard were developed and fit to the available data. The models identify factors to consider when defining similar exposure groups and designing future data collection. Task-based rather than shift-average data collection is important because the work activity representing the majority of fireline time, the position up- or downwind of the fire, and the proportion of time this combination represented were significant factors in the model for carbon monoxide, and all but wind position were significant for respirable particulate matter. The wind position versus the fire was not important for respirable quartz exposure. The crew type was an important factor in each model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problems of provision of fire-technical equipment and equipment of professional firefighters of communal and paramilitary fire units of Ukraine in the 20s of the 20th century were investigated. The influence of revolutionary events on the state of technical equipment of fire departments was studied. The analysis of the work of firefighters of Ukraine to overcome the technical crisis of fire extinguishing in the first half of the 20s was conducted. The activities of the All-Ukrainian central fire department and government structures for the organization of supplying fire brigades with firefighting technical equipment were highlighted. On the basis of the application of general scientific methods, the role of fire technology in the effective operation of firefighters was objectively reflected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Although there have been reported cases of rapid improvement in the research and development of materials used for the betterment of firefighting tunics in developed countries, however, in developing countries, especially in Nigeria, the dearth of such research and development has led to the loss of lives and properties on numerous occasions due to the use of substandard firefighting tunics when combating fire. Hence, it is necessary to carry out a performance assessment on the firefighting tunic available in Nigeria. The safety of the firefighters is important as it is only then that they can fully carry out their duties and tasks. Of all the products that make up a complete assemble of the firefighters' Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), it is their personal protective tunic that was employed for this research. The city of Ota in Nigeria was used as a case study due to the high concentration of industries and teeming population which makes it a target for pipeline explosions amongst others. Having a single fire station in the city, a sample of the firefighters' personal protective tunic was obtained and specified experiments were carried out to determine its thermophysical and elemental properties with a goal to understand its quality and standard. The research seeks to provide useful information to stakeholders in the firefighting industry on the standard of protective tunics used in fire stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Firefighters have occupational exposure to toxic compounds during firefighting, but not only. Surface contamination of equipment has never been studied in French firefighters.Materials and Methods: This study measured the surface load in benzo [a]pyrene (BaP), a carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, on the outer surface of fire jackets, personal protective equipment and tools used by firefighters after a live fire training in a closed environment. The effectiveness of a standard jacket washing procedure on BaP contamination was assessed.Results: A single training session was responsible for a BaP deposit of 113.75 ± 45.03μg/m2 on exposed fire jacket material. After a single session, the deposit of BaP found on PPE and tools was measured on different surfaces ranged from 12 to 157 μg/m2. After multiple training sessions, a cumulative effect was suspected. The current PPE cleaning and maintenance procedures does not appear to effectively reduce contamination.Conclusion: French firefighters' exposure during in a live-fire training session in fire simulator is responsible for exposure to BaP. The estimated load of BaP on the outer surface of fire jackets could potentially have acute and chronic effects if absorbed in one's body. Further studies are needed to better understand individual French firefighters' exposure and determine appropriate measures to prevent contamination. It will be also be necessary find maintenance procedures that significantly reduce the BaP load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Student Yearbook of the University of Land Forces / Roczniki Studenckie Akademii Wojsk Lądowych is the property of Gen. Tadeusz Kosciuszko Military Academy of Land Forces and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Emergency responders have jobs with physical demands that put them at risk of musculoskeletal injuries. Objectives: This paper systematically reviews existing literature examining the relationship between fitness and occupational injury in this group. Methods: Comprehensive electronic searches were conducted using key words relating to musculoskeletal injury, fitness, and emergency responders. Results: Eleven articles included in the review provided limited evidence for the relationship between physical fitness test scores and injury risk. There appears to be a correlation between better aerobic fitness and decreased risk of injury. Conclusions: Evidence of the relationship between aspects of physical fitness and occupational injury in emergency responders is extremely limited. More research is required to expand the knowledge in this area and to draw more definitive conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine experiences with suicide exposure and bereavement among women firefighters. Methods: Women firefighters (N = 266, Mage = 37.64y) completed self‐report measures assessing their experiences with suicide exposure, history of suicidality, current psychiatric symptoms, and suicide risk. Results: Three‐fourths (74.4%) of participants reported knowing someone who had died by suicide; of these participants, 31.3% reported losing a fellow firefighter to suicide. Exposure to suicide during one's firefighting career was associated with more severe psychiatric symptoms and suicide risk. Greater impact of a suicide death was significantly associated with more severe current suicide risk, even after controlling for prior suicidality and other psychiatric symptoms. Conclusions: Women firefighters exposed to suicide during their careers may experience more severe psychiatric symptoms and increased suicide risk as compared to their counterparts without this exposure. In particular, women firefighters who are more severely impacted by a suicide loss may be at increased suicide risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Identifying factors affecting the quality of sleep in firefighters is of significant importance. Good sleep is one of the essential needs of firefighters, and poor sleep quality impairs their performance and decision making. The present study aimed to evaluate sleep quality and its relation with ergonomic, demographic, and psychological factors in firefighters employed in Qazvin. Methods: 118 firefighters from seven stations participated in this study. Data were gathered by questionnaires including demographic, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Beck Depression Inventory, HSE questionnaire for occupational stress, and Nordic questionnaire. Data were compared between two groups of firefighters with good and poor sleep quality. Then the data were analyzed using regression analysis. Results: 59.3% of firefighters had poor quality of sleep. Univariate analysis showed a significant correlation between sleep quality with musculoskeletal disorders, shift work, body mass index (BMI), and stress (P<0.05). In multivariate analysis, all variables except the occupational stress maintained their significant relationship with sleep quality. Conclusion: this study showed that musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), shift work, and high body mass index are associated with poor sleep quality in firefighters. Proper timely interventions are suggested to prevent the complications of sleep disorders in firefighters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In response to the 'Black Christmas' bushfire crisis in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, the Premier of NSW called for the utilisation of Youth Justice Conferencing to 'confront young people with the harm they had caused' by their misuse of fire. Legislative amendments were subsequently enacted to particularise Youth Justice Conferencing outcome plans to fire-related offences. To facilitate the inclusion of fire-specific outcome plan tasks, Juvenile Justice NSW and Fire and Rescue NSW engaged in a Memorandum of Understanding to administer firefighter involvement in Youth Justice Conferencing. Despite operating for over a decade, this approach has only recently attracted empirical inquiry. As part of a broader study, interviews with program developers, conference convenors, program coordinators, and local firefighters were conducted. Content analysis revealed five major concepts that suggest firefighter involvement in Youth Justice Conferencing has implications for fire prevention. Highlights • Youth Justice Conferencing is employed as a fire prevention mechanism. • Firefighter involvement in conferencing has implications for fire prevention. • Firefighters were perceived to influence program processes and outcomes. • There was a lack of consensus regarding the exact influence of firefighters. • Further empirical investigation is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract First responders (FRs) respond to critical incidents as an expectation of their profession, and after years of service, exposure to trauma can accumulate and potentially lead to mental health problems, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A gap persists in the research regarding duty-related risk factors and prevalence of mental health problems among FRs. Guided by existing evidence and in partnerships with the state's FR community, this study assessed the mental health needs of FRs, risk factors that may contribute to these problems, and the associations therein. A convenience sample of firefighters and emergency medical technicians/paramedics (n = 220) were recruited from across Arkansas to complete an online survey. This survey incorporated brief assessment tools to measure various mental health problems, and captured other data regarding possible risk factors. Results found that 14% reported moderate-severe and severe depressive symptoms, 28% reported moderate-severe and severe anxiety symptoms, 26% reported significant symptoms of PTSD, 31% reported harmful/hazardous alcohol use and dependence, 93% reported significant sleep disturbances, and 34% indicated high risk for suicide. Significant group differences were found across measures and gender (female), shift-structure (48 h or more), department setting (rural), relationship status (non-partnered), and having a medical history of hypertension. These findings pose significant implications for mental healthcare providers, as well as other healthcare providers and FR organizations. Findings will guide future research that will address the need for changes in decision-making, funding, and policy regarding FRs' MH and MH services available to them. Highlights • First responders are at increased risk for developing mental health problems. • 1 in 4 first responders met PTSD criteria and 1 in 3 was at high risk for suicide. • Duty-related risk factors include working in a rural setting and >48 h. • Additional risk factors are female gender and relationship status (non-partnered). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. As a part of the emergency medical services, the Swedish fire brigade can increase the survival rate in out-of-hospital cardiac arrests. Aim. To compare the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) performed by firefighters at a routine CPR practice versus when involved in a simulated life-saving event. Methods. In this study, 80 firefighters divided into two groups performed CPR according to guidelines: one group indoors during a routine training session; the other group outdoors during a smoke diving exercise wearing personal protective clothing and self-contained breathing apparatus. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Results. The results showed a tendency for the outdoor group to perform CPR with better ventilation and compression quality, as compared to the indoor group. The ventilation of the manikin was not hampered by the firefighters wearing personal protective clothes and self-contained breathing apparatus, as the Swedish firefighters remove their facial mask and ventilate the patient with their mouth using a pocket mask. Conclusions. Overall, the results in both groups showed a high quality of CPR which can be related to the fire brigade training and education traditions. CPR training is regularly performed, which in turn helps to maintain CPR skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exact lifespan of in-use firefighter protective clothing is difficult to predict due to the large variations in use between individual garments. Furthermore, testing methods used to evaluate new protective clothing are destructive in nature and could not be applied to in-use garments. Various non-destructive techniques have been proposed for the evaluation of in-use clothing, each possessing its own advantages and disadvantages. The ability of near-infrared spectroscopy to predict the tensile strength of thermally aged fabrics used in protective clothing for wildland firefighters and other workers is investigated here. Fabrics were exposed to heat fluxes from 10 kW/m2 to 40 kW/m2 for various durations using the cone calorimeter, after which the tensile strength of the fabrics was measured. Temperatures measured during the exposures and results of thermal gravimetric analysis tests were used to interpret changes in tensile strength. Multivariate linear regression was used to develop correlations between the tensile strength and the reflectance values measured between 1500 nm and 2500 nm for new and thermally aged fabrics. It was found that models based on reflectance measurements made at as few as three wavelengths could be used to estimate the tensile strength of the thermally aged specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air layers in multi-layer firefighter clothing ensembles resist heat transfer from the body to the environment. By reducing the volume of air between clothing layers, heat loss may be improved throughout the multi-layer firefighter turnout suit clothing system, potentially leading to reduced heat strain for the wearer. This research utilized a systems-level approach to the methodology in order to measure the effects of fabric properties and garment air gap dimensions on clothing system heat loss through specially configured turnout suit constructions. One experimental configuration incorporated a tight fitting stretchable moisture barrier garment. Another construction used thermal knit underwear to represent a closer fitting thermal liner. Air gap surface area, volume, and thickness were estimated using three-dimensional body scanning. This study showed the significant impact of fabric air permeability and clothing air gap volume on heat loss through structural firefighter suits. Tested individually, the tighter fitting moisture barrier construction permitted greater heat loss in comparison to the traditional fit moisture barrier. Heat loss differences associated with moisture barrier fit were not observed when the moisture barriers were configured in the three-layer turnout clothing system. This research showed that microclimate air gap volume is strongly correlated with total heat loss. It confirmed the significant impact of clothing air layers on heat loss through firefighter turnout systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: to analyze the quality of life of military firefighters active in operational and administrative services. Method: a cross - sectional study with a quantitative approach, carried out in a municipality in the west of Santa Catarina from March to April 2016.The World Health Organization quality of life assessment questionnaire (WHOQOL-Bref) was used to collect data. Results: the results show that the 51 participants had regular levels of quality of life, firefighters operating at the operational level had the worst results on the perception of quality of life compared to the administrative workers (p = <0.05). Overtime workload interfered negatively in quality of life (p = <0.05). In the Environment domain the worst values were found. Conclusion: the participants assessed their quality of life as regular, which may affect health and well-being, as well as interfering in their daily work. The use of this indicator is, hence, suggested, in the health management of workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Firefighters are at increased risk for both problematic alcohol use and suicidality. Research has found that problematic alcohol use is related to suicidality among this population; however, limited data exist regarding what might account for this association. The present two-study investigation (1) examined the association between suicidality and problematic alcohol use among two large samples of firefighters and (2) tested whether interpersonal theory of suicide constructs-perceived burdensomeness (PB) and thwarted belongingness (TB)-serve as indirect indicators of this relationship.Methods: Participants in Study 1 were 944 U.S. firefighters (12.5% female); participants in Study 2 were 241 U.S. women firefighters. Participants completed the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, and the Depressive Symptom Inventory-Suicidality Subscale (Study 1) or the Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors Interview-Short Form (Study 2). Bias-corrected bootstrap indirect effects path analyses were utilized.Results: In Study 1, more problematic alcohol use was significantly associated with more severe career suicidal ideation via PB but not TB. In Study 2, problematic alcohol use was associated with career suicidal ideation via both PB and TB. PB seems to account for the relationship between problematic alcohol use and career suicidal ideation among male and female firefighters.Limitations: Limitations include use of a cross-sectional design, use of retrospective measures of suicidal ideation, and our findings derived from subsamples of two existing datasets.Conclusions: Findings suggest that PB and TB may explain the relationship between problematic alcohol use and suicidal ideation, but that this effect is discrepant based on gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Musculoskeletal injuries are common in active duty firefighters. These injuries have significant medical and operational effects including increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease and excessive costs related to treatment and disability. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a comprehensive health, wellness, and safety initiative on overall fitness and injury prevalence in active duty firefighters. This retrospective analysis, collected data from firefighters (N=148) who participated in O2X training programs between September 2016 and March 2017. The training consisted of an initial lead-in week that included 40 hrs of lectures and supervised physical training followed by a periodized, tactical exercise training program. Demographics and performance scores from a battery of tests known as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were collected at baseline and at the end of each 16-wk program. The number of injuries contributing to paid time off, sick calls, salary and overtime costs, incidence of musculoskeletal injury, and incidence of disease were evaluated. KPIs improved in more than 89% of the population, depending on the fitness outcome. Overall cost savings was $6.3 million. The most impactful changes included a 19% reduction in monthly injuries and paid time off, 39% reduction in monthly sick calls, 33.3% reduction in costs related to Cardiac disease, 23.4% reduction in Cancer-related costs, and a 20% reduction in neck injury costs. These data demonstrate that the five principles of improvement established and reinforced by O2X are effective in instilling sustainable gains, functional fitness, and reducing injury in fire department personnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research was to determine the impact of additional textile layer reinforcements on garment heat loss and the physiological comfort of the firefighter. Four structural firefighter turnouts with varying levels of 'bulk' were assessed. A base composite analysis was conducted and each suit was evaluated for thermal resistance, evaporative resistance, and overall total heat loss (THL) on a sweating thermal manikin. Raw resistance data were then modeled to predict the physiological responses of firefighters for each turnout suit. Base composite percentages were compared to the heat loss values and predicted physiological responses. The Light Weight suit along with the Control, demonstrated the greatest heat loss values and lowest rise in predicted core temperature. Overall, results depicted the harmful impact that bulky reinforcements may have on wearer physiological comfort as the Heavy Duty suit had significantly lower heat loss and a potentially fatal maximum predicted core temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Firefighting is a stressful job with a great level of physical and psychological demands. The effort-reward imbalance and the need for fatigue recovery in this occupational group can lead to serious consequences. The present study aimed to assess the effects of the personal variables on effort-reward imbalance and the need for fatigue recovery. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 107 industrial firefighters were recruited in 2018. The effort-reward imbalance questionnaire, need for fatigue recovery scale, and individual information checklist were utilized to collect the required information. The data were analyzed using multiple linear regression by SPSS software (version 16). P-value less than 0.05 was statistically considered significant. Results: More than 70% of the participants were reported with a desirable level of effort-reward imbalance and the need for fatigue recovery. The results of the regression analysis revealed a significant relation among the variables of occupational position and contract status with the need for recovery scale. In addition, a significant association was observed between the type of contract status, sleep disorders, and hypnotic drugs with overcommitment. However, there was no significant relationship regarding the perception of effort-reward imbalance. Conclusion: The obtained results of the present study showed a relative desirable status for the parameters of perception of effort-reward imbalance and need for fatigue recovery in the study population. It is recommended to plan and design appropriate interventions in order to provide more favorable working conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The scene of a mass-casualty attack (MCA) entails a crime scene, a hazardous space, and a great number of people needing medical assistance. Public transportation has been the target of such attacks and involves a high probability of generating mass casualties. The review aimed to investigate challenges for on-scene responses to MCAs and suggestions made to counter these challenges, with special attention given to attacks on public transportation and associated terminals. Methods: Articles were found through PubMed and Scopus, “relevant articles†as defined by the databases, and a manual search of references. Inclusion criteria were that the article referred to attack(s) and/or a public transportation-related incident and issues concerning formal on-scene response. An appraisal of the articles’ scientific quality was conducted based on an evidence hierarchy model developed for the study. Results: One hundred and five articles were reviewed. Challenges for command and coordination on scene included establishing leadership, inter-agency collaboration, multiple incident sites, and logistics. Safety issues entailed knowledge and use of personal protective equipment, risk awareness and expectations, cordons, dynamic risk assessment, defensive versus offensive approaches, and joining forces. Communication concerns were equipment shortfalls, dialoguing, and providing information. Assessment problems were scene layout and interpreting environmental indicators as well as understanding setting-driven needs for specialist skills and resources. Triage and treatment difficulties included differing triage systems, directing casualties, uncommon injuries, field hospitals, level of care, providing psychological and pediatric care. Transportation hardships included scene access, distance to hospitals, and distribution of casualties. Conclusion: Commonly encountered challenges during unintentional incidents were added to during MCAs, implying specific issues for safety, assessment, triage, and treatment, which require training. Effectively increasing readiness for MCAs likely entail struggles to overcome fragmentation between the emergency services and the broader crisis management system as well as enabling critical and prestige-less, context-based assessments of needed preparatory efforts.

Background: Due to the specifics of their work and to being exposed to a wide range of hazards, firefighters working for the State Fire Service (SFS) face the risk of work-related accidents more often than members of other occupational groups. The aim of this paper is to analyze the occurrence and consequences of accidents in the work environment of the SFS officers in Poland between the years 2008–2013. Material and Methods: The material analyzed is based on aggregate data collected by the Headquarters of the State Fire Service. Figures regarding accidents in the period between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2013 show that 8518 workrelated accidents occurred in that period and 8635 people were injured. Results: The data shows that neither the number of accidents nor their frequency indicator underwent any significant fluctuations over the 6 years under consideration. The group that is most exposed to accidents on duty in the profession includes active firefighters serving in rescue and fire extinguishment divisions. According to the data, the greatest number of trauma incidents in the SFS between the years 2008–2013 occurred during sporting activities. The predominant cause of these was inappropriate behavior or the lack of proper care. The most frequent injuries sustained during the accidents were broken or fractured bones and sprained joints. Conclusions: Accidents on duty occur significantly more often when firefighters are at their stations, during sporting classes, exercises or maneuvers, than in the course of actual rescue operations. The firefighters of the State Fire Services are insufficiently prepared for their sporting activities. Med Pr 2016;67(1):1–9