• Title/Summary/Keyword: firefighters

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The "Warm Zone" Cases: Environmental Monitoring Immediately Outside the Fire Incident Response Arena by Firefighters

  • Caban-Martinez, Alberto J.;Kropa, Bob;Niemczyk, Neal;Moore, Kevin J.;Baum, Jeramy;Solle, Natasha Schaefer;Sterling, David A.;Kobetz, Erin N.
    • Safety and Health at Work
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    • v.9 no.3
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    • pp.352-355
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    • 2018
  • Hazardous work zones (i.e., hot, warm, and cold) are typically established by emergency response teams during hazardous materials (HAZMAT) calls but less consistently for fire responses to segment personnel and response activities in the immediate geographic area around the fire. Despite national guidelines, studies have documented the inconsistent use of respiratory protective equipment by firefighters at the fire scene. In this case-series report, we describe warm zone gas levels using multigas detectors across five independent fire incident responses all occurring in a large South Florida fire department. Multigas detector data collected at each fire response indicate the presence of sustained levels of volatile organic compounds in the "warm zone" of each fire event. These cases suggest that firefighters should not only implement strategies for multigas detector use within the warm zone but also include respiratory protection to provide adequate safety from toxic exposures in the warm zone.

Hand Sizing Study for Development of Firefighting Gloves (소방공무원의 장갑제작을 위한 손 치수 연구)

  • Kwon, Chae-Ryung;Jang, Mina;Jeong, Da Wun;Kim, Dong-Eun
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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    • v.43 no.3
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    • pp.416-426
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    • 2019
  • This study measured and analyzed male firefighters hand sizes as well as suggested data for developing firefighting gloves with a good fit. Accordingly, body dimensions related to the hand were measured for 100 male firefighters. Twenty-three measuring items related to the hand and lower arm were selected. The firefighters' measurement data were compared to general adult male measurements from the 6th Korean Anthropometric data to analyze the hand sizes characteristics of firefighters. As a result, height, hand circumference, hand breadth, wrist circumference, elbow-wrist length, forearm-fingertip length and firefighter weight were significantly larger than adult males. A correlation analysis for 23 items was conducted to select items used as standards for setting a size when manufacturing firefighting gloves. Hand length and circumference were selected as representative hand parts for making firefighting gloves. Cross analysis between hand length and circumference were conducted to find the section showing the highest distribution ratio. As a result, the highest sections were between 19cm and 21cm for hand circumference and between 18.5cm and 19.5cm for hand length, which may be suggested as the most important ranges.

Application of Deep Learning: A Review for Firefighting

  • Shaikh, Muhammad Khalid
    • International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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    • v.22 no.5
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    • pp.73-78
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    • 2022
  • The aim of this paper is to investigate the prevalence of Deep Learning in the literature on Fire & Rescue Service. It is found that deep learning techniques are only beginning to benefit the firefighters. The popular areas where deep learning techniques are making an impact are situational awareness, decision making, mental stress, injuries, well-being of the firefighter such as his sudden fall, inability to move and breathlessness, path planning by the firefighters while getting to an fire scene, wayfinding, tracking firefighters, firefighter physical fitness, employment, prediction of firefighter intervention, firefighter operations such as object recognition in smoky areas, firefighter efficacy, smart firefighting using edge computing, firefighting in teams, and firefighter clothing and safety. The techniques that were found applied in firefighting were Deep learning, Traditional K-Means clustering with engineered time and frequency domain features, Convolutional autoencoders, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Deep Neural Networks, Simulation, VR, ANN, Deep Q Learning, Deep learning based on conditional generative adversarial networks, Decision Trees, Kalman Filters, Computational models, Partial Least Squares, Logistic Regression, Random Forest, Edge computing, C5 Decision Tree, Restricted Boltzmann Machine, Reinforcement Learning, and Recurrent LSTM. The literature review is centered on Firefighters/firemen not involved in wildland fires. The focus was also not on the fire itself. It must also be noted that several deep learning techniques such as CNN were mostly used in fire behavior, fire imaging and identification as well. Those papers that deal with fire behavior were also not part of this literature review.

Effects of job stress, resilience, and empathy on job satisfaction in firefighters (소방공무원의 직무스트레스, 회복탄력성, 공감능력이 직무만족도에 미치는 영향)

  • Soeun Park;Junghee Park;Yongseok Kim;Yeongho Myoung
    • The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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    • v.27 no.2
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    • pp.19-29
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    • 2023
  • Purpose: This study attempted to identify job stress, resilience, and job satisfaction among firefighters and to identify factors that influence job satisfaction. Methods: The study was conducted among 150 active firefighters who agreed to participate after reading an explanation of the purpose and importance of the study. They were sent a link to the self-report questionnaire URL via text message. Results: The mean scores for the variables were 2.26 for job stress, 3.55 for resilience, 3.30 for empathy, and 3.23 for job satisfaction. There was a significant difference in job satisfaction based on age. Job satisfaction was significantly positively correlated with empathy (r=248, p=.002) and resilience (r=463, p<.001) and significantly negatively correlated with job stress (r= -.740, p<.001). In other words, higher resilience and empathy were associated with higher job satisfaction, while higher job stress was associated with lower job satisfaction. And job stress was the influencing factor of job satisfaction, with an explanatory power of 55%. Conclusion: To improve firefighters' job satisfaction, management programs should be developed to enhance resilience and empathy and specific measures should be taken to reduce job stress.

Occupational Hazards in Firefighting: Systematic Literature Review

  • Maria F. Cuenca-Lozano;Cesar O. Ramirez-Garcia
    • Safety and Health at Work
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    • v.14 no.1
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    • pp.1-9
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    • 2023
  • Background: Firefighting involves exposure of firefighters to risks related to this activity, serious injuries, and occupational diseases are recorded. There are other consequences such as thermal and emotional stress. This systematic review is proposed in order to analyze the risks and consequences faced by these workers and thus provide elements to improve safety management systems in institutions. Method: A descriptive observational study of systematic literature review on the risks and consequences of exposure to firefighters' activity was proposed, and the information was analyzed and described based on the available data and according to the variables determined. Results: The studies showed data on mechanical, physical, chemical, psychosocial risks, workers' perception and resilience, and epidemiological data. Information related to firefighters' activity on falls and slips, exposure to noise, and high concentrations of carbon monoxide is detailed. In addition, the relationship between burnout, cognitive, and physical fatigue as adverse effects on health and performance is mentioned. Conclusions: Among the preventive measures, the use of personal protective equipment is suggested, incorporation in prevention programs of information on exposure to risk factors, as well as the implementation of models that can predict the perception of workers, additionally, the generation of management systems with safety climate models for fire departments.

Perception Survey of Firefighters on Application of Emergency Vehicle Exemption during Return to Station Accidents (긴급자동차 복귀 중 교통사고 특례에 대한 소방공무원의 인식조사)

  • Young-Jin, Reem;Deok-Jin Jang;Ha-Sung Kong
    • Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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    • v.25 no.2
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    • pp.139-151
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    • 2023
  • This study aims to understand the current status of exemptions for traffic accidents during the return of emergency vehicles and to provide suggestions for improvement. A survey was conducted on 3,500 firefighters to investigate the perception of traffic accidents during the return of emergency vehicles, and responses from 505 participants were analyzed. Based On the demographic characteristics and perception of the participants, frequency analysis and variance analysis were used as research methods to analyze basic statistics and the current situation. The results showed that firefighters have concerns and anxieties about traffic accidents during the return of emergency vehicles, and the need for applying exemptions and enacting explicit legal provisions was statistically confirmed. Based on these results, we suggest a policy for exemptions to improve the preparation for re-deployment and to alleviate the concerns and anxieties of firefighters.

Functional Movement Screen as a Predictor of Occupational Injury Among Denver Firefighters

  • Shore, Erin;Dally, Miranda;Brooks, Shawn;Ostendorf, Danielle;Newman, Madeline;Newman, Lee
    • Safety and Health at Work
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    • v.11 no.3
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    • pp.301-306
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    • 2020
  • Background: The Functional Movement Screen (FMSTM) is a screening tool used to assess an individual's ability to perform fundamental movements that are necessary to do physically active tasks. The purpose of this study was to assess the ability of FMS to predict occupational injury among Denver Fire Department firefighters. Method: FMS tests were administered from 2012 to 2016. Claim status was defined as any claim occurrence vs. no claim and an overexertion vs. no claim/other claim within 1 year of the FMS. To assess associations between FMS score and claim status, FMS scores were dichotomized into ≤ 14 and > 14. Age-adjusted odds ratios were calculated using logistic regression. Sensitivities and specificities of FMS predicting claims at various FMS score cut points, ranging from 10 to 20 were tested. Results: Of 581 firefighters (mean ± SD, age 38 ± 9.8 y) who completed FMS between February 2015 and March 2018, 188 (32.4%) filed a WC claim in the study time frame. Seventy-two of those (38.3%) were categorized as overexertion claims. There was no association between FMS score and claim status [odds ratio (OR) = 1.27, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.88 - 1.83] and overexertion claim vs. no claim/other claim (OR = 1.33, 95% CI: 0.81 - 2.21). There was no optimal cutoff for FMS in predicting a WC claim. Conclusions: Although the FMS has been predictive of injuries in other populations, among this sample of firefighters, it was not predictive of a future WC claim.

Noise Exposure according to the Time Activity Pattern and Duties of Firefighters (소방 공무원의 시간활동 양상과 직무에 따른 소음 노출 특성)

  • Lee, Lim-Kyu;Kang, Tae-Sun;Ham, Seung-Hon;Kim, Jung-In;Yang, Young-Suk;Yoon, Chung-Sik
    • Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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    • v.37 no.2
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    • pp.94-101
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    • 2011
  • Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the noise exposures of firefighters according to their time-dependent activity patterns. Methods: Personal exposure levels were measured for six days and nights using noise dosimeters; three days and nights for on-duty tasks, the other days and nights for off-duty activities. Results: The total amount of time spent in the workplace was 13,677 min (67%), outside areas 4,833 min (23%), in transit 1,002 min (5%), and other indoor area 807 min (4%) during a working period. However, during off-days they spent 10,858 min (76%) at home, 1,382 min (10%) outdoors, 1,225 min (9%) other indoors, and 493 min (3%) in transit. As a result of individual exposure levels, TWA did not exceed 90 dBA of the occupational exposure limit for the majority of the firefighters, whereas the levels of Lmax were 119 dBA, which were higher than the noise levels of firefighters in USA. Sometimes during dispatching the levels of Lpeak exceeded the ACGIH exposure standard (140 dBC). The Leq levels in transit were higher than the levels in home and other indoors even though the activity time is short. Conclusions: This paper characterized the noise exposure patterns of firefighters in Korea. We suggest that special noise sources, including sirens and speaker phones, should be readjusted to reduce noise exposure.

Impact of Health-related Quality of Life in Firefighters: Focused on Posttraumatic Stress, Health-related Work Limitations, and Family Support (소방공무원의 건강 관련 삶의 질에 영향을 미치는 요인: 외상 후 스트레스 증상, 건강 관련 업무제약, 가족지지를 중심으로)

  • Park, Ki-Soo;Ha, Yeongmi;Seo, Minjeong;Choi, Yeun-Soon;Kim, Mi-Ji;Jeong, Yeoju;Yang, Seungkyoung
    • Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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    • v.26 no.3
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    • pp.142-150
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    • 2017
  • Purpose: The purpose of this descriptive, cross-sectional study was to identify the factors affecting health-related quality of life by examining the relationships among posttraumatic stress, health-related work limitations, and family support in firefighters. Methods: The data were collected from 390 firefighters working in four fire stations located in the G district using self-report questionnaires. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA along with the $Scheff{\acute{e}}$ test, and multiple regression. Results: As per the results of multiple regression analysis, the factors affecting health-related quality of life in firefighters were posttraumatic stress, health-related work limitations, and family support. This model explained 31% of the variance in health-related quality of life (F=30.03, p<.001). Conclusion: Considering the findings of this study, there is a need to reduce posttraumatic stress and health-related work limitations and develop family support toward firefighters.

Effect of Post-traumatic Stress and Ways of Stress Coping on Problem Drinking in Firefighters (남자소방공무원의 외상 후 스트레스와 대처방식이 문제음주에 미치는 영향)

  • Jeon, Kyoung-Sun;Kang, Kyung-Ah
    • Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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    • v.26 no.4
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    • pp.218-226
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    • 2017
  • Purpose: The study aimed to determine the impact of post-traumatic stress and ways of stress coping on problem drinking in firefighters. Methods: Data were collected from May 11 to June 11, 2015, in fire brigades across South Korea. Participants were 183 male firefighters who used self-report questionnaires containing questions from the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), Ways of Coping Checklist (WCC), and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Data were analyzed using $x^2$ test, t-test, and logistic regression with the SPSS/WIN 21.0 program. Results: The prevalence of PTSD among firefighters was 36.7% and that of problem drinking was 39.3%. Firefighters with single (OR=0.23, 95% CI=0.038~1.321) and married status (OR=0.46, 95% CI=0.069~3.040) were less likely to have problem drinking than those who were divorced or bereavement. Those with invasion symptoms (OR=1.17, 95% CI=1.031~1.327) and hyperarousal symptoms (OR=0.85, 95% CI=0.722~0.989) were more likely to have problem drinking than those with avoidance symptoms. Conclusion: Post-traumatic stress symptom was a major risk factor that increased problem drinking, and married status reduced problem drinking. There is a need to develop post-traumatic stress symptom management program and early education content for symptom management.