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Simulation of working conditions by maximum work load on firefighters
Hrvoje Lalić1, Leonardo Bukmir, Mensur Ferhatović
1Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Health Center of Littoral-Mountainous County, School of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia. hlalic@inet.hr
Collegium Antropologicum
|June 30, 2007
Summary
Firefighter fitness is generally good, but physical power declines with age. Younger volunteer firefighters show superior strength compared to professionals, indicating a need for revised retirement and shift policies.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Sports Science
- Firefighter Physiology
Background:
- Assessing firefighter manpower adequacy under severe conditions.
- Evaluating the relationship between firefighter age and working ability.
- Investigating physical capacity and cardio-respiratory health in firefighters.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if firefighter staffing levels meet operational demands.
- To assess if physical performance correlates with age among firefighters.
- To analyze the impact of respiratory apparatus on firefighter performance.
Main Methods:
- Conducted load, fitness, repetitive power, and explosive power tests on 220 Croatian firefighters.
- Administered tests with and without respiratory apparatus to compare spirometric values.
- Utilized linear regression analysis to examine correlations between age and physical power.
Main Results:
- Professional firefighters exhibited increased Body Mass Index (BMI) but maintained good cardio-respiratory health.
- Spirometric tests revealed no ventilation difficulties, indicating adequate protective equipment and fitness.
- Negative correlation found between age and repetitive/explosive power; younger volunteers outperformed professionals in repetitive power tests.
Conclusions:
- Firefighter physical capacity diminishes with age, impacting operational readiness.
- Volunteer firefighters may possess superior strength compared to professionals.
- Recommendations include administrative health measures, accelerated retirement plans, and shorter shifts to optimize firefighter deployment.
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