[Pulmonary function in Portuguese firefighters]

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Pulmonary Medicine
• Environmental Health

Background:

• Portugal faces frequent forest fires, posing respiratory risks from wood smoke.
• Inhaled smoke can lead to both immediate and lasting lung function impairment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the lung function of active wildland firefighters in Portugal.
• To identify risk factors affecting respiratory health in this population.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 209 wildland firefighters.
• Data collected via self-questionnaires on personal/work habits and spirometry using Piko-6.

Main Results:

• A high smoking prevalence (42.9%) was observed.
• 11.8% of participants exhibited airway obstruction.
• A significant majority (85.7%) lacked respiratory protection during firefighting due to equipment shortages.

Conclusions:

• Portuguese firefighters exhibit high smoking rates and significant airway obstruction.
• Inadequate use of respiratory protection is prevalent, often due to lack of equipment.
• Recommendations include smoking cessation and consistent use of respiratory protective equipment.