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Physiologic responses of firefighter recruits during a supervised live-fire work performance test
Marta Del Sal1, Elena Barbieri, Paolo Garbati
1Istituto di Ricerca sull'Attività Motoria, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, Italy. marta.delsal@uniurb.it
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
|October 15, 2009
Summary
Physiological responses of Italian firefighters during simulated tasks reveal that body mass index and age impact cardiovascular stress and energy expenditure. Psychological stress, measured by galvanic skin response, persists long after physical recovery.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Physiology
- Sports Science
Background:
- Firefighting involves strenuous physical activity and significant psychological stress.
- Understanding the physiological demands is crucial for firefighter health and performance.
- Previous research has explored various aspects of firefighter workload, but specific data on Italian military firefighters is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the physiological responses of military Italian firefighters during typical activities.
- To investigate the correlation between anthropometric characteristics and physiological responses.
- To assess the duration of psychological stress following firefighting tasks.
Main Methods:
- 13 military Italian firefighters (mean age 36.3 years) were monitored for heart rate (HR), metabolic equivalent units (MET), skin temperature (T.Sk.), and galvanic skin response (GSR).
- Measurements were taken during acclimation, simulated work phases, and for 24 hours post-work.
- Multivariate linear step-wise regression analysis was used to identify correlations between variables.
Main Results:
- Body mass index significantly correlated with increased heart rate during both acclimation and work phases, indicating higher cardiovascular stress.
- Age and weight were significantly correlated with metabolic equivalent units (MET) values, reflecting energy expenditure.
- Galvanic skin response (GSR) indicated high psychological stress during work, with levels returning to baseline only 12 hours post-task, suggesting prolonged stress.
Conclusions:
- Firefighter performance is influenced by physical fitness and anthropometric characteristics.
- Higher body mass index exacerbates cardiovascular strain during firefighting.
- Specific training programs should be developed considering these physiological and psychological demands to optimize firefighter readiness and well-being.
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