Beyond the fireground: injuries in the fire service

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Emergency Services Research
• Injury Epidemiology

Background:

• Firefighting and emergency medical services are recognized as high-risk professions.
• Limited research exists on the causes of injury within the fire service outside of fireground incidents.
• Understanding diverse injury aetiologies is crucial for comprehensive safety protocols.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the aetiology of work-related injuries in a metropolitan fire department.
• To explore factors contributing to injuries beyond traditional fireground operations.
• To inform targeted injury prevention strategies for firefighters.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive study analyzed work-related injury data from a medium-sized metropolitan fire department (2004-2009).
• Factors examined included injury nature, agent, mechanism, body location, environment, Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS), Functional Capacity Index (FCI), and lost time status.
• Data provided an annual injury incidence rate and detailed injury characteristics.

Main Results:

• The average annual injury incidence rate was 17.7 per 100 employees.
• Physical exercise activities accounted for the largest proportion of injuries (32.9%), followed by patient transport (16.9%), training drills (11.1%), and fireground operations (10.2%).
• Sprains and strains were the most common injury type (40.2-85.2%). Lost time injuries were more frequent during patient transport (46.1%).

Conclusions:

• Physical exercise, patient transport, and training activities contribute significantly to firefighter injuries, often more than fireground operations.
• Developing targeted injury prevention strategies requires a better understanding of risks associated with these diverse work processes.
• Focusing on non-fireground activities can enhance overall firefighter safety and reduce lost work time.