Individual Factors in Bushfire Fighters Health and Safety

Heat Stress

This appears to be the most common illness during wildfire operations. Dehydration and heat stress illness can be the result of a progressive deterioration that occurs over several days of reduced fluid intake, and can be compounded by other factors such as illnesses or medications.

Vehicle Accidents

In USA between 1990 & 1998 vehicle accidents:

• 19% of All Fatalities
• 44% of Volunteer Fatalities
• Preventable with Training

Smoke Exposure

• Short Term Respiratory Impact
• Reduction in Immune Response

Injuries

Injuries are one of the major perils of wildland firefighting, they:

• Endanger Firefighters
• Delay suppression Effort
• Affect Crew Morale
• Incur Costs to Agency

There are several major areas where injuries occur:

• Slips/Trips/Falls
• Muscle Strains
• Hand Tool Misuse
• Vehicle Accidents

Several of these injury areas can be related to fitness levels and fatigue. As firefighters become more fatigued from long hours of arduous work, they become less attentive to the small things that prevent injuries under different circumstances:

• Using care when walking on steep slopes, over logs, down cut slopes
• Clearing obstacles and using full muscle control when swinging handtools
• Using proper lifting techniques for heavy objects
• Keeping full attention on safe driving techniques when driving on windy, steep, unsurfaced roads.

Toward a Safer and Healthier Firefighter Workforce

• Individual firefighter must take responsibility for their own health and safety. This includes fitness programs.
• Specialized driver training is required
• The right personal protective equipment for the job
• Stress reduction and relaxation for firefighters and fire controllers
• Quality rest is important
• Shift and assignment length need to be looked at to avoid fatigue
• Nutritional needs of firefighters, including fluids need to be met.

Dick Mangan
U.S. Forest Service
Missoula Technology & Development Center
Missoula, Montana USA

Highlights from Dick Mangan’s presentation, on 12th September 2000, at the fourth ACT Fire Controllers Group Safety Evening