Cooling strategies for firefighters: Effects on physiological, physical, and visuo-motor outcomes following fire-fighting tasks in the heat.

Fullagar, H; Notley, SR; Fransen, J; Richardson, A; Stadnyk, A; Lu, D; Brown, G; Duffield, R

Cooling strategies for firefighters: Effects on physiological, physical, and visuo-motor outcomes following fire-fighting tasks in the heat.

Fullagar, H

Notley, SR Fransen, J

Richardson, A Stadnyk, A Lu, D

Brown, G Duffield, R

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Publisher:: Elsevier
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Journal of Thermal Biology, 2022, 106, pp. 1-12
Issue Date:: 2022-05

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Fullagar, H https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9426-5373
dc.contributor.author	Notley, SR
dc.contributor.author	Fransen, J https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3355-1848
dc.contributor.author	Richardson, A
dc.contributor.author	Stadnyk, A
dc.contributor.author	Lu, D https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6294-4953
dc.contributor.author	Brown, G
dc.contributor.author	Duffield, R https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5641-1314
dc.date.accessioned	2022-10-04T02:32:35Z
dc.date.available	2022-03-26
dc.date.available	2022-10-04T02:32:35Z
dc.date.issued	2022-05
dc.identifier.citation	Journal of Thermal Biology, 2022, 106, pp. 1-12
dc.identifier.issn	0306-4565
dc.identifier.issn	1879-0992
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/162280
dc.description.abstract	OBJECTIVES: Due to the nature of firefighting, most effective cooling interventions to reduce heat strain and optimise performance are not practically viable. This study quantified the effects of two practical cooling strategies, co-designed with subject-matter experts, on physiological strain and physical, perceptual, and visuo-motor performance during simulated firefighting in the heat. DESIGN: Randomised cross-over. METHODS: On three occasions 14 firefighters completed an 80-min simulation in a hot-humid environment (32.0[0.9]°C, 59[3]%RH) including two 20-min firefighting tasks in full protective clothing, each followed by 20-min seated recovery. Recovery involved removal of protective clothing and one of three interventions - control (CON; ambient-temperature water consumption), basic (BASIC; cool-water consumption, ambient-forearm immersion/towels, fan), and advanced (ADV; ice-slushy consumption, cool-forearm immersion/ice packs, misting-fan). Thermal (core temperature) and cardiovascular (heart rate, arterial pressure) responses were measured throughout, whilst physical (handgrip/balance), visuo-motor (reaction time/memory recall) and perceptual (fatigue/thermal sensation/comfort) measures were assessed pre- and post-trial. RESULTS: Compared to CON, core temperature was lower in BASIC and ADV following the second task (ADV: 37.7[0.4]; BASIC: 38.0[0.4]; CON: 38.3[0.4]°C) and recovery protocol (ADV: 37.5[0.3]; BASIC: 37.7 [0.3] CON: 38.3[0.4]°C). This was paralleled by lowered heart rate, rate pressure product, and thermal sensation following the recovery protocols, in the ADV and BASIC condition compared to CON (p < .05). No physical or visuo-motor outcomes differed significantly between conditions. CONCLUSION: Whilst these observations need to be extended to field conditions, our findings demonstrate that two novel cooling interventions developed in collaboration with subject-matter experts offered benefits for reducing thermal strain and optimising firefighter safety.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	Elsevier
dc.relation.ispartof	Journal of Thermal Biology
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.jtherbio.2022.103236
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess
dc.subject	06 Biological Sciences
dc.subject.classification	Physiology
dc.subject.mesh	Cold Temperature
dc.subject.mesh	Firefighters
dc.subject.mesh	Hand Strength
dc.subject.mesh	Hot Temperature
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Ice
dc.subject.mesh	Cold Temperature
dc.subject.mesh	Firefighters
dc.subject.mesh	Hand Strength
dc.subject.mesh	Hot Temperature
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Ice
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Hand Strength
dc.subject.mesh	Ice
dc.subject.mesh	Cold Temperature
dc.subject.mesh	Hot Temperature
dc.subject.mesh	Firefighters
dc.title	Cooling strategies for firefighters: Effects on physiological, physical, and visuo-motor outcomes following fire-fighting tasks in the heat.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	106
utslib.location.activity	England
utslib.for	06 Biological Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHSP - Health Services and Practice
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
pubs.consider-herdc	false
utslib.copyright.embargo	2023-05-01T00:00:00+1000Z
dc.date.updated	2022-10-04T02:32:33Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	106

Abstract:

OBJECTIVES: Due to the nature of firefighting, most effective cooling interventions to reduce heat strain and optimise performance are not practically viable. This study quantified the effects of two practical cooling strategies, co-designed with subject-matter experts, on physiological strain and physical, perceptual, and visuo-motor performance during simulated firefighting in the heat. DESIGN: Randomised cross-over. METHODS: On three occasions 14 firefighters completed an 80-min simulation in a hot-humid environment (32.0[0.9]°C, 59[3]%RH) including two 20-min firefighting tasks in full protective clothing, each followed by 20-min seated recovery. Recovery involved removal of protective clothing and one of three interventions - control (CON; ambient-temperature water consumption), basic (BASIC; cool-water consumption, ambient-forearm immersion/towels, fan), and advanced (ADV; ice-slushy consumption, cool-forearm immersion/ice packs, misting-fan). Thermal (core temperature) and cardiovascular (heart rate, arterial pressure) responses were measured throughout, whilst physical (handgrip/balance), visuo-motor (reaction time/memory recall) and perceptual (fatigue/thermal sensation/comfort) measures were assessed pre- and post-trial. RESULTS: Compared to CON, core temperature was lower in BASIC and ADV following the second task (ADV: 37.7[0.4]; BASIC: 38.0[0.4]; CON: 38.3[0.4]°C) and recovery protocol (ADV: 37.5[0.3]; BASIC: 37.7 [0.3] CON: 38.3[0.4]°C). This was paralleled by lowered heart rate, rate pressure product, and thermal sensation following the recovery protocols, in the ADV and BASIC condition compared to CON (p < .05). No physical or visuo-motor outcomes differed significantly between conditions. CONCLUSION: Whilst these observations need to be extended to field conditions, our findings demonstrate that two novel cooling interventions developed in collaboration with subject-matter experts offered benefits for reducing thermal strain and optimising firefighter safety.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/162280