For firefighters, the obvious enemy on the fireground is fire. Avoiding injury and death on the fireground often means avoiding flames.
But there is a whole separate category of non-fire injuries that often goes overlooked. These include injuries like heat stress, trips and sprains, or complications caused by contaminated gear.
The majority of firefighter injuries do not happen on the fireground. Even taking fireground injuries into consideration, most firefighter injuries are due to strains and sprains.
And while fireground injuries have decreased over the years (especially due to the increasing safety of PPE), so have the number of fires. That means the rate of injury per fire hasn’t actually decreased that much over the years, indicating that more work is needed to prevent injury.
As far as firefighter deaths, the most common cause of LODDs is overexertion and strain. Outside the line of duty, many firefighters are facing the threat of illness and death related to contaminants and particulates from the fireground.
For firefighters and fire departments, it’s critical to figure out how and why these injuries and deaths occur and take steps to combat them.
There are many reasons why a firefighter might experience a sprain or strain on the job. After all, you’re frequently climbing over debris, up ladders, and walking on wet surfaces. Take your eyes off the ground for even a second and it could mean disaster.
The most obvious fix for this is to watch where you’re going. But that’s easier said than done.
Caution can only take you so far when you’re constantly on rough and slippery terrain. That’s why it’s so important to have boots and gloves that protect you when you inevitably take that bad step or try to hold something slippery.
When you look for gloves and boots, consider factors like:
Weight is also another factor many firefighters don’t consider. Boots made for the fireground are always going to be heavier because they require so much protection (though premium materials make a big difference).
For non-fire emergencies (which make up more than 90% of calls), consider donning lighter boots that provide the right amount of protection while being much lighter and breathable.
Speaking of breathability, heat stress is another factor that can affect strains and sprains.
Beyond the immediate dangers of heat stress, excessive heat can make it more likely that you will trip or fall on the fireground.
That’s because research shows that a rising core temperature can affect your strength and dexterity (meaning you can’t walk or grab as well) and can also affect cognition (meaning you don’t think as well, potentially making bad decisions that put you in greater danger).
But heat stress is a potentially deadly factor all on its own.
Research shows that firefighters are particularly susceptible to the dangers of heat stress as a result of overexertion. Performing highly physical labor in a hot environment in a suit designed to protect against moisture puts a large strain on the body, resulting in a rising core temperature.
Rising core temperatures can cause strain on the heart because it increases the heart rate. That contributes to sudden cardiovascular events, possibly causing death.
It is inevitable that core temperatures will rise on the fireground, but firefighters can take steps to reduce the impact.
The most important step is to perform regular health checkups (part of the NFPA 1582 guidelines) and to regularly exercise. Better health going into the fire decreases the likelihood of a sudden cardiovascular event.
Gear is also a key part of the equation, particularly turnout gear. In the past, little thought was given to how breathable gear was. But the latest generation of turnout gear pays as much attention to how well gear protects from both flames and from heat stress.
How? Modern turnout gear is much more breathable, allowing hot air and sweat to escape the body.
Turnouts that aren’t breathable trap that hot air inside, increasing the risk of heat stress and not allowing the body to cool down during rest times. But turnouts like AeroFlex are specifically designed to force hot air out of the turnouts, keeping the body cooler and reducing the risk of heat-related injury and death.
Firefighters also need to be aware of the risks beyond the fireground, especially the risk of illness (especially cancer) caused by contaminants and particulates from the fireground.
Firefighters are more likely to develop cancer than the general population, largely due to exposure from hazardous contaminants such as gases, particulates, asbestos, and formaldehyde.
To combat the risk of fireground exposures, firefighters should first look at their equipment. A commonly overlooked component is a particulate-blocking hood. Research has shown that particulates often end up on areas like the neck and face. Particulate-blocking hoods are designed to decrease the risk of potentially harmful contaminants ending up on your skin.
But the risk of contaminants doesn’t end at the fireground. That’s why NFPA 1851 sets forth a number of guidelines for reducing exposure, from preliminary decontamination (rinsing gear immediately after leaving the fireground) to storage (don’t store PPE in common areas or in the truck) to cleaning (ensure that a verified cleaner is used).
If your department doesn’t have guidelines for following NFPA 1851 (or has guidelines but doesn’t follow them), consider reaching out to a verified Independent Service Provider like Gear Wash to talk through a program. The risk of contamination is a huge risk for firefighters, but taking proper precautions can significantly decrease that risk.
Non-fire injuries aren’t just a small part of the fire service. They present a real and present danger that firefighters and fire departments need to address.
Proper gear, training, procedures, and, above all, education are the best tools to keep firefighters safe on the fireground and beyond.
If you're looking for gear that can help protect you against non-fire injuries, consider one of the Fire-Dex PPE packages, designed to help you save on great equipment for all your calls.