Chapter 9 Reading Firefighters Flashcards
Define Acclimation
An individuals gradual process of becoming accustomed to an environment
Define accommodation
The efforts to alter or adjust the environment, worker relationship, or task to reduce injury potential
Define Active cooling
The process of using external methods or devices (hand and forearm cold water/ice immersion, covering the head and neck with cold wet towels, and gel cooling vests) to reduce elevated body core temperatures
Define Atypically stressful incident
An incident that involves an unusually gruesome situation, serious firefighter injury, firefighter death, or other potential psychological stress
Define circadian rhythm
A persons physiological response to the 24-hour clock, which includes sleep, energy peaks, and necessary body functions
Define ergonomics
The science of adapting work or working conditions to a worker and the study of problems associated with people adjusting to their work environment
Define passive cooling
The use of shade, air movement, and rest to bring down core temperatures
Define Transient heat fatigue (THF)
An early warning sign that the core temperature is elevated, as characterized by the onset of physical exhaustion that is remedied by rest and hydration only to return quickly and more profoundly upon engagement with the hot environment
Define Work hardening
Efforts to improve an individuals strength, flexibility, and aerobics to help prevent overexertion at incidents
What is the leading cause of injuries and deaths at incidents?
overexertion
What are the 3 stressors that influence overexertion?
environment, human physiology, and quality of rehab efforts
What is the equation for ergonomic stress
physical setting + worker relationship to setting + task requirements = ergonomic stress
What are the ergonomic stressors that should be evaluated to determine if injury potential exists?
physical setting
worker relationship to the setting
task requirements
What are the 3 strategies to abate or mitigate the ergonomic hazard?
awareness
accommodation
acclimation
What is the most used and simple ergonomic abatement strategy?
Awareness
Exposure to hot and cold can be influenced by which environmental factors?
ambient air temp humidity wind speed thermal radiaton direct sun exposure wetness
What is an average core temperature?
98.6 deviation of one or two degrees can be tolerated without risk
What core temps will affect physical performance?
above 101F or below 96F
What is the progression of heat stress injuries?
THF Heat rash Heat cramps Heat exhaustion Heatstroke
How many degrees of F is added to apparent temp when in structural fire ppe?
10F
After how many minutes will FF in full turnout gear have elevated body temp to 101.5
after 20 minutes or one SCBA bottle
What is the injury progression of cold stress injuries?
shivering
frostnip
frostbite
hypothermia
How do you combat thermal stress?
accommodation
rotation
hydration
How much water per hour should working firefighters consume?
quart per hour, or 4-8oz per 15-20 min of work
What are the main electrolytes that must be replaced?
potassium and sodium
What is the entry rate of carbohydrates into the bloodstream known as?
glycemic index
What should the mix be of carbohydrates, protein, and fat?
40/30/30
An intervention designed to mitigate against the physical, physiological, and emotional stress of firefighting in order to sustain a members energy, improve performance, and decrease the likelihood of on-scene injury or death
emergency incident scene rehab
What are the NFPA standards that address rehab?
1584, 1561, 1521
What are the 5 components of rehab?
rest hydration BLS energy nutrition accommodation for weather conditions
How long should the first break of self-rehab be after 30-40 min bottle use?
10min
subsequent bottle breaks should be 20 min
call 10/20 rule
How long does 1 hour bottles require rest of self-rehab?
20 min for first bottle
How long does it take vital signs to resume normal levels?
20 minutes minimum
When is formal rehab required?
incidents that require physical labor over 2 hours
high rise fires not controlled by single company
wildland fires that require more than an initial attack company
hazmat that require tech level
confined space involved
exposed to weather extremes for longer than an hour
incident require excessive physical labor and rotational of crew
incidents that involve defined hourly work periods
Following 20 min of rest cooling and hydration what are the factors that determine need for further rest?
pulse over 120
body temp over 100.5, skin temp might be 2F lower than actual body temp
Diastolic blood pressure above 90
Systolic blood pressure above 130
