- Author
- Burgess, J.
- Title
- Firefighter Health Effects: Overhaul and Beyond.
- Coporate
- Arizona Univ.
- Report
- NIST SP 1051; NIST Special Publication 1051, December 2007,
- Book or Conf
- Real-Time Particulate Monitoring: Detecting Respiratory Threats for First Responders. Workshop Proceedings. Appendix 3: Workshop Presentations. Appendix 3.B. May 3-4, 2007, Gaithersburg, MD, 32-37 p., 2007
- Keywords
- first responders | respiratory systems | health hazards | fire fighters | exposure | self contained breathing apparatus | hazardous materials | respirators | operations research | medical services
- Identifiers
- long-term health effects in fire fighters; low-level exposure to multiple hazardous substances
- Abstract
- This presentation addresses the question of whether it is possible to establish a link between long-term health effects in firefighters and low-level exposure to multiple hazardous substances, and if so, what further research is needed. Annual pulmonary function tests performed on firefighters indicate accelerated rates of decline in pulmonary function. Although SCBAs provide the best respiratory protection in hazardous environmmts, they are heavy and impede communication, so there is resistance to using them during overhaul. Air purifying respirator' (APRs) are lighter and more comfortable, but there is evidence of breakthrough of hazardous materials. A comparison of biomatkers for Phoenix firefighters wearing APRs during overhaul operations that take place immediately after fire extinguishment and Tucscn firefighters with no protection during slower overhaul operations shows the difficulty of making meaningful conclusions from data .n the absence of good controls. The respiratory function of Phoenix firefighters is worse despite the use of protective gear, raising fle issue of whether the difference is due to possible breakthrough and poor fit, or to differences in overhaul procedures. Exposure studies need to consider different types of fires, such as dumpster fires and automobile fires that occur outdoors, where firefighters may not use respiratory protection.