- Author
- Federal Emergency Management Agency | U.S. Fire Administration
- Title
- Fire and Emergency Service: Hearing Conservation Program Manual.
- Coporate
- Federal Emergency Management Agency, Emmitsburg, MD U.S. Fire Administration, Washington, DC
- Report
- FA-118, November 1992, 86 p.
- Keywords
- medical services | emergencies | conservation | manuals | noise (sound)
- Abstract
- Since its inception, the United States Fire Administration (USFA) has been committed to enhancing the health and safety of emergency response personnel. Fire, rescue, emergency medical service (EMS), and other emergency response agencies across the country rely on the USFA for state-of-the-art information on critical emergency management issues. Thus, some of our most aggressive initiatives in recent years have focused on the very real and serious occupational health hazards of emergency responders. Noise is probably the most underrated health hazard affecting fire and EMS personnel. The siren required to warn the public that emergency vehicles are approaching is just one example of the overlooked noise hazard for individuals riding the engine, truck, rescue, ambulance or other emergency vehicle. The dangers of excessive noise exposure to emergency service personnel is finally being addressed. There have been a number of evaluations of fire departments that have substantiated the fact that firefighters and EMS personnel are being exposed to high noise levels with resultant hearing loss. These studies have also found a substantial increase in high frequency hearing loss related to the amount of time spent in the emergency services. The cases of hearing loss are irreversible and incurable. They are also preventable! This manual will be an important resource in the development of programs to control the emergency responder's noise exposure problem.