Health and Safety Guidelines for Firefighter Training
The primary goal of this project was to provide a tool to assist the fire service on a national level with reducing the number and seriousness of training-related injuries and death. Specifically, the Center set out to develop standardized guidelines for health management of firefighters during training activities.

The Center for Firefighter Safety Research and Development conducted a physiological analysis of over 200 firefighters participating in strenuous training exercises, and has used the findings as the basis to publish the guidelines for monitoring and ensuring health safety during future training scenarios that are included in this report. This study focused on overexertion, heat stress, and recovery time after demanding training-related activity, assessing the physiologic effects of a variety of environmental conditions and the effects of operating in full personal protective equipment (PPE) during various activities. Simulated firefighting activity in the high temperature room of the structural burn buildings available at the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute was also included in the study.

Gathering the necessary physiological measures was made possible using wireless, continuous ambulatory physiological monitoring technology. The LifeShirt gathered multiple measures including blood pressure, blood oxygen saturation, respiration, EEG/EOG, periodic leg movement, temperature, end tidal CO2 and cough. These measures provide a dynamic cardiopulmonary profile that allowed us to track trainees' progress against baseline fitness readings.

This effort was made possible by funding from the Department of Homeland Security Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. The results of this effort can be found in Health and Safety Guidelines for Firefighter Training document above.