Numerous health and medical sources indicate that sleep deprivation must be considered among the threats to the well-being, safety, and security of Emergency Services Sector (ESS) personnel. Sleep-loss-related fatigue degrades performance, productivity, and safety, as well as health and fitness. Medical and performance specialists generally agree that adequate daily sleep is needed for individuals to function optimally, maintain good health, and avoid the risks resulting from an altered state of awareness.

The Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) examined the hazards to first responders and their colleagues associated with chronic sleep deprivation. The potential decrements in the performance of duties and the cumulative adverse health effects to personnel are considerable and warrant the attention of the leaders, owners, and operators of ESS departments and agencies.

According to an article seen in the March 2009 National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Journal (Issue No. 262), a researcher in the Washington State University Sleep and Performance Research Center wrote that there are actions ESS leaders can implement to mitigate the undesirable consequences of sleep deprivation among emergency responders. The EMR-ISAC summarizes five beneficial activities as follows:

· Review policies that affect overtime, moonlighting, and the number of consecutive hours a person can work.
· Ensure the policies keep shift rotation to a minimum and give personnel adequate rest time.
· Assess the level of fatigue personnel experience, the quality of their sleep, and how tired they are while on the job.
· Create a culture in which employees receive adequate information about the importance of good sleep habits, the risks of sleep deprivation, and strategies for managing the hazards.
· Encourage personnel to remain physically fit, get enough exercise, maintain a healthy body weight, eat nutritious meals, and stop smoking.

The entire NIJ Journal articles can be seen and downloaded at
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/journals/262/sleep-deprivation.htm. More information about this subject can be accessed at http://www.iafc.org/associations/4685/files/progsSleep_SleepDeprivationReport.pdf.