Fighting with fire--how bushfire suppression can impact on fire fighters' health.
BACKGROUND
Each year bushfire threatens Australia's rural, forest, and urban-rural areas. Australia's rural fire fighters work to curtail this threat in hot, smoky conditions, often at risk to their physical health. General practitioners, especially in rural areas, can help preserve the health of fire fighters during the fire season by understanding the stressors they face on the fireground.


OBJECTIVE
This article outlines how the key fireground stressors of work intensity and duration, heat (from the weather, the fire, and the fire fighter's own exertion) and smoke impact on the health of fire fighters. Practical advice for GPs treating Australia's rural fire fighters is also included.


CONCLUSIONS
General practitioners can help preserve fire fighters' health during bushfire suppression in a number of ways, including: identifying fire fighters at risk of cardiac distress during physical labour and educating them about the early warning signs; advocating regular exercise; discouraging smoking; and promoting the benefits of maintaining fluid, carbohydrate, and electrolyte levels during a shift.
Aisbett
Brad
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Department of Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Victoria. baisbett@unimelb.edu.au
Phillips
Matthew
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Sargeant
Michael
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Gilbert
Barry
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Nichols
David
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D001315:Australia; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D005390:Fires; D006293:Health Promotion; D006304:Health Status; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016272:Occupational Health; D012307:Risk Factors; D012906:Smoke / Q000009:adverse effects; D015208:Smoke Inhalation Injury; D040241:Social Marketing
D012906:Smoke