title: Development of role-related minimum cardiorespiratory fitness standards for firefighters and commanders.
abstract: A minimum cardiorespiratory fitness standard was derived for firefighters following a metabolic demands analysis. Design and minimal acceptable performance of generic firefighting task simulations (i.e. hose running, casualty evacuation, stair climb, equipment carry, wild-land fire) were endorsed by a panel of operationally experienced experts. Sixty-two UK firefighters completed these tasks wearing a standard protective firefighting ensemble while being monitored for peak steady-state metabolic demand and cardiovascular strain. Four tasks, endorsed as valid operational simulations by ≥90% of participants (excluding wild-land fire; 84%), were deemed to be a sufficiently valid and reliable basis for a fitness standard. These tasks elicited an average peak steady-state metabolic cost of 38.1 ± 7.8 ml kg-1min-1. It is estimated that healthy adults can sustain the total duration of these tasks (~16 min) at ≤90% maximum oxygen uptake and a cardiorespiratory fitness standard of ≥42.3 ml kg-1min-1would be required to sustain work. Practitioner Summary: A cardiorespiratory fitness standard for firefighters of ≥42.3 ml kg-1min-1was derived from monitoring minimum acceptable performance of essential tasks. This study supports the implementation of a routine assessment of this fitness standard for all UK operational firefighters, to ensure safe physical preparedness for occupational performance.
authors: a Department for Health , University of Bath , Bath , UK.
authors: A G
authors: AG
authors: Siddall
authors: a Department for Health , University of Bath , Bath , UK.|b Occupational Health Services , South Wales Fire & Rescue Service , Cardiff , Wales, UK.
authors: R D M
authors: RD
authors: Stevenson
authors: a Department for Health , University of Bath , Bath , UK.|c Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service , Preston , UK.
authors: P F J
authors: PF
authors: Turner
authors: a Department for Health , University of Bath , Bath , UK.
authors: K A
authors: KA
authors: Stokes
authors: a Department for Health , University of Bath , Bath , UK.
authors: J L J
authors: JL
authors: Bilzon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000886:Anthropometry; D000072599:Cardiorespiratory Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D061388:Firefighters; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D006113:United Kingdom; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Physical demands analysis; firefighting; metabolic cost; oxygen uptake; physical employment standards; role-related fitness