title: Physiological and psychological responses in Fire Instructors to heat exposures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Fire Service Instructors (FSI) are exposed to many repeated periods of high environmental temperatures when training firefighters. Such repeated exposures will impose significant strains on the function of instructors. We aimed to measure the effects of a training programme including repeated exposures to heat, termed "Wears" in the fire service, on the physiological, psychological some immunological markers of Fire Service Instructors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six FSI and six physiologically matched controls completed blood and cardiovascular tests pre and post a 4wk heat instruction training block, controls completed the tests only. FSI were given a 7wk period of no heat exposure prior to starting the training. Physiological and perceptual measures were taken pre and post the first and last Wear of the 4wk training protocol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were acute effects of a Wear on core temperature and physiological strain index, as well as measures of fatigue. The acute exposure to heat during a Wear led to a consistent decrease in CRP (-10% to -40%), increased IL6 concentrations 33-45%) as well as increased RPE and TSS. Over the training programme significantly lower quantities of white cells, particularly neutrophils, leukocytes and monocytes were found in the FSI group. Between the start and the end of the 4 week training programme the FSI showed a significantly greater physiological strain index (PSI) to the Wears, which nearly doubled from 2.5 to 4.7 (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physiological and psychological measures indicate that FSI may be experiencing symptoms and changes to their health consistent with an overtraining type condition.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Sport and Exercise Science and Medicine (SESAME), Environmental Extremes Laboratory, University of Brighton, Hillbrow, Denton Road, Eastbourne BN20 7SR, UK.
authors.forename: Peter W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Watt
authors.affiliation: Centre for Sport and Exercise Science and Medicine (SESAME), Environmental Extremes Laboratory, University of Brighton, Hillbrow, Denton Road, Eastbourne BN20 7SR, UK.
authors.forename: Ashley G B
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Willmott
authors.affiliation: Centre for Sport and Exercise Science and Medicine (SESAME), Environmental Extremes Laboratory, University of Brighton, Hillbrow, Denton Road, Eastbourne BN20 7SR, UK.
authors.forename: Neil S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Maxwell
authors.affiliation: Centre for Sport and Exercise Science and Medicine (SESAME), Environmental Extremes Laboratory, University of Brighton, Hillbrow, Denton Road, Eastbourne BN20 7SR, UK.
authors.forename: Nicholas J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Smeeton
authors.affiliation: Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Eleanor
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Watt
authors.affiliation: Centre for Sport and Exercise Science and Medicine (SESAME), Environmental Extremes Laboratory, University of Brighton, Hillbrow, Denton Road, Eastbourne BN20 7SR, UK. Electronic address: A.J.Richardson@brighton.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Alan J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Richardson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D061388:Firefighters / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology*; D005390:Fires; D006339:Heart Rate; D018869:Heat-Shock Response; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D002097:C-Reactive Protein
keywords: Heat exposure; Immune function; Inflammation, Fire service; Overtraining