The effect of practical cooling strategies on physiological response and cognitive function during simulated firefighting tasks.
Background:Firefighters often perform multiple tasks during firefighting operations under unknown and unpredictable conditions in hot and hostile environments.Methods:In this interventional study each firefighters engaged in 4 conditions: namely (1) no cooling device; control (NC), (2) cooling gel (CG), (3) cool vest (CV), and (4) CG+CV. Cooling effects of the employed interventions were evaluated based on heart rate (HR), temporal temperature (TT), reaction time (RT), and the correct response (CR).Results:HR and TT values for use of CG+CV (147.47 bpm [SD 4.8]; 37.88°C [SD 0.20]) and CV bpm (147.53 [SD 4.67]; 37.90°C [SD 0.22]) were significantly lower than the CG (153.67 bpm [SD 4.82]; 38.10°C [SD 0.22]) and NC (154.4 bpm [SD 4.91]; 38.11°C [SD 0.23]) at the end of the activity. RT and CR for use of CG + CV (389.87 ms [SD 6.12]; 143.53 [SD 1.24]) and CV (389.53 ms [SD 6.24]; 143.47 [SD 1.18]) were significantly higher than the CG (385.73 [SD 7.25] ms; 143.07 [SD 0.88]) and NC (385.67 ms [SD 7.19]; 143.00 [SD 0.84]) at the end of the activity.Conclusion:It is concluded that CV was more effective than the CG in attenuating physiological responses and cognitive functions during firefighting operations. Furthermore, combining CV with CG provides no additional benefit.
Department of Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
Rasoul
R
Hemmatjo
Department of Ergonomics, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
Majid
M
Motamedzade
Department of Occupational Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
Mohsen
M
Aliabadi
Department of Occupational Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
Omid
O
Kalatpour
Department of Biostatistics, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
Maryam
M
Farhadian
cognitive function; cooling strategies; firefighting; physiological responses; smoke-diving