(44) DOES EXPERIENCE EQUAL EFFICIENCY? COMPARING EXPERIENCED FIREFIGHTERS TO THEIR O2 USE, TIMES, AND HEART RATE IN A SIMULATION FIRE FIGHTING COURSE.

Monitoring of fitness for fire athletes helps protect them from strain and identifies areas for improvement during shift work. After two preliminary tests were conducted on firefighter athletes, testing in full firefighter gear was needed to determine how physical demands impact oxygen consumption. Older firefighters suggested that a skill important to effective response was becoming efficient in using the oxygen supplied by the tanks they wear. 

Purpose: The purpose was to assess how performance and oxygen use in a simulated obstacle course were related to experience, baseline cardiovascular, and maximal heart rate recordings for firefighters.     

Methods: Forty-one firefighting athletes participated in the assessment. They were equipped in full firefighting gear and then completed a simulated firefighter obstacle course. The course consisted of two 4 flight stair climbs with a 50-pound vest while carrying a rolled hose, a ladder raise, a 75-pound rope and sled drag station (15 feet), a hose drag and knee pull, a tire and sledge hammer (20 feet), a 165-pound dummy drag (around a barrel (25 feet)), an equipment carry (25 feet), and then a walk to the finish. Measurements included resting heart rate, blood pressure, maximal heart rate, course time, and oxygen use based on oxygen tank readings pre and post-course.

Results: When comparing experience and oxygen use, a significant negative correlation was evident (r = -0.33, p< 0.01). To a lesser degree, this trend was observed with completion time (r = -0.25, p < 0.05). Maximal heart rate was positively correlated to oxygen use (r = 0.34, p < 0.01). Finally, a higher resting heart rate was positively associated with worse course completion times. 

Conclusions: Experienced firefighters were observed to be more efficient with their oxygen use compared to their less experienced counterparts. Despite readings of higher heart rates and oxygen use, the study noted that obstacle course times also favored the more experienced fire athletes. It could be that experience helps firefighters learn to regulate oxygen use in the face of strain.   
Practical Applications: Self regulate breathing while in full gear remains a skill that favors the more experienced athletes. It is possible that training and mentorship are needed to learn efficiency with oxygen use. raining. It was further identified that the fire athletes may need mental health support for coping with multiple emergency exposures.  Further research is needed to assist the skill development of efficient oxygen use during stressful emergency responses.  

Acknowledgements: None