Impact Of Thermal Stress on The Efficiency and Safety of Firefighters During the Use of Fire Suits

Abstract

Heat stress represents one of the main threats to firefighters’ safety and operational efficiency during fire interventions. Protective suits are, on the one hand, necessary to prevent burns and exposure to toxic chemical materials, but this limits the body’s ability to dissipate its heat, resulting in a risk of hyperthermia and impaired physical and cognitive performance. Heat accumulation reduces endurance, impairs motor coordination, and affects decision-making, all of which are important in emergency situations. Physiologically, heat stress can lead to dehydration, fatigue, and even heat stroke, which increases the risk of injury or accidents. Furthermore, such effects worsen with adverse environmental conditions such as high temperatures and humidity. To mitigate these risks, suits with good ventilation capacity, controlled thermal recovery breaks, and adequate hydration should be employed. According to recent studies, the application of cooling vests and garments on suits would improve firefighters’ thermal regulation and task performance. In addition to these results, others provide evidence that training at high temperatures can lead to better tolerance and adaptation to stress. thermal. Ultimately, solving this challenge will require a comprehensive strategy that encompasses technology, operations and human factors to maximize the safety and performance of firefighters working in high thermal exposure environments.