Technological strategies for the prevention of psychosocial risks in fire departments

stress, fatigue and burnout syndrome.

Abstract

This research analyzes the psychosocial risks affecting firefighters and evaluates how technological strategies can contribute to their prevention. Using a mixed-methods approach that includes surveys, interviews, and document review, it is evident that long workdays, constant exposure to emergencies, and a lack of institutional protocols generate significant psychological strain on operational personnel. These findings align with international literature, which describes this problem as structural in first responder professions. The study identifies that firefighters show a high willingness to use self-care technologies, while institutions still face limitations in their implementation due to budget constraints, insufficient digital training, and resistance to change. Despite this, the research demonstrates that tools such as wearables, mobile applications for emotional management, digital platforms for psychological support, artificial intelligence-based systems, and virtual reality simulators represent effective alternatives for monitoring well-being, anticipating risks, and improving emotional resilience. From a theoretical perspective, the demand, control, support, effort, reward, and resource conservation models allow us to understand how organizational factors influence the emergence of stress and burnout. Based on this, it is concluded that technology should not be seen as a substitute for human intervention, but rather as a complementary resource that, integrated with sound institutional policies, can strengthen the mental health of staff.