Firefighter Overexertion: A Continuing Problem Found in an Analysis of Non-Fatal Injury Among Career Firefighters
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Data Sources and Setting
2.2. Classification of Injuries
2.3. Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Demographics
3.2. Frequency, Causal Factors/Exposures of Injuries
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Department Characteristics | FD1 (Western U.S.) | FD2 (Eastern U.S.) |
---|---|---|
Number of Stations | 33 | 35 |
Number of Personnel | ~750 sworn firefighters | ~1000 sworn firefighters |
Number of Calls per year | ~95,000 | ~100,000 |
Population Served | ~1.2 million | ~519,000 |
Square Miles Protected | 181 | 132 |
International Airport Protected? | Yes | Yes |
Causal Factor/Exposure | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Overexertion and bodily reaction | 494 | 54.1 |
Exposure to harmful substances or environments | 150 | 16.4 |
Contact with objects and equipment | 103 | 11.3 |
Falls, slips, and trips | 79 | 8.7 |
Violence and other injuries by persons or animals | 24 | 2.6 |
Transportation incidents | 23 | 2.5 |
Fires and explosions | 18 | 2.0 |
Other | 22 | 2.4 |
Injury Region | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Multiple body parts | 331 | 36.3 |
Upper extremities | 173 | 19.0 |
Body systems (i.e., circulatory, nervous, immune) | 121 | 13.2 |
Trunk | 120 | 13.1 |
Lower extremities | 103 | 11.3 |
Head | 24 | 2.6 |
Neck, including throat | 12 | 1.3 |
Other | 29 | 3.2 |
Causal Factor/Exposure, n (%) | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Contact with Objects and Equipment | Exposure to Harmful Substances or Environments | Falls, Slips, and Trips | Fires and Explosions | Overexertion and Bodily Reaction | Transportation Incidents | Violence and Other Injuries by Persons or Animals | Other | Total | |
Age Group | |||||||||
18–29 | 17/103 (16.5%) | 26/150 (17.3%) | 5/78 (6.4%) | 4/18 (22.2%) | 44/494 (8.9%) | 5/23 (21.7%) | 5/23 (21.7%) | 2/22 (9.1%) | 108/911 (11.9%) |
30–39 | 33/103 (32.1%) | 63/150 (42.0%) | 19/78 (24.4%) | 7/18 (38.9%) | 146/494 (29.6%) | 8/23 (34.9%) | 7/23 (30.5%) | 3/22 (13.6%) | 286/911 (31.4%) |
40–49 | 31/103 (30.1%) | 48/150 (32.0%) | 37/78 (47.4%) | 4/18 (22.2%) | 205/494 (41.5%) | 5/23 (21.7%) | 6/23 (26.1%) | 13/22 (59.1%) | 349/911 (38.3%) |
50–59 | 19/103 (18.4%) | 12/150 (8.0%) | 16/78 (20.5%) | 3/18(16.7%) | 82/494 (16.6%) | 5/23 (21.7%) | 4/23 (17.4%) | 3/22 (13.6%) | 144/911 (15.8%) |
60–64 | 1/103 (1.0%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3/494 (0.6%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4/911 (0.4%) |
65 and above | 2/103 (1.9%) | 1/150 (0.7%) | 1/78 (1.3%) | 0 | 14/494 (2.8%) | 0 | 1/23 (4.3%) | 1/22 (4.6%) | 20/911 (2.2%) |
Rank/Occupation | |||||||||
Firefighters | 68/103 (66.0%) | 119/150 (79.3%) | 52/79 (65.8%) | 15/18 (83.3%) | 349/493 (70.8%) | 12/23 (52.3%) | 11/23 (47.8%) | 10/22 (45.5%) | 636/911 (69.8%) |
Company officers | 23/103 (22.3%) | 28/150 (18.7%) | 17/79 (21.5%) | 2/18 (11.1%) | 108/493 (21.9%) | 5/23 (21.7%) | 8/23 (34.8%) | 4/22 (18.2%) | 195/911 (21.4%) |
Chiefs | 4/103 (3.9%) | 1/150 (0.7%) | 2/79 (2.5%) | 0 | 20/493 (4.1%) | 3/23 (13.0%) | 0 | 1/22 (4.5%) | 31/911 (3.4%) |
Other | 8/103 (7.8%) | 2/150 (1.3%) | 8/79 (10.2%) | 1/18 (5.6%) | 16/493 (3.2%) | 3/23 (13.0%) | 4/23 (17.4%) | 7/22 (31.8%) | 49/911(5.4%) |
Injury Region | |||||||||
Head | 9/103 (8.8%) | 4/150 (2.7%) | 0 | 5/18 (27.7%) | 3/494 (0.6%) | 1/23 (4.8%) | 0 | 2/22 (9.1%) | 24/913 (2.6%) |
Neck | 2/103 (1.9%) | 0 | 0 | 1/18 (5.6%) | 4/494 (0.8%) | 5/23 (23.8%) | 0 | 0 | 12/913 (1.3%) |
Trunk | 6/103 (5.8%) | 0 | 4/79 (5.1%) | 1/18 (5.6%) | 105/494 (21.3%) | 2/23 (9.5%) | 1/24 (4.2%) | 1/22 (4.5%) | 120/913 (13.2%) |
Upper extremities | 23/103 (22.3%) | 2/150 (1.3%) | 3/79 (3.8%) | 0 | 142/494 (28.7%) | 1/23 (4.8%) | 2/24 (8.3%) | 0 | 173/913 (18.9%) |
Lower extremities | 10/103 (9.7%) | 1/150 (0.7%) | 15/79 (18.9%) | 0 | 71/494 (14.4%) | 5/23(14.3%) | 1/24 (4.2%) | 0 | 103/913 (11.3%) |
Body systems | 3/103 (2.9%) | 82/150 (54.7%) | 0 | 2/18 (11.1%) | 13/494 (2.6%) | 1/23 (4.8%) | 17/24 (70.8%) | 3/22 (13.6%) | 121/913 (13.2%) |
Multiple parts | 50/103 (48.6%) | 44/150 (29.3%) | 56/79 (70.9%) | 9/18 (50.0%) | 147/494 (29.8%) | 6/23 (28.5%) | 3/24 (12.5%) | 16/22 (72.8%) | 331/913 (36.3%) |
Other | 0 | 17/150 (11.3%) | 1/79 (1.3%) | 0 | 9/494 (1.8%) | 2/23 (9.5%) | 0 | 0 | 29/913 (3.2%) |
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B. Le, A.; McNulty, L.A.; Dyal, M.-A.; DeJoy, D.M.; Smith, T.D. Firefighter Overexertion: A Continuing Problem Found in an Analysis of Non-Fatal Injury Among Career Firefighters. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 7906. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17217906
B. Le A, McNulty LA, Dyal M-A, DeJoy DM, Smith TD. Firefighter Overexertion: A Continuing Problem Found in an Analysis of Non-Fatal Injury Among Career Firefighters. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17(21):7906. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17217906
Chicago/Turabian StyleB. Le, Aurora, Lily A. McNulty, Mari-Amanda Dyal, David M. DeJoy, and Todd D. Smith. 2020. "Firefighter Overexertion: A Continuing Problem Found in an Analysis of Non-Fatal Injury Among Career Firefighters" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 21: 7906. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17217906
APA StyleB. Le, A., McNulty, L. A., Dyal, M.-A., DeJoy, D. M., & Smith, T. D. (2020). Firefighter Overexertion: A Continuing Problem Found in an Analysis of Non-Fatal Injury Among Career Firefighters. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(21), 7906. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17217906