This study tested a chain mediation model on whether hopelessness and nostalgia play a mediating role in psychache and suicidal ideation of firefighters.A total of 652 firefighters participated in the survey(male=94.9...This study tested a chain mediation model on whether hopelessness and nostalgia play a mediating role in psychache and suicidal ideation of firefighters.A total of 652 firefighters participated in the survey(male=94.94%;mean age=23.71 years,SD=4.18 years).The firefighters completed the Chinese Revised Psychache Scale(PAS),Beck Hopelessness Scale(BHS),Southampton Nostalgia Scale(SNS),and Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale(CSSRS).The path analysis results indicated that psychache positively predicted suicidal ideation.Hopelessness plays a significant mediating role between psychache and suicidal ideation further strengthening this relationship.In contrast,nostalgia mediates and weakened the relationship between psychache and suicidal ideation.Hopelessness and nostalgia jointly constructed a chain mediating effect between psychache and suicidal ideation,for higher suicidal ideation with higher hopelessness and lower nostalgia.The findings align with the Three-Step Theory of Suicide,which proposes that suicidal ideation results from the combination of pain and hopelessness and that connectedness is a key protective factor against escalating ideation.Therefore,interventions to reduce suicidal ideation in firefighters should aim to enhance their nostalgia,while reducing sense of hopelessness.展开更多
Background:Community-based first responders face high levels of workplace stressors that can pro-foundly impact their physical and mental health.Mindfulness-based interventions have shown promise in decreasing stress ...Background:Community-based first responders face high levels of workplace stressors that can pro-foundly impact their physical and mental health.Mindfulness-based interventions have shown promise in decreasing stress and increasing psychological resilience;however,implementation is difficult due to unpredictability of the job,department culture,and generational preferences.The objective of this qualitative study was to identify and enhance understanding of the specific needs and potential barriers and facilitators for the implementation of mindfulness-based programming for community-based first responders.Methods:A phenomenological qualitative study design was used to gain insights into the lived experiences of first responders and elicit perceptions regarding barriers and facilitators for engaging in mindfulness activities.During virtual semi-structured interviews,eleven career firefighters and emergency medical service(EMS)providers offered feedback relative to worksite mindfulness practices,and the use of a stress reduction smartphone application.The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research was used to guide the analysis relative to barriers and facilitators of implementation success and sustainability.Results:First responders expressed openness to mindfulness-based interventions and a smartphone app that would provide stress reduction content,however,they were adamant that programming needed to be accessible and easily integrated into their workday.They also reinforced that organizational culture and leadership support for their health and well-being were overarching factors essential for implementation success.Conclusions:First responders were supportive of evidence-based mindfulness practices,optimally developed and/or facilitated by someone with intimate knowledge of their unique work environments and challenges.Organizational culture and leadership support were essential for implementation success and sustainability.展开更多
During the rapid spread of COVID-19,first responders are at risk of being exposed to COVID-19 due to their role in providing first aid and responding to an unspecified number of people.This uncertainty can have advers...During the rapid spread of COVID-19,first responders are at risk of being exposed to COVID-19 due to their role in providing first aid and responding to an unspecified number of people.This uncertainty can have adverse mental health effects,such as increased anxiety and fear.This study aimed to investigate the degree of association between fear of COVID-19,obsession with COVID-19,and post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD)in emergency rescue firefighters.The participants were 150 emergency rescue firefighters working in Region S,Korea.They filled out self-report questionnaires:The data obtained through the Fear of COVID-19 Scale,Obsession with COVID-19 Scale,and Impact of Event Scale-Revised Korean version were subjected to nonparametric statistical analysis using SPSS WIN 25.0.The study found a significant correlation between emergency rescue firefighters’fear of COVID-19,obsession with COVID-19,and PTSD.Fear and obsession with COVID-19 were higher among first responder firefighters who were directly involved in COVID-19-related tasks.Furthermore,a one-point increase in obsession was associated with a 2.837-point increase in PTSD.Based on the results,we found that there is a need for effective control of obsessions and fears among first responder firefighters during COVID-19,and we suggest that there is a need for mental health care for first responder firefighters during the pandemic through the development and support of programs to prevent and mitigate obsessions.展开更多
This paper is to report a prediction model for thermal protective performance of multilayer fabrics based on Matlab neural network toolbox. Then a back propagation (BP) neural network model is developed to predict the...This paper is to report a prediction model for thermal protective performance of multilayer fabrics based on Matlab neural network toolbox. Then a back propagation (BP) neural network model is developed to predict thermal protective performance of multilayer fabrics for firefighters. The network consists of twelve input nodes, six hidden nodes, and one output node. The inputs are weight, thickness, density of warp and weft, limited oxygen index (LOI), and heat conductivity of each-layer fabric. Thermal protective performance (TPP) rating of multilayer fabrics is the output. In this paper, the data from the experiments are used as learning information for the neural network to develop a reliable prediction model. Finnally the model performance is verified, and the proposed model can be applied to predict the thermal protective performance of multilayer fabrics for firefighters.展开更多
Objective: The purpose of the investigation is to examine urinary biomarkers of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure among firefighters and asphalt workers. Methods: Average concentrations of urinary PAHs we...Objective: The purpose of the investigation is to examine urinary biomarkers of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure among firefighters and asphalt workers. Methods: Average concentrations of urinary PAHs were used for comparative analysis between groups of firefighters and asphalt pavers. Microsoft Excel was used to perform calculations and the t-test was utilized for statistical analysis. Results: When compared to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standard for smokers and non-smokers, firefighters demonstrated various statistically significant differences in urinary PAH concentrations. Asphalt workers had statistically significant higher urinary concentrations in three PAHs as compared to the NIST smoker mean. Conclusions: Firefighters did not demonstrate a substantial change in urinary PAH metabolite levels when compared to controls. Asphalt pavers experienced concentrations that were in some cases increased by orders of magnitude compared to controls.展开更多
To date, few studies have investigated the impact of organizational factors such as organizational status or the rank of firefighters on the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following a terrorist at...To date, few studies have investigated the impact of organizational factors such as organizational status or the rank of firefighters on the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following a terrorist attack. To fill this gap in the scientific literature, this field study aimed to investigate the consequences of terrorist attacks on firefighters’ psychological health in terms of PTSD. Data were collected in France following two terrorist attacks. PTSD was assessed with the PCL-S (DSM-IV) 3 to 6 months after the events. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) with existing PTSD models were inconclusive, leading us to find a two-factor model via an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). A cluster analysis showed different symptom profiles that were influenced by the exposure level. Elements for a structural model explaining PTSD symptoms are proposed and suggest a central role of the exposure level. Firefighters I/II represented an at-risk sub-population, suggesting that PTSD was mainly experienced among those who performed tasks not common to their occupation.展开更多
Aim: This study aimed to assess the quality of the psychological experience of mobile emergency teams, in particular firefighters (FF) in Togo and to identify the psychotraumatic interventions (PI) they face. Method: ...Aim: This study aimed to assess the quality of the psychological experience of mobile emergency teams, in particular firefighters (FF) in Togo and to identify the psychotraumatic interventions (PI) they face. Method: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive, statistical analysis and discourse content analysis study on the PIs of the Lomé FFs. Results: PIs were found to be: road accidents;defenestrations;self-immolation murders;bloody and non-bloody suicides;well interventions with or without drowning;extensive burns;and paediatric procedures. Adults aged 25 to 45 were at a percentage of 69.1% and with a sex ratio of 7.1. More than half of the respondents (53%) had PTSD. Conclusion: More than half of the respondents had PTSD, however, coping strategies were not explored, suggesting the need for further research.展开更多
Faced with the rupture of the Vale S.A.tailings dam that hit the city of Brumadinho(MG),the article sought to better understand the organisation of work of military firefighters who participated in the search and resc...Faced with the rupture of the Vale S.A.tailings dam that hit the city of Brumadinho(MG),the article sought to better understand the organisation of work of military firefighters who participated in the search and rescue operation and the relationship between work and health present in this scenario.This is qualitative research with a focus on the subjective production of the speeches of seven firefighters who were interviewed individually with a semi-structured script,using as a basis of analysis the ergological perspective and the productions of the psychodynamics of work.The firefighters experienced a scenario with risks of injury,contamination,and even death.In the interviews,they showed that the more than twelve hours of work were responsible for sleep problems during and after the performance,as well as the food provided and the lack of time for physical exercise proved to be aggravating factors for their health.Working in the tailing’s mud combined the development of musculoskeletal problems and anxiety,due to the possibility of contamination by metals present in the mud.The work relationships show a high degree of trust and recognition between the firefighters and the affected population,which helped in the motivation and continuation of the operation until the present moment.The work in this operation that gained national prominence was responsible for the feeling of pride and for feeling more capable and prepared to act in other disasters.This research is expected to broaden the discussion about the work-health relationship of military firefighters exposed to disasters,as well as serve as a subsidy to encourage the creation of public policies focused on the health of these workers.展开更多
Background Virtual reality(VR)applications can be used to provide comprehensive training scenarios that are difficult or impossible to represent in physical configurations.This includes team training for emergency ser...Background Virtual reality(VR)applications can be used to provide comprehensive training scenarios that are difficult or impossible to represent in physical configurations.This includes team training for emergency services such as firefighting.Creating a high level of immersion is essential for achieving effective virtual training.In this respect,motion-capture systems offer the possibility of creating highly immersive multi-user training experiences,including full-body avatars.Methods This study presents a preliminary prototype that helps extin-guish a virtual fire on a container ship as a VR training scenario.The prototype provides a full-body and multi-user VR experience based on the synthesis of position data provided by the motion-capture system and orientation data from the VR headsets.Moreover,the prototype facilitates an initial evaluation of the results.Results The results confirm the value of using VR for training procedures that are difficult to implement in the real world.Furthermore,the results show that motion-capture-based VR technologies are particularly useful for firefighting training,in which participants can collaborate in difficult-to-access environments.However,this study also indicates that increasing the immersion in such training remains a challenge.Conclusions This study presents a prototypical VR application that enables the multi-user training of maritime firefighters.Future research should evaluate the initial results,provide more extensive training scenarios,and measure the training progress.展开更多
Firefighters respond to various types of emergencies in the emergency ser-vices,including incidents involving hazardous materials.Four levels of chem-ical protective suits are identified by the Environmental Protectio...Firefighters respond to various types of emergencies in the emergency ser-vices,including incidents involving hazardous materials.Four levels of chem-ical protective suits are identified by the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA):Level A is a fully encapsulating suit that envelops both the wearer and the breathing apparatus.Level B can be encapsulating or non-encapsulating.Level C is a coverall with a canister respiratory device,and Level D is the nor-mal work uniform.Level A and Level B generate high temperatures.Prolonged exposure causes some firefighters to suffer heat exhaustion,heat stress,heat cramps,heat stroke,and heart attack.The study aimed to investigate the chal-lenges of using chemical protective suits among firefighters in the City of Jo-hannesburg in South Africa.The study simulated a spillage incident with 30 subjects to measure the temperature generated by Level A and B suits while performing three hazardous materials operational activities:damming,dyk-ing,and diverting.Screening of vital signs was implemented using BP and pulse machine,thermometer and Glasgow coma scale before and after exer-cises.Questionnaires were distributed to the fire personnel within the region on the current practice of the chemical suit’s use.The results show elevated temperatures,which increase the risk of subjects while wearing Level A suits compared to those wearing Level B suits,which generate less.The results were analysed and interpreted using Cronbach and Pearson test tools to provide a solution to the identified problems.Short-term exposure reduces the risk to subjects.However,this requires more resources.展开更多
Firefighters rely on their protective gear for thermal insulation during fires. This study evaluated the flame resistance of firefighter PPE, including helmets, turnout gear, and gloves, under extreme conditions. Resu...Firefighters rely on their protective gear for thermal insulation during fires. This study evaluated the flame resistance of firefighter PPE, including helmets, turnout gear, and gloves, under extreme conditions. Results showed excellent performance of the F1 helmet but identified areas for improvement in gloves and turnout gear. The study provides insights into the heat transfer properties of different PPE components and offers recommendations for enhancing firefighter safety.展开更多
真正的英雄并非完美无缺,而是为公众利益行动。1 History shows us that the term“hero”did not always carry the same meanings it does now.Over centuries,society gradually associated heroism with moral excellence and sacri...真正的英雄并非完美无缺,而是为公众利益行动。1 History shows us that the term“hero”did not always carry the same meanings it does now.Over centuries,society gradually associated heroism with moral excellence and sacrifice(牺牲)rather than supernatural power or physical might.Nowadays,the media often refer to firefighters and healthcare workers as“heroes”.Their devotion,hard work,and genuine selflessness often earn them that label.展开更多
The Firefighter Problem on a graph can be viewed as a simplified model of the spread of contagion,fire,rumor,computer virus,etc.The fire breaks out at one or more vertices in a graph at the first round,and the firefig...The Firefighter Problem on a graph can be viewed as a simplified model of the spread of contagion,fire,rumor,computer virus,etc.The fire breaks out at one or more vertices in a graph at the first round,and the firefighter chooses some vertices to protect.The fire spreads to all non-protected neighbors at the beginning of each time-step.The process stops when the fire can no longer spread.The Firefighter Problem has attracted considerable attention since it was introduced in 1995.In this paper we provide a survey on recent research progress of this field,including algorithms and complexity,Firefighter Problem for special graphs(finite and infinite)and digraphs,surviving rate and burning number of graphs.We also collect some open problems and possible research subjects.展开更多
Purpose:Firefighters are exposed to high levels of occupational risk factors,such as safety risks,chemical,ergonomic,and physical hazards that may jeopardize their lives.To overcome these hazards,firefighters must be ...Purpose:Firefighters are exposed to high levels of occupational risk factors,such as safety risks,chemical,ergonomic,and physical hazards that may jeopardize their lives.To overcome these hazards,firefighters must be physically,mentally,and personally fit to work.This study aimed to explore the criteria and factors affecting firefighters'resilience based on stakeholders’experiences.Methods:This qualitative study was carried out using conventional content analysis.In total,21 face-to-face interviews were conducted by firefighters who were experienced in the field.The interviews were carried out from July 2019 to January 2020.The data were collected using 3 unstructured interviews and then resumed by 18 semi-structured interviews.Data analysis was done using Graneheim method.Results:The participants had more than 5 years of experience in the field of search and rescue.The extracted codes through data analysis were classified into 3 main categories(individual,organizational,and social factors),9 sub-categories(mental,physical,occupational,managerial,colleagues-related,equipment-related,environmental,community-related,and family-related factors),as well as 19 sub-sub-categories and 570 codes.Conclusion:Firefighters'personality,physical condition,behavior and psychological characteristics can affect their resilience along with organizational and management factors that play significant role in people's safety.Developing a tool for assessing resilience can help decision makers to have a real depict of firefighters'job qualifications.展开更多
Effective wildland fire management requires real-time access to comprehensive and distilled information from different data sources.The Digital Twin technology becomes a promising tool in optimizing the processes of w...Effective wildland fire management requires real-time access to comprehensive and distilled information from different data sources.The Digital Twin technology becomes a promising tool in optimizing the processes of wildfire pre-vention,monitoring,disaster response,and post-fire recovery.This review examines the potential utility of Digital Twin in wildfire management and aims to inspire further exploration and experimentation by researchers and practitioners in the fields of environment,forestry,fire ecology,and firefighting services.By creating virtual replicas of wildfire in the physical world,a Digital Twin platform facilitates data integration from multiple sources,such as remote sensing,weather forecast-ing,and ground-based sensors,providing a holistic view of emergency response and decision-making.Furthermore,Digital Twin can support simulation-based training and scenario testing for prescribed fire planning and firefighting to improve preparedness and response to evacuation and rescue.Successful applications of Digital Twin in wildfire management require horizontal collaboration among researchers,practitioners,and stakeholders,as well as enhanced resource sharing and data exchange.This review seeks a deeper understanding of future wildland fire management from a technological perspective and inspiration of future research and implementation.Further research should focus on refining and validating Digital Twin models and the integration into existing fire management operations,and then demonstrating them in real wildland fires.展开更多
Enhancing the firefighting protective clothing with exceptional thermal barrier and temperature sensing functions to ensure high fire safety for firefighters has long been anticipated,but it remains a major challenge....Enhancing the firefighting protective clothing with exceptional thermal barrier and temperature sensing functions to ensure high fire safety for firefighters has long been anticipated,but it remains a major challenge.Herein,inspired by the human muscle,an anisotropic fire safety aerogel(ACMCA)with precise self-actuated temperature monitoring performance is developed by combining aramid nanofibers with eicosane/MXene to form an anisotropically oriented conductive network.By combining the two synergies of the negative temperaturedependent thermal conductive eicosane,which induces a high-temperature differential,and directionally ordered MXene that establishes a conductive network along the directional freezing direction.The resultant ACMCA exhibited remarkable thermoelectric properties,with S values reaching 46.78μV K^(−1)andκvalues as low as 0.048 W m^(−1)K^(−1)at room temperature.Moreover,the prepared anisotropic aerogel ACMCA exhibited electrical responsiveness to temperature variations,facilitating its application in intelligent temperature monitoring systems.The designed anisotropic aerogel ACMCA could be incorporated into the firefighting clothing as a thermal barrier layer,demonstrating a wide temperature sensing range(50-400℃)and a rapid response time for early high-temperature alerts(~1.43 s).This work provides novel insights into the design and application of temperature-sensitive anisotropic aramid nanofibers aerogel in firefighting clothing.展开更多
Forest fires pose a significant threat to human life and property,so the utilization of unmanned aircraft systems provides new ways for forest firefighting.Given the constrained load capacities of these aircraft,aeria...Forest fires pose a significant threat to human life and property,so the utilization of unmanned aircraft systems provides new ways for forest firefighting.Given the constrained load capacities of these aircraft,aerial refueling becomes crucial to extend their operational time and range.In order to address the complexities of firefighting missions involving multi-receiver and multi-tanker deployed from various airports,first,a fuel consumption calculation model for aerial refueling scheduling is established based on the receiver path.Then,two distinct methods,including an integrated one and a decomposed one,are designed to address the challenges of establishing refueling airspace and allocating tasks for tankers.Both methods aim to optimize total fuel consumption of the receivers and tankers within the aerial refueling scheduling framework.The optimization problem is established as nonlinear optimization models along with restrictions.The integrated method seamlessly combines refueling rendezvous point scheduling and tanker task allocation into unified process.It has a complete solution space and excels in optimizing total fuel consumption.The decomposed method,through the separation of rendezvous point scheduling and task allocation,achieves a reduced computational complexity.However,this comes at the cost of sacrificing optimality by excluding specific feasible solutions.Finally,numerical simulations are carried out to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed methods.These simulations yield insights crucial for the practical engineering application of both the integrated and decomposed methods in real-world scenarios.This comprehensive approach aims to enhance the efficiency of forest firefighting operations,mitigating the risks posed by forest fires to human life and property.展开更多
Firefighters’low back disorders(LBDs)are closely related to excessive spine loading when using the self-contained breathing apparatus(SCBA)continuously.The purpose of this study was to quantify firefighters’spine lo...Firefighters’low back disorders(LBDs)are closely related to excessive spine loading when using the self-contained breathing apparatus(SCBA)continuously.The purpose of this study was to quantify firefighters’spine loading and evaluate the effects of strap lengths of SCBA on altering spine loading.Computer-based musculoskeletal models of three varying-strapped SCBA conditions and a control condition(CC)with no SCBA equipped were developed.The model was driven using three-dimensional(3 D)inertial motion capture data from twelve male subjects performing a walking task and the predicted ground reaction force(GRF).Electromyography(EMG)activities were also recorded to validate the results from the model.The 4 th-5 th lumbar vertebra(L4/L5)joint reaction forces,as well as erector spinae and rectus abdominis forces,were finally obtained.Results demonstrated that carrying SCBA significantly increased the compressive force and anteroposterior shear force at the spine.The risk of potential LBDs increased by about 17.77%.Dynamic balance of erector spinae and rectus abdominis contraction was also disturbed when carrying SCBA,indicating a higher risk of spine muscle strain.Adjustment of SCBA strap length was an efficient method to influence spine loading.The medium-fitting strap(MS)with a length of around 101 cm generated minimum joint reaction forces and achieved the optimum dynamic balance of spine muscle contraction,which was recommended for firefighters.展开更多
Coalfield fires are considered a global crisis that contributes significantly to environmental destruction and loss of coal resources and poses a serious threat to human safety and health. In this paper, research rela...Coalfield fires are considered a global crisis that contributes significantly to environmental destruction and loss of coal resources and poses a serious threat to human safety and health. In this paper, research related to the initiation, development, and evolution of coalfield fires is reviewed. The existing detection and control techniques of coalfield fires are also reviewed. Traditional firefighting is associated with waste of resources, potential risks of recrudescence, potential safety hazards, extensive and expensive engineering works, and power shortages. Recently,coalfield fires have been recognized as having significant potential for energy conservation and heat energy recovery. Thermoelectric power generation is regarded as a suitable technology for the utilization of heat from coalfield fires. The extraction of heat from coalfield fires can also control coalfield fires and prevent reignition leading to combustion. Technologies for absorbing heat from burning coal and overlying rocks are also analyzed. In addition, the control mode of "three-region linkage" is proposed to improve firefighting efficiency. Integrating heat energy recovery with firefighting is an innovative method to control coalfield fires.展开更多
Fluorosurfactants are the key ingredients in the formulations of aqueous film-forming foams(AFFFs)for extinguishing flammable liquids,thus developing high-efficient and low-toxic fluorosurfactants is desirable in AFFF...Fluorosurfactants are the key ingredients in the formulations of aqueous film-forming foams(AFFFs)for extinguishing flammable liquids,thus developing high-efficient and low-toxic fluorosurfactants is desirable in AFFFs application.Herein,a series of hyperbranched polymeric fluorosu rfactants(HPFs)were successfully synthesized through sequentially modifying hyperbranched polyethylenimine(PEI)with the hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG)chains and the hydrophobic C6/C4-based perfluoroalkyl chains,which were verified by FTIR,^(1)H-and^(19)F-NMR.The surface tensions of all the HPFs in water were measured,and the corresponding physicochemical parameters were interpreted.It was found that the surface activities of HPFs could be tuned through adjusting the ratio of PEG to perfluoroalkyl chains,the length of perfluoroalkyl chains,the molecular weight of PEI core,but not the PEG chain length.In the binary mixture of HPFs with the commercial small molecule fluorosurfactant Capstone^(TM)1157(C1157),a strong synergism led to the elevation of surface activity,which was attributed to the efficient encapsulation of C1157 vips by the compact hyperbranched HPFs as the hosts.The utilization of HPF/C1157 as fluorosurfactant ingredients in AFFF formulations could realize much higher fire-extinguishing efficiency towards flammable oils than the control AFFFs prepa red from the polymeric Capstone^(TM)1460 or the neat C1157.展开更多
文摘This study tested a chain mediation model on whether hopelessness and nostalgia play a mediating role in psychache and suicidal ideation of firefighters.A total of 652 firefighters participated in the survey(male=94.94%;mean age=23.71 years,SD=4.18 years).The firefighters completed the Chinese Revised Psychache Scale(PAS),Beck Hopelessness Scale(BHS),Southampton Nostalgia Scale(SNS),and Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale(CSSRS).The path analysis results indicated that psychache positively predicted suicidal ideation.Hopelessness plays a significant mediating role between psychache and suicidal ideation further strengthening this relationship.In contrast,nostalgia mediates and weakened the relationship between psychache and suicidal ideation.Hopelessness and nostalgia jointly constructed a chain mediating effect between psychache and suicidal ideation,for higher suicidal ideation with higher hopelessness and lower nostalgia.The findings align with the Three-Step Theory of Suicide,which proposes that suicidal ideation results from the combination of pain and hopelessness and that connectedness is a key protective factor against escalating ideation.Therefore,interventions to reduce suicidal ideation in firefighters should aim to enhance their nostalgia,while reducing sense of hopelessness.
文摘Background:Community-based first responders face high levels of workplace stressors that can pro-foundly impact their physical and mental health.Mindfulness-based interventions have shown promise in decreasing stress and increasing psychological resilience;however,implementation is difficult due to unpredictability of the job,department culture,and generational preferences.The objective of this qualitative study was to identify and enhance understanding of the specific needs and potential barriers and facilitators for the implementation of mindfulness-based programming for community-based first responders.Methods:A phenomenological qualitative study design was used to gain insights into the lived experiences of first responders and elicit perceptions regarding barriers and facilitators for engaging in mindfulness activities.During virtual semi-structured interviews,eleven career firefighters and emergency medical service(EMS)providers offered feedback relative to worksite mindfulness practices,and the use of a stress reduction smartphone application.The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research was used to guide the analysis relative to barriers and facilitators of implementation success and sustainability.Results:First responders expressed openness to mindfulness-based interventions and a smartphone app that would provide stress reduction content,however,they were adamant that programming needed to be accessible and easily integrated into their workday.They also reinforced that organizational culture and leadership support for their health and well-being were overarching factors essential for implementation success.Conclusions:First responders were supportive of evidence-based mindfulness practices,optimally developed and/or facilitated by someone with intimate knowledge of their unique work environments and challenges.Organizational culture and leadership support were essential for implementation success and sustainability.
基金the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF)grant funded by the Korea government(MSIP)(No.NRF-2020R1A2B5B0100208).
文摘During the rapid spread of COVID-19,first responders are at risk of being exposed to COVID-19 due to their role in providing first aid and responding to an unspecified number of people.This uncertainty can have adverse mental health effects,such as increased anxiety and fear.This study aimed to investigate the degree of association between fear of COVID-19,obsession with COVID-19,and post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD)in emergency rescue firefighters.The participants were 150 emergency rescue firefighters working in Region S,Korea.They filled out self-report questionnaires:The data obtained through the Fear of COVID-19 Scale,Obsession with COVID-19 Scale,and Impact of Event Scale-Revised Korean version were subjected to nonparametric statistical analysis using SPSS WIN 25.0.The study found a significant correlation between emergency rescue firefighters’fear of COVID-19,obsession with COVID-19,and PTSD.Fear and obsession with COVID-19 were higher among first responder firefighters who were directly involved in COVID-19-related tasks.Furthermore,a one-point increase in obsession was associated with a 2.837-point increase in PTSD.Based on the results,we found that there is a need for effective control of obsessions and fears among first responder firefighters during COVID-19,and we suggest that there is a need for mental health care for first responder firefighters during the pandemic through the development and support of programs to prevent and mitigate obsessions.
文摘This paper is to report a prediction model for thermal protective performance of multilayer fabrics based on Matlab neural network toolbox. Then a back propagation (BP) neural network model is developed to predict thermal protective performance of multilayer fabrics for firefighters. The network consists of twelve input nodes, six hidden nodes, and one output node. The inputs are weight, thickness, density of warp and weft, limited oxygen index (LOI), and heat conductivity of each-layer fabric. Thermal protective performance (TPP) rating of multilayer fabrics is the output. In this paper, the data from the experiments are used as learning information for the neural network to develop a reliable prediction model. Finnally the model performance is verified, and the proposed model can be applied to predict the thermal protective performance of multilayer fabrics for firefighters.
文摘Objective: The purpose of the investigation is to examine urinary biomarkers of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure among firefighters and asphalt workers. Methods: Average concentrations of urinary PAHs were used for comparative analysis between groups of firefighters and asphalt pavers. Microsoft Excel was used to perform calculations and the t-test was utilized for statistical analysis. Results: When compared to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standard for smokers and non-smokers, firefighters demonstrated various statistically significant differences in urinary PAH concentrations. Asphalt workers had statistically significant higher urinary concentrations in three PAHs as compared to the NIST smoker mean. Conclusions: Firefighters did not demonstrate a substantial change in urinary PAH metabolite levels when compared to controls. Asphalt pavers experienced concentrations that were in some cases increased by orders of magnitude compared to controls.
文摘To date, few studies have investigated the impact of organizational factors such as organizational status or the rank of firefighters on the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following a terrorist attack. To fill this gap in the scientific literature, this field study aimed to investigate the consequences of terrorist attacks on firefighters’ psychological health in terms of PTSD. Data were collected in France following two terrorist attacks. PTSD was assessed with the PCL-S (DSM-IV) 3 to 6 months after the events. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) with existing PTSD models were inconclusive, leading us to find a two-factor model via an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). A cluster analysis showed different symptom profiles that were influenced by the exposure level. Elements for a structural model explaining PTSD symptoms are proposed and suggest a central role of the exposure level. Firefighters I/II represented an at-risk sub-population, suggesting that PTSD was mainly experienced among those who performed tasks not common to their occupation.
文摘Aim: This study aimed to assess the quality of the psychological experience of mobile emergency teams, in particular firefighters (FF) in Togo and to identify the psychotraumatic interventions (PI) they face. Method: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive, statistical analysis and discourse content analysis study on the PIs of the Lomé FFs. Results: PIs were found to be: road accidents;defenestrations;self-immolation murders;bloody and non-bloody suicides;well interventions with or without drowning;extensive burns;and paediatric procedures. Adults aged 25 to 45 were at a percentage of 69.1% and with a sex ratio of 7.1. More than half of the respondents (53%) had PTSD. Conclusion: More than half of the respondents had PTSD, however, coping strategies were not explored, suggesting the need for further research.
文摘Faced with the rupture of the Vale S.A.tailings dam that hit the city of Brumadinho(MG),the article sought to better understand the organisation of work of military firefighters who participated in the search and rescue operation and the relationship between work and health present in this scenario.This is qualitative research with a focus on the subjective production of the speeches of seven firefighters who were interviewed individually with a semi-structured script,using as a basis of analysis the ergological perspective and the productions of the psychodynamics of work.The firefighters experienced a scenario with risks of injury,contamination,and even death.In the interviews,they showed that the more than twelve hours of work were responsible for sleep problems during and after the performance,as well as the food provided and the lack of time for physical exercise proved to be aggravating factors for their health.Working in the tailing’s mud combined the development of musculoskeletal problems and anxiety,due to the possibility of contamination by metals present in the mud.The work relationships show a high degree of trust and recognition between the firefighters and the affected population,which helped in the motivation and continuation of the operation until the present moment.The work in this operation that gained national prominence was responsible for the feeling of pride and for feeling more capable and prepared to act in other disasters.This research is expected to broaden the discussion about the work-health relationship of military firefighters exposed to disasters,as well as serve as a subsidy to encourage the creation of public policies focused on the health of these workers.
基金Supported by Authority for Science, Research and Equality of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg。
文摘Background Virtual reality(VR)applications can be used to provide comprehensive training scenarios that are difficult or impossible to represent in physical configurations.This includes team training for emergency services such as firefighting.Creating a high level of immersion is essential for achieving effective virtual training.In this respect,motion-capture systems offer the possibility of creating highly immersive multi-user training experiences,including full-body avatars.Methods This study presents a preliminary prototype that helps extin-guish a virtual fire on a container ship as a VR training scenario.The prototype provides a full-body and multi-user VR experience based on the synthesis of position data provided by the motion-capture system and orientation data from the VR headsets.Moreover,the prototype facilitates an initial evaluation of the results.Results The results confirm the value of using VR for training procedures that are difficult to implement in the real world.Furthermore,the results show that motion-capture-based VR technologies are particularly useful for firefighting training,in which participants can collaborate in difficult-to-access environments.However,this study also indicates that increasing the immersion in such training remains a challenge.Conclusions This study presents a prototypical VR application that enables the multi-user training of maritime firefighters.Future research should evaluate the initial results,provide more extensive training scenarios,and measure the training progress.
文摘Firefighters respond to various types of emergencies in the emergency ser-vices,including incidents involving hazardous materials.Four levels of chem-ical protective suits are identified by the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA):Level A is a fully encapsulating suit that envelops both the wearer and the breathing apparatus.Level B can be encapsulating or non-encapsulating.Level C is a coverall with a canister respiratory device,and Level D is the nor-mal work uniform.Level A and Level B generate high temperatures.Prolonged exposure causes some firefighters to suffer heat exhaustion,heat stress,heat cramps,heat stroke,and heart attack.The study aimed to investigate the chal-lenges of using chemical protective suits among firefighters in the City of Jo-hannesburg in South Africa.The study simulated a spillage incident with 30 subjects to measure the temperature generated by Level A and B suits while performing three hazardous materials operational activities:damming,dyk-ing,and diverting.Screening of vital signs was implemented using BP and pulse machine,thermometer and Glasgow coma scale before and after exer-cises.Questionnaires were distributed to the fire personnel within the region on the current practice of the chemical suit’s use.The results show elevated temperatures,which increase the risk of subjects while wearing Level A suits compared to those wearing Level B suits,which generate less.The results were analysed and interpreted using Cronbach and Pearson test tools to provide a solution to the identified problems.Short-term exposure reduces the risk to subjects.However,this requires more resources.
文摘Firefighters rely on their protective gear for thermal insulation during fires. This study evaluated the flame resistance of firefighter PPE, including helmets, turnout gear, and gloves, under extreme conditions. Results showed excellent performance of the F1 helmet but identified areas for improvement in gloves and turnout gear. The study provides insights into the heat transfer properties of different PPE components and offers recommendations for enhancing firefighter safety.
文摘真正的英雄并非完美无缺,而是为公众利益行动。1 History shows us that the term“hero”did not always carry the same meanings it does now.Over centuries,society gradually associated heroism with moral excellence and sacrifice(牺牲)rather than supernatural power or physical might.Nowadays,the media often refer to firefighters and healthcare workers as“heroes”.Their devotion,hard work,and genuine selflessness often earn them that label.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.12031018)The second author was supported by China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2020M681927)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Provincial Universities of Zhejiang(2021YW08).
文摘The Firefighter Problem on a graph can be viewed as a simplified model of the spread of contagion,fire,rumor,computer virus,etc.The fire breaks out at one or more vertices in a graph at the first round,and the firefighter chooses some vertices to protect.The fire spreads to all non-protected neighbors at the beginning of each time-step.The process stops when the fire can no longer spread.The Firefighter Problem has attracted considerable attention since it was introduced in 1995.In this paper we provide a survey on recent research progress of this field,including algorithms and complexity,Firefighter Problem for special graphs(finite and infinite)and digraphs,surviving rate and burning number of graphs.We also collect some open problems and possible research subjects.
文摘Purpose:Firefighters are exposed to high levels of occupational risk factors,such as safety risks,chemical,ergonomic,and physical hazards that may jeopardize their lives.To overcome these hazards,firefighters must be physically,mentally,and personally fit to work.This study aimed to explore the criteria and factors affecting firefighters'resilience based on stakeholders’experiences.Methods:This qualitative study was carried out using conventional content analysis.In total,21 face-to-face interviews were conducted by firefighters who were experienced in the field.The interviews were carried out from July 2019 to January 2020.The data were collected using 3 unstructured interviews and then resumed by 18 semi-structured interviews.Data analysis was done using Graneheim method.Results:The participants had more than 5 years of experience in the field of search and rescue.The extracted codes through data analysis were classified into 3 main categories(individual,organizational,and social factors),9 sub-categories(mental,physical,occupational,managerial,colleagues-related,equipment-related,environmental,community-related,and family-related factors),as well as 19 sub-sub-categories and 570 codes.Conclusion:Firefighters'personality,physical condition,behavior and psychological characteristics can affect their resilience along with organizational and management factors that play significant role in people's safety.Developing a tool for assessing resilience can help decision makers to have a real depict of firefighters'job qualifications.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC No.52322610)Hong Kong Research Grants Council Theme-based Research Scheme(T22-505/19-N).
文摘Effective wildland fire management requires real-time access to comprehensive and distilled information from different data sources.The Digital Twin technology becomes a promising tool in optimizing the processes of wildfire pre-vention,monitoring,disaster response,and post-fire recovery.This review examines the potential utility of Digital Twin in wildfire management and aims to inspire further exploration and experimentation by researchers and practitioners in the fields of environment,forestry,fire ecology,and firefighting services.By creating virtual replicas of wildfire in the physical world,a Digital Twin platform facilitates data integration from multiple sources,such as remote sensing,weather forecast-ing,and ground-based sensors,providing a holistic view of emergency response and decision-making.Furthermore,Digital Twin can support simulation-based training and scenario testing for prescribed fire planning and firefighting to improve preparedness and response to evacuation and rescue.Successful applications of Digital Twin in wildfire management require horizontal collaboration among researchers,practitioners,and stakeholders,as well as enhanced resource sharing and data exchange.This review seeks a deeper understanding of future wildland fire management from a technological perspective and inspiration of future research and implementation.Further research should focus on refining and validating Digital Twin models and the integration into existing fire management operations,and then demonstrating them in real wildland fires.
基金funding support from Guiding Project of Scientific Research Plan of Education Department of Hubei Province and Wuhan Textile University School Fund(B)(k24016).
文摘Enhancing the firefighting protective clothing with exceptional thermal barrier and temperature sensing functions to ensure high fire safety for firefighters has long been anticipated,but it remains a major challenge.Herein,inspired by the human muscle,an anisotropic fire safety aerogel(ACMCA)with precise self-actuated temperature monitoring performance is developed by combining aramid nanofibers with eicosane/MXene to form an anisotropically oriented conductive network.By combining the two synergies of the negative temperaturedependent thermal conductive eicosane,which induces a high-temperature differential,and directionally ordered MXene that establishes a conductive network along the directional freezing direction.The resultant ACMCA exhibited remarkable thermoelectric properties,with S values reaching 46.78μV K^(−1)andκvalues as low as 0.048 W m^(−1)K^(−1)at room temperature.Moreover,the prepared anisotropic aerogel ACMCA exhibited electrical responsiveness to temperature variations,facilitating its application in intelligent temperature monitoring systems.The designed anisotropic aerogel ACMCA could be incorporated into the firefighting clothing as a thermal barrier layer,demonstrating a wide temperature sensing range(50-400℃)and a rapid response time for early high-temperature alerts(~1.43 s).This work provides novel insights into the design and application of temperature-sensitive anisotropic aramid nanofibers aerogel in firefighting clothing.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.61833013,61473012 and 62103335)Key Research Program of Jiangxi Province in China(No.20192BBEL50005).
文摘Forest fires pose a significant threat to human life and property,so the utilization of unmanned aircraft systems provides new ways for forest firefighting.Given the constrained load capacities of these aircraft,aerial refueling becomes crucial to extend their operational time and range.In order to address the complexities of firefighting missions involving multi-receiver and multi-tanker deployed from various airports,first,a fuel consumption calculation model for aerial refueling scheduling is established based on the receiver path.Then,two distinct methods,including an integrated one and a decomposed one,are designed to address the challenges of establishing refueling airspace and allocating tasks for tankers.Both methods aim to optimize total fuel consumption of the receivers and tankers within the aerial refueling scheduling framework.The optimization problem is established as nonlinear optimization models along with restrictions.The integrated method seamlessly combines refueling rendezvous point scheduling and tanker task allocation into unified process.It has a complete solution space and excels in optimizing total fuel consumption.The decomposed method,through the separation of rendezvous point scheduling and task allocation,achieves a reduced computational complexity.However,this comes at the cost of sacrificing optimality by excluding specific feasible solutions.Finally,numerical simulations are carried out to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed methods.These simulations yield insights crucial for the practical engineering application of both the integrated and decomposed methods in real-world scenarios.This comprehensive approach aims to enhance the efficiency of forest firefighting operations,mitigating the risks posed by forest fires to human life and property.
基金Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,China(No.2232022G-08)。
文摘Firefighters’low back disorders(LBDs)are closely related to excessive spine loading when using the self-contained breathing apparatus(SCBA)continuously.The purpose of this study was to quantify firefighters’spine loading and evaluate the effects of strap lengths of SCBA on altering spine loading.Computer-based musculoskeletal models of three varying-strapped SCBA conditions and a control condition(CC)with no SCBA equipped were developed.The model was driven using three-dimensional(3 D)inertial motion capture data from twelve male subjects performing a walking task and the predicted ground reaction force(GRF).Electromyography(EMG)activities were also recorded to validate the results from the model.The 4 th-5 th lumbar vertebra(L4/L5)joint reaction forces,as well as erector spinae and rectus abdominis forces,were finally obtained.Results demonstrated that carrying SCBA significantly increased the compressive force and anteroposterior shear force at the spine.The risk of potential LBDs increased by about 17.77%.Dynamic balance of erector spinae and rectus abdominis contraction was also disturbed when carrying SCBA,indicating a higher risk of spine muscle strain.Adjustment of SCBA strap length was an efficient method to influence spine loading.The medium-fitting strap(MS)with a length of around 101 cm generated minimum joint reaction forces and achieved the optimum dynamic balance of spine muscle contraction,which was recommended for firefighters.
基金financially supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China(Nos.2017CXNL02 and 2652018098)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2018YFC0808100)+1 种基金the 111 Project(No.B17041)the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(No.BK20170277)
文摘Coalfield fires are considered a global crisis that contributes significantly to environmental destruction and loss of coal resources and poses a serious threat to human safety and health. In this paper, research related to the initiation, development, and evolution of coalfield fires is reviewed. The existing detection and control techniques of coalfield fires are also reviewed. Traditional firefighting is associated with waste of resources, potential risks of recrudescence, potential safety hazards, extensive and expensive engineering works, and power shortages. Recently,coalfield fires have been recognized as having significant potential for energy conservation and heat energy recovery. Thermoelectric power generation is regarded as a suitable technology for the utilization of heat from coalfield fires. The extraction of heat from coalfield fires can also control coalfield fires and prevent reignition leading to combustion. Technologies for absorbing heat from burning coal and overlying rocks are also analyzed. In addition, the control mode of "three-region linkage" is proposed to improve firefighting efficiency. Integrating heat energy recovery with firefighting is an innovative method to control coalfield fires.
基金the Key Research and Development Project of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(No.2022YFC3004900)。
文摘Fluorosurfactants are the key ingredients in the formulations of aqueous film-forming foams(AFFFs)for extinguishing flammable liquids,thus developing high-efficient and low-toxic fluorosurfactants is desirable in AFFFs application.Herein,a series of hyperbranched polymeric fluorosu rfactants(HPFs)were successfully synthesized through sequentially modifying hyperbranched polyethylenimine(PEI)with the hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG)chains and the hydrophobic C6/C4-based perfluoroalkyl chains,which were verified by FTIR,^(1)H-and^(19)F-NMR.The surface tensions of all the HPFs in water were measured,and the corresponding physicochemical parameters were interpreted.It was found that the surface activities of HPFs could be tuned through adjusting the ratio of PEG to perfluoroalkyl chains,the length of perfluoroalkyl chains,the molecular weight of PEI core,but not the PEG chain length.In the binary mixture of HPFs with the commercial small molecule fluorosurfactant Capstone^(TM)1157(C1157),a strong synergism led to the elevation of surface activity,which was attributed to the efficient encapsulation of C1157 vips by the compact hyperbranched HPFs as the hosts.The utilization of HPF/C1157 as fluorosurfactant ingredients in AFFF formulations could realize much higher fire-extinguishing efficiency towards flammable oils than the control AFFFs prepa red from the polymeric Capstone^(TM)1460 or the neat C1157.
