A New Firefighting Simulation on a Treadmill in a Temperate Environment Induces Similar Physiological Responses to Those Reported for Live Fire Drills.

Abstract

The purpose was to characterize the physiological responses resulting from a newly developed treadmill firefighting simulation and to compare these responses with those induced by live fire and simulated firefighting activities reported in different studies. Forty participants (four women) (25 ± 6 years) performed a 25-minute treadmill firefighting simulation that consisted of various tasks completed on a typical work-rest cycle at an imposed rhythm in a temperate environment (ambient temperature: 22.6°C ± 0.6°C, relative humidity: 29.7% ± 11.6%). Rectal temperature increased by 0.56°C ± 0.15°C; peak and mean oxygen consumption were 35.3 ± 3.3 and 20.8 ± 1.7 mL·kg -1 ·min -1 , respectively; and 1169 ± 182 L of air was used. These results show that the treadmill firefighting simulation induces similar physiological responses to those reported for live fire and simulated firefighting scenarios.