Overview Of Firefighter Injuries

Injuries in the fire service are an unwanted constant. Every year the Nation Fire Protection agency totals these injuries compiling an extensive report in order to educate fire and emergency service personnel. “NFPA estimates that 65,880 firefighter injuries occurred in the line of duty in 2013. An estimated 29,760 (45.2%) of the all firefighter injuries occurred during fireground operations. An estimated 11,800 occurred during other on duty activities, while 12,535 occurred at non fire emergency incidents.” (Karter, 2014) Out of a total of about 1,130,000 firefights in the Unites States, roughly seventeen percent of firefighters receive some form of an injury each year. Injuries range for short term, to life disabling, and some events that

These injuries include strain, sprain or muscular pain, accounting for more that half of all injuries. An additional short term type of include small cuts and contusions. Injuries such as these, do not to place the company at a large risk, as most often firefighters can continue working or self rescue in the event of a non severe injury. Most often these injuries can be treated on scene, or with some non emergency outside help. Steps to help decrease these types of injuries are best performed as prevention. Different types of footwear can degrees lower extremity injuries. Looking for fire boots with side and rear stabilization through reinforcement is one step. When not wearing fire boots, using well fitted tighter station boots may act similar to a semirigid brace. “ Prophylactic use of semirigid ankle braces appears warranted to reduce the incidence of initial and, in particular, recurrent ankle sprain injuries for individuals who participate in activities that have the highest risk for these injuries.”(Gross, 2003) Additional prevention can be created by instituting stabilization work into station physical fitness. “A balance training program will significantly reduce the risk of ankle sprains.”(McGuine,

“The leading types of moderate and severe injuries were: strains or sprain accounting for an annual average of 3,420 injuries a year, or 34%; thermal burn, accounting for 1,115 injuries (11%); pain only, accounting for 945 injuries (9%).” (Karter, 2013) The more severe sprains and strains can be prevented with the same prevention measures taken for minor injuries. As for the other moderate and severe injuries they “were the result of exposure to something.” (Karter, 2013) This is where tactics and regulation change will have to be created and enforced. “52% of all moderate or severe injuries, occurred at structure fires during activities related to extinguishing a fire. Of these, four fifth occurred while handling charged hose lines.” (Karter, 2013) Handling charged hose lines is a common activity in which firefighters are injured. An increase in physical fitness, as well as making policy of having to firefighter on a line at all times may reduce these injuries. In the case of an severely injured firefighter, the fire company is put at significant risk. Such injuries disable the injured firefighter, as well as another aiding in evacuation. In result crews are faced to continue fire operations with a reduced number of firefighters. “Working in a smaller crew was harder on the firefighters' health. (in tests)Their maximum heart rates were higher and stayed higher after each drill