Firefighter Fatigue

Firefighter fatigue is a growing concern among firefighters and the public. Consequences of emergency workers not being able to perform at peak physical and mental capacity has become a crisis. Why are more fire departments not addressing the problem of fatigue a priority? Policies that have been in place for years should be revisited with the growing responsibilities emergency services.

It wouldn’t take long to hear a story about a firefighter sleeping on the way to, or from, a call. Just ask any firefighter you meet. If they are telling the truth, they’ll probably admit to being so tired that they barely remember even waking up for some calls. Now imagine if that firefighter is the one driving the apparatus. News stories exist about firefighters and other pre- hospital emergency providers having been found sleeping on the side of the road. Some even at red lights in the middle of the night. A Greenville Fire/Rescue worker gave this account to the local news anonymously…

I specifically remember making a comment to him (the GFR firefighter’s partner) saying, ‘Hey I’m gonna have to pull over and I think you’re going to have to drive’,” the current GFR firefighter said. “He said ‘Bud, I can barely keep my eyes open.’ (Prensky, 2018)

This employee also said that pushing firefighters to their physical limits on these squad trucks could result in a devastating accident because of sleep deprivation.

There was a story told to me not even two or three shifts ago about two squad guys who were coming back from a call and they stopped at a red light and both of them fell asleep in the vehicle while the light was red, the current EMS Specialist said. (Prensky, 2018)

Fatigue has been linked to medical errors, apparatus collisions, and injuries. However, identifying the sources of fatigue can be difficult. It is clear though, that fatigue is an issue that influences all fire departments. This is an issue that has potentially serious consequences for the employer, including the health and safety of both firefighters and the community.

“Accumulated (chronic) fatigue is defined as fatigue from which normal rest does not produce recovery. Accumulated fatigue is often caused by extended periods of stress with inadequate recovery periods, which results in decreased productivity, compromised immune function, and reduced alertness”. (The Federal Fire and Aviation Safety Team, 2007)

Anyone who’s worked in the fire service knows that fatigue can impact one’s work performance. The easiest type of fatigue to identify is most likely physical fatigue. Physical fatigue is the inability for a muscle to perform at optimal levels. This is often a result of strenuous exercise that causes muscle damage, resulting in soreness that could take days to recover from. It can be difficult to develop an exercise routine because of shift schedules and unknown work times and workloads. Yet most departments require personnel to exercise a certain amount of time per shift. This is to ensure their members are in a state of physical readiness to perform job functions. They also often demand a number of “wet drills” or training be performed each day. While these requirements serve a purpose, and benefit the employee/employer/community in the long run; they may be severely detrimental in the short term. Excessive number of evolutions, heat, and complexity of the drills can lead to poor performance later in the shift or it could result in injury. Costing the firefighter time off work, and potentially the department in work related insurance claims. This is not to mention lost productivity on possible subsequent fireground activities which could cost a great deal more.

Mental fatigue can be much more difficult to determine than physical fatigue. Mental fatigue is a decrease in cognitive performance. Usually from sleep deprivation or an increase in intellectual activity. Most people need a certain amount of sleep to function adequately, and the quantity varies substantially. Most of us get enough sleep at home in our own beds, but as time goes on, that quantity and quality can decrease. At work however, large call loads or those that require more thought than your typical fall injury can substantially increase the amount of sleep needed. When firefighters lose sleep due to any number of factors and are unable to stick to a consistent bedtime due to call load, time of calls or their personal lives. The result can be impaired judgment, reaction time, and situational awareness. Those who routinely obtain less than 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep, tend to have a need for sleep at exactly the wrong times of day, as well as have problems falling asleep at night.

Research indicates that restless and inadequate sleep can be a problem from a health standpoint. Sleep deprivation is linked to numerous health ailments. According to sleep researcher Susan L. Koen, PhD, president of Round-the-Clock-Systems, sleep deprivation is defined as, “Insufficient deep sleep or restorative sleep for the brain, causes cognitive or brain fatigue that can result in slowed reaction time, decreased vigilance and impairment in complex reasoning skills”. (Peterson, 2016)

We don’t always think of fatigue as a factor, when it comes to apparatus crashes, fireground injuries, or medical errors. Firefighting is a physically and mentally demanding job, dealing with many taxing scenarios. Firefighters must constantly push their minds and bodies. What are we as a fire service doing to alleviate fatigue? Should policies be in place that restrict or forbid sleeping during “normal work day” hours? Are crews expected to drill, PT, do station/truck maintenance, demos, or a multitude of other things, and still perform at peak levels? Possibly when their lives depend on it. Perhaps we need to look at how much time during a shift should a firefighter be performing work-related (emergency and non-emergency) activities? Many departments will only allow so many shifts (hours) worked in a row before the employee is required to go home. It seems though that there is little to no oversight on the extent of the hours worked, or if the employee is indeed resting on their time off.

While being the easiest type of fatigue to recognize, physical fatigue is also the easiest to prevent. For firefighters not being in shape should not be an option. However, the typical 7 day exercise routines may place to much work or stress on the firefighter. A longer cycle of 10, 14, or even up to 21 days may be much more effective. Using these longer cycles allows better distribution of strength training, aerobic conditioning, flexibility and corrective exercises. When following this approach, it allows for an increase in regeneration and recovery during off days. This type of thinking should be applied not only to exercises routines, but also to training, and drills during shift.

Standard operating guidelines that require a minimum amount of physical training per shift as well as those that require “wet drills” every shift need to be looked at and revised. Sport performance specialists recommend athletes save energy during the season, and “Pushing too hard in the gym is a great way to set yourself up for a poor performance on game day.”(DeVader, 2015). Current trends have been towards maximum amounts of physical training per shift. Often including a limit on the amount of weight that can be lifted (as a percentage) of an individual’s own limits. Weight lifting, drills, and cardiovascular activity all account for a loss in physical energy during a shift. Departments’ regulations need to reflect this. Even the number, type and extent of calls run needs to be taken into account. SOGs or SOPs need to be written to establish how much physical exertion an employee should go before a required break.

Many of the same principles can be applied to mental exertion. Typical department regulations require employees to stay awake and in a state of readiness from the hours of 8am to 5pm. In fact, many places forbid the use of the “day room” during daylight hours. Watching T.V. or taking naps in a recliner is frowned upon. The fire service cannot control the frequency or severity of calls run at night. Assigning busy work and keeping members awake all day is dangerous to the employee and the public. Company officers can and should take steps to recognize and address sleep deprivation. Studies have shown that short naps can play a significant role in fighting the effects of fatigue. Departments need to establish policies that give company officers direction on what to do, allowing or even mandating down time.

One thing that all company officers should do, Daniels says, is take a hard look at the readiness of the individuals on their crews: “They have to be able to look a firefighter in the eye and know whether they’re capable of doing everything they’ll be asked on that shift—and that includes asking, are they drowsy? It’s not a sleep deprivation issue. It’s an issue of whether the person can perform in a way that’s safe for them and safe for others. (Jerrard, 2008)

Also looking at how many calls members responded to or how much rest they’ve had before allowing shift trades or overtime. Working 36, 48, or even more hours consecutively can have dramatically different effects on firefighter fatigue depending on what station or truck that person is working. Company officers should be recognizing fatigue and allowed to proactively take steps to change personnel’s daily schedules or apparatus assignment so they can get more rest.

Fatigue is an issue that impacts every fire department, and one that has potentially serious consequences. It is critical that leaders no longer ignore the impact that fatigue is having on the physical and mental health of firefighters. Training, physical fitness, and public education are important. However, requiring companies to participate in multiple, if not all three, of these each shift while still running calls, can have consequences on employee performance. It also effects the health and safety of both firefighters and the community. As the fire service continues to get busier with an increase in call load and types of services provided, policies need to be put in place that protect the firefighter.