Specialized clothing is an integral part of a firefighter's protective system. However, existing fire fighter clothing, which attempts to protect against environmental hazards, also restricts dissipation of metabolic heat. This restriction can lead to severe heat stress and may result in subsequent hazards to the health and safety of the firefighter. A new prototype design has been developed that exhibits some improved heat-dissipation characteristics under controlled laboratory settings. Two versions of the prototype design were tested for ventilation and compared with the ventilation of standard turnout gear. Laboratory information was obtained using one male and one female test subject participating in a series of treadmill exercise tests. Biophysical data collected show that the proto type design provides improvements in clothing ventilation over the standard turnout gear presently in use. Analysis of results suggests that reduction in firefighter heat stress can be achieved, and con tinued development of the prototype design is recommended.

Continuing efforts to develop new firefighter protective clothing have resulted in an advanced prototype garment demonstrating improved dissipation of metabolic heat under laboratory exercise conditions. The performance of three variations of the advanced prototype design were compared to standard turn-out gear and tested for heat retention. Analysis of biophysical data obtained from four volunteer subjects revealed heat loss advantages associated with the innovative design and fabric characteristics of the prototype garment. Additional modifications and changes in the design were recommended..'

Wearing protective garments under various combinations of environmental conditions and work intensities may result in excessive heat stress. Maintaining thermal balance depends among others on the ventilation of the garment worn. Ventilation is the amount of ambient air that flows under the garment after passing through the fabric and through designed openings. A gas dilution technique was used to assess ventilation of firefighter protective ensemble. The cuffs of the sleeves and pants, and the collar and front closure of the turnout coat were opened and closed to determine the effect on ventilation. In addition, the effect of using a belt or suspenders to hold the pants was examined. The gas dilution technique provided quantitative data on the increase in garment ventilation due to various combination of the openings and suspension of the pants. The greatest effect resulted from opening the collar and pant cuffs along with the use of suspenders.

Improved imaging techniques and the increased need for a personal health record platform suggest that a Telehealth based system has an excellent potential for improving patient care and providing a high capacity for information storage and retrieval. New video-capture technology will allow parents, schoolteachers, and caregivers to capture a child’s behavior for subsequent evaluation by specialists worldwide even during a time of crisis. Experience in a recent hurricane disaster illustrated the advantages of merging these two entities, especially when addressing the needs of displaced families who have a child with autism. It is clear that Telehealth based systems can shorten the time for diagnosis, potentially increase diagnostic accuracy, reduce costs, and contribute to an improved status of personal health records