Relationship between fire fighting suppression tasks and physical fitness

Abstract

This investigation evaluated the relationship between physical fitness and performance of fire suppression tasks. The following mean +/- SD values were associated with 91 fire fighters: age 31.69 +/- 7.39 years, height 177.29 +/- 6.38 cm, weight 83.97 +/- 10.86 kg, % fat 13.78 +/- 4.31, fat free weight (FFW) 71.52 +/- 7.66 kg, pull-ups 9.03 +/- 4.79, push-ups 41.02 +/- 14.08, 1.5 mile run 737.60 +/- 108.11 s, sit and reach 32.00 +/- 8.5 cm, sit-ups 39.88 +/- 7.75, and total grip strength 116.75 +/- 17.67 kg. The physical performance assessment (PPA) consisted of the following: stair climb, hoist, forcible entry, hose advance, and victim rescue. Significant correlations (p < 0.01) were found between the PPA and the following: total grip strength (r = -0.54), FFW (r = -0.47), height (r = -0.40), pull-ups (r = -0.38), push-ups (r = -0.38), 1.5 mile run (r = 0.38), sit-ups (r = -0.32), weight (r = -0.30) and % fat (r = 0.30). Multiple regression analysis indicated that the best multiple predictor of PPA was the 1.5 mile run, FFW, and pull-ups, r = 0.73, p < 0.001. This investigation shows the importance of physical fitness as related to performance of fire suppression job tasks.

Physiological Determinants of the Candidate Physical Ability Test in Firefighters

“…These findings were supported by some investigators (26), but not by others (16,93). The findings in the present study, and those of Rhea et al (65), used more direct assessments of body composition, i.e., dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and air plethysmography, respectively.…”

“…While absolute VO 2 max has previously been shown to be independently related to CPAT performance, CPAT's relationship to anaerobic fatigue resistance has been less clear (92). However, both oxygen-dependent (9,10,34,43,60) and oxygen-independent systems (10,34,63,75,89) appear to be activated during firefighting tasks and these metabolic systems are thought to be the best independent predictors of firefighting performance (65,89,93).…”

“…Others demonstrated a significant positive relationship between grip strength and firefighting performance (16,65,92,93). Additionally, a strength index composed of leg, neck, and chest press was found to be higher in faster performers during a simulated firefighting rescue (89).…”

“…Several studies have correlated physical attributes with performance in individual firefighting-related tasks (16,65,89,93). In these studies, muscle strength (65,89,93), body composition (93), absolute VO 2 max (89), and muscle endurance (65,93) are significantly related to task performance.…”

“…In these studies, muscle strength (65,89,93), body composition (93), absolute VO 2 max (89), and muscle endurance (65,93) are significantly related to task performance. Cardiovascular fitness predicted performance in one study (93), but failed to do so in another (65), raising questions as to the relative importance of cardiovascular fitness for firefighting performance. Stairclimbing tasks in full gear have been shown to elicit heart rates of 95% of maximum and rates of oxygen consumption equivalent to 80 % of VO 2 max (61).…”