The Effects of Number of Fire Dispatches and Other Situational Factors on Voluntary Exercise Training Among Korean Firefighters: A Multilevel Logistic Regression Analysis

Abstract

According to previous research, participation in exercise training (ET) by South Korean firefighters varies with shift type, and the effect of shift type is greater in large cities than in small towns. However, shift types differ among regions, depending on the number of dispatches. Therefore, the present study examined the impact of the number of fire dispatches and other situational factors on ET. A series of multilevel logistic regression analysis was applied to analyze the data collected from South Korean firefighters (N = 5219) in 2017. According to the firefighters, participation in ET is higher among those who have someone to instruct their ET (Coefficient (Coef) = 0.057, SE = 0.017, p < 0.001) and who can do ET while on duty (Coef = 0.048, SE = 0.014, p < 0.001). The number of fire dispatches had a significant effect on participation in ET (Coef = −0.000, SE = 0.000, p < 0.01), meaning that the firefighters’ participation in ET varies with the number of fire dispatches in each region. Our main findings indicate that the number of fire dispatches is a key factor affecting ET participation among firefighters, and the other situational factors also play a role. Therefore, ET programs that firefighters can participate in between calls should be established.

Improving Cardiorespiratory and Muscular Function of Korean Firefighters

“…The lack of exercise instructors has been identified as a significant factor contributing to the low exercise participation among Korean firefighters. 8 Considering the 24-hour shift schedules of Korean fire stations, assigning exercise instructors poses challenges with low feasibility. From this perspective, the VM can serve as a practical alternative to exercise instructors.…”

“…Taken together, using the VM for exercise training can yield effects that are similar or even greater than those obtained with the presence of an exercise instructor. The lack of exercise instructors has been identified as a significant factor contributing to the low exercise participation among Korean firefighters 8 . Considering the 24-hour shift schedules of Korean fire stations, assigning exercise instructors poses challenges with low feasibility.…”

“…However, the level of aerobic capacity of Korean firefighters is known to be lower than these recommendations 6 . The aerobic capacity of firefighters from many countries has been reported to range from 45 to 49.5 mL/kg/min, while that of Korean firefighters is 42 mL/kg/min 6–8 . Therefore, it is necessity to improve physical fitness levels in Korean firefighters.…”

“…The aerobic capacity of firefighters from many countries has been reported to range from 45 to 49.5 mL/kg/min, while that of Korean firefighters is 42 mL/kg/min. [6][7][8] Therefore, it is necessity to improve physical fitness levels in Korean firefighters.…”

“…In fact, less than 50% of Korean firefighters do moderate-intensity exercise for 150 minutes or more per week 7 . Kwon et al 8 also noted that exercise instructors are a significant factor in influencing the participation of firefighters in Korea. This is likely because there is currently no system in place that allows exercise instructors to be always stationed at the fitness centers of each fire station.…”