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Effects of Sleep Deprivation
on Fire Fighters and EMS Responders
Final Report, June 2007
Diane L. Elliot, MD, FACP, FACSM
Kerry S. Kuehl, MD, DrPH
Division of Health Promotion & Sports Medicine
Oregon Health & Science University
Portland, Oregon
Acknowledgments
This report was supported by a cooperative agreement between the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and the United States Fire Administration (USFA), with assistance from the faculty of Oregon Health & Science University, to examine the issue of sleep deprivation and fire fighters and EMS responders. Throughout this work’s preparation, we have collaborated with Victoria Lee, Program Manager for the IAFC, whose assistance has been instrumental in successfully completing the project. The information contained in this report has been reviewed by the members of the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ Safety, Health and Survival Section; Emergency Medical Services Section and Volunteer and Combination Officers Section; and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC). We also gratefully acknowledge the assistance of our colleagues Esther Moe, PhD, MPH, and Carol DeFrancesco, MA, RD.
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This report begins with background on the physiology of sleep, followed by a critical review of the immediate effects of fatigue and the health and performance consequences of chronic sleep deprivation. In Section 1, we outline the caveats and potential limitations when reviewing compiled research from varied settings. For many professions, including fire fighting and EMS, the unique characteristics and demands of a particular work setting make generalizations difficult. In presenting studies, we have included information about the group assessed and methodology to assist interpretation of those reports. The transportation industry and more recently postgraduate medical training are settings where fatigue-related adverse events have mandated examination of work hours’ effects, shift structure reform and attention to fatigue countermeasures. Sections 2 and 3 of this report present that information and highlight potential implications for fire fighters and EMS responders.
You can download the video by visiting - IAFC Website / Sleep Deprivation
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