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Frequency, intensity and duration of physical tasks performed by Australian rural firefighters during bushfire suppression
conference contribution
posted on 2011-01-01, 00:00 authored by Matthew Phillips, Kevin Netto, W Payne, David Nichols, Cara Walker, N Brooksbank, Katrina Onus, Sarah Jefferies, Brad AisbettBrad AisbettThe current study combined, for the first time, video footage of individual firefighters wearing heart rate monitors and personal GPS units to quantify the frequency, duration and intensity of tasks performed by Australian rural fire crews when. suppressing bushfires. Across the four fireground 'shifts', the firefighters performed 34 distinct fireground tasks. Per shift, the task frequency ranged from once (raking fireline in teams, carrying a quick fill pump) to 103 times {lateral repositioning of a 38-mm charged firehose) .. The tasks lasted between 4 ± 2 s (bowling out 3-8-mm firehose) and 461 ± 387 s (raking fireline in teams). The task intensity~ as measured by average heart rate ranged between 97 ± 16 beats·min-1 (55.7 ± 8.7. %HRmax) and 157 ± 15 beats·min-1 (86.2 ± 10.8 %HRmax)· The tasks were performed a speeds that ranged from 0.12 ± 0.08 m·s-1 (manual hose retraction of 38-mm charged firehose) to 0.79 ± 0.40 m·s-1 (carrying a 38-mm coiled hose). Tasks found to be simultaneously frequent, long and intense (or two of these three) are likely to form the basis for job-specific testing of Australian rural firefighters suppressing bushfires.
History
Event
The Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre & The Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council Conference Science Day (2011 : Sydney, NS.W.)Pagination
205 - 213Publisher
Bushfire Cooperative Research CentreLocation
Sydney, N.S.W.Place of publication
East Melbourne, Vic.Start date
2011-09-01ISBN-13
9780980675993Language
engNotes
The science day was the final day of The AFAC & Bushfire CRC annual conference held from 29th August to 1st September 2011Publication classification
E1 Full written paper - refereedCopyright notice
2011, Bushfire Cooperative Research CentreEditor/Contributor(s)
R ThorntonTitle of proceedings
Proceedings of Bushfire CRC & AFAC 2011 Conference Science DayUsage metrics
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