Perceptual and physiological heat strain: Examination in firefighters in laboratory- and field-based studies

Firefighting demands performing heavy muscular work under adverse and potentially dangerous conditions. Although the physiological and psychological responses to simulated firefighting activities have been described, the heat strain has not been characterised using standardised indices of exercise–heat strain. The purpose of the study is to describe the physiological and perceptual strain associated with working in personal protective equipment and performing simulated firefighting activities in a hot environment using recently developed strain indices (Physiological Strain Index (PhSI); Perceptual Strain Index (PeSI)). Data from two previously published studies (Smith et al. 1995 Smith, D. L. 1995. Selected physiological and psychological responses to physical activity in different configurations of firefighting gear. Ergonomics, 38: 2065–2077. [Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], 2001 Smith, D. L. 2001. Effect of strenuous live-fire fire fighting drills on hematological, blood chemistry and psychological measures. Journal of Thermal Biology, 26: 375–379. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) – one a laboratory-based study and one a field-based study – were re-analysed incorporating the strain indices. The laboratory study involved walking on a treadmill for 15 min while wearing three different clothing and equipment configurations. The field study involved three trials of standardised firefighting tasks in a live-fire training structure (mean trial length = 5.76 min). Heart rate, rectal temperature, thermal sensations and ratings of perceived exertion were collected in each study. PhSI and PeSI values were calculated using the formulae developed by Moran et al. (1998b Moran, D. S., Shitzer, A. and Pandolf, K. B. 1998b. A physiological strain index to evaluate heat stress. American Journal of Physiology, 275: R129–R134. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) and Tikuisis et al. (2002 Tikuisis, P., McLellan, T. M. and Selkirk, G. 2002. Perceptual versus physiological heat strain during exercise-heat stress. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 34: 1454–1461. [Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), respectively. PhSI and PeSI increased significantly over time in both studies. Even relatively brief bouts of exercise while wearing heavy impermeable clothing or simulated firefighting activity in the heat results in moderate to high levels of heat strain as assessed by PhSI and PeSI.