New Heat Stress Calculator Tool for Firefighters: Putting Research into Action

The latest initiative by the Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) and the Municipal Health and Safety Association (MHSA) is a perfect example of the transfer of theoretical research in practical action.

Data shows that heart attacks due to heat stress is the number one cause of death in Firefighters. Thanks to a recent study entitled The Management of Heat Stress for the Firefighter, conducted by researchers Dr. Tom McLellan, PhD., and Glen Selkirk, M.Sc., the OFM and the MHSA are working in partnership to get the message out about how to reduce the adverse effects of heat stress to the Firefighter.

The study, supported by the Research Advisory Council of Ontario, through a grant provided by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), looked at establishing safe work guidelines for Firefighters wearing firefighting protective clothing and self contained breathing apparatus at ambient temperatures representative of summer conditions in Toronto. Working with Toronto Firefighters, the researchers also examined active and passive cooling strategies combined with different levels of hydration.

As a result of their research study, Dr. McLellan and Mr. Selkirk made several recommendations, among which, was the development of a heat stress calculator designed to assist dispatchers and incident commanders in calculating heat stress conditions for Firefighters on the job.

In the spirit of prevention, the MHSA, the OFM, the WSIB, the Toronto Fire Department and the researchers are working together to take this research to the next level and enable the transition from research to practical application by developing a training program centered around the heat stress calculator tool. The partners hope that the use of this new tool will validate and standardize current practices involving cooling strategies (ie. forearm submersion) among Firefighters, and become the new best practice used by Firefighters throughout the province and beyond!

To that end, plans are currently in the works for the MHSA to develop the training program that will accompany the heat stress calculator and assist the OFM in communicating the information to Firefighters throughout Ontario. The OFM has already committed to add the training and the calculator to existing programs at the Ontario Fire College, and the MHSA will make the program available as part of its offerings of Emergency Services Programs which currently include Confined Space Entry and Trench Rescue, as well as through its website, and new mobile training unit.

In addition to distributing and communicating this new program to Firefighters in Ontario, future plans include expanding training and communication activities to Firefighters throughout the rest of Canada and into other countries. Any proceeds from the sale of the training program and heat stress calculator will be driven back into the development of future training programs for the Fire service via the Fire College, and the Municipal Health and Safety Association jointly. This is an excellent example of taking research and applying it in a practical sense in a way that will be effective and self-sustaining. The WSIB, the researchers, the OFM and the MHSA, are all excited about this approach and the fact that it will save the lives of Firefighters!

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