ABSTRACT

Firefighters are often required to perform prolonged periods of strenuous work under conditions of high environmental heat strain (Romet and Frim, 1987; Ilmarinen et al., 1997; Smith et al., 1997; Smith and Petruzzello, 1998; Smith et al., 2001; Rossi, 2003). Field studies have shown that firefighting activities such as victim search and rescue, stair and ladder climbing, and carrying equipment entail large outlay of energy expenditure (Lemon and Hermiston, 1977; Gledhill and Jamnik, 1992; Bilzon et al., 2001; von Heimburg et al., 2006). The combined effects of such activity and the addition of protective clothing utilized by firefighters lead to high degrees of thermoregulatory and cardiovascular strain (Rossi, 2003). Strategies for rapidly reducing the physiological strain associated with occupational activity may therefore have important implications for the health and safety of firefighters since elevations in body temperature hinder both physical and mental performance (Hancock et al., 2007).