ANALYSIS OF FATIGUE IN FIREFIGHTERS: FOOT CLEARANCES OVER STAIR EDGES AND VALIDATION OF A NOVEL MEANS FOR METABOLIC DATA COLLECTION BY

ii Firefighting is a physically challenging occupation which demands high levels of energy exertion and can result in high levels of fatigue. The combination of slip, trip, and fall injuries with those caused by overexertion comprise a significant number of total firefighter injuries each year. To better assess the energy expenditure and exertion of firefighters during simulated firefighting activities, a standard firefighter facepiece was modified to interface with a portable metabolic monitoring device (Cosmed K4b 2). This design allowed for the collection of metabolic data while the firefighter utilizes a standard self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) as the air supply. This modified facepiece was then validated in a stationary bicycling variable-workload assessment with two metabolic measurement devices (the portable Cosmed K4b 2 unit and a limited portability metabolic cart unit). These conditions were: (1) the standard mask with the Cosmed K4