Much of the research on work-related injuries to firefighters has been focused on what happens when they’re actually racing into burning buildings to put out blazes. But when researchers from the University of Arizona and Johns Hopkins University looked more broadly at firefighters’ duties and obligations, they found far more injuries related to on-the-job physical exercise than actual firefighting operations. According to the new study , covering the Tucson Fire Department and published in the journal Injury Prevention, there were about 17.7 injuries per 100 firefighters annually. Nearly 33% stemmed from physical exercise activities — mandated during the shift and (ironically) intended to actually prevent injuries by keeping firefighters in better shape. Transporting patients resulted in almost 17% of the injuries. (The study explains that the vast majority — 84% — of the Tucson department’s emergency dispatches were medical rather

than fire emergencies in 2009.) Patient-transport injuries were also most likely to result in lost time, mostly due to back strains and sprains. Training drills accounted for just over 11% of injuries and fireground operations accounted for about 10%. Those fire-related injuries, however, were more likely to be more serious. Study authors write that more attention needs to be paid to the risks of injury due to non-firefighting activities. “While most studies indicate the need for improved fitness (e.g., cardiovascular health and functional mobility) in order to carry out response activities, efforts should also be concentrated on providing these men and women with improved resources and structure to maintain fitness levels and training-based skills without exposing themselves to injury in those processes,” they write. Image: iStockphoto

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Big Injury Hazards for Firefighters: Exercise, Transporting Patients