BIO

Hi! My name is Joshua Kessner and I'm a sophomore at Florida State University from Boca Raton. I am a part of the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP), Pi Lambda Phi fraternity, the Human Development and Family Science Club, and intramural sports. I am interested in research dealing with the human body, as well as gaining a better understanding into what goes into the administration of schools. When I graduate, I plan on becoming an elementary school teacher, and working in the administrative side of schooling.

Bring On The Heat: Ventilation In Structural Firefighter Suits

Abstract

When working within the fireground, firefighters rely on their protective gear to provide thermal protection while maintaining thermoregulation to prevent overexertion and heat stress. Without proper breathability, heat exhaustion and suboptimal performance become a prevalent danger for firefighters. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to develop a protocol to assess ventilation and unique evaporative material placement within structural firefighter turnout suits for their ability to increase total heat loss (THL). One of five ensembles (turnout coat and pants) was assessed using an ANDI dynamic sweating thermal manikin in the ThermaNOLE Comfort Lab® at Florida State University. The ensemble underwent three twenty-to-five minute work/rest cycles at both 6.8 Mets and 8 Mets utilizing a human thermal model (ManikinPC) integrated into the manikin’s ThermDAC software. Predicted measurements for core temperature, skin temperature, and sweat rate were collected along with subjective perceptions of comfort and sensation. Findings indicate the 6.8 Mets protocol is most appropriate to analyze ventilation placement of each turnout suit design without succumbing to fatal levels of heat exhaustion. As this protocol realistically predicts active firefighting scenarios, future research should use an ANDI dynamic sweating thermal manikin at 6.8 Mets to test the five ensembles, each with different evaporative cooling techniques which allow for different amounts of heat transfer, thus predicting the physiological performance of firefighters.

Keywords: Ventilation, Firefighter, PPE