Work demands during firefighting training: does age matter?†

Abstract

Firefighting is known to be demanding, but low retirement age in this field means the capacity of the older worker to fight fires is less understood. In the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), firefighting is a critical secondary task that all personnel must be capable of. Heart rate (HR), work ability index and subjective work demand were obtained from 48 RFA personnel (18–58 years) during compulsory training. Measures of stature, mass, waist circumference (WC) and self-reported regular physical exercise were taken. The aim was to determine if cardiovascular responses were affected by age. Both cardiovascular and self-reported work demand scores were high but there was no evidence of any age-related increase in cardiovascular responses. Participation in extra-mural exercise and WC accounted for significant variance in both age-corrected HR and HR recovery. Results suggest that, in this sample, self-reported exercise and WC are more important determinants of HR response to fighting fires than age. Some limitations of the study are briefly discussed. Statement of Relevance: There is renewed interest in the work capacity of older people, particularly in demanding tasks such as firefighting. The findings suggest that factors such as self-reported regular exercise and measures of overweight/obesity are more important determinants of cardiovascular responses to high physical demands than age in firefighters up to the age of 58 years.