In the scorching heat of a burning building or the relentless burning during a bushfire, firefighters face not only the immediate dangers of flames, smoke, injury, and death, but also a silent, potentially deadly threat: heat-related illness (HRI).
As climate change intensifies extreme weather events and temperatures continue to rise globally, the risk of HRIs among firefighters has become a pressing concern.
However, innovative wearable technology is emerging as a powerful tool in the fight to keep firefighters safe on the job.
Protecting the health and safety of those who are on the frontline saving our lives, homes, schools, communities, and forests has been a primary objective of safety technology companies like Kenzen.
The dangers of overheating for firefighters cannot be overstated.
In the short term, even mild forms of heat illness can lead to impaired performance, putting both the firefighter and those they’re trying to save at risk.
In the long term, repeated exposure to extreme heat can lead to chronic health issues, including kidney problems and cardiovascular disease.
Firefighters routinely work in extreme conditions that push the human body to its limits.
A survey of Australian firefighters found that 62% reported structural firefighting as the hottest operational activity they face, followed closely by bushfire-fighting at 51% (Fullagar et al., 2021).
These grueling tasks often involve wearing heavy, insulated personal protective equipment (PPE) that, while crucial for safety, can exacerbate the risk of overheating.
Firefighters’ uniform and PPE traps heat and humidity from their bodies while external heat sources (e.g., solar radiation, fire) are also major contributors to heat stress.
This combination of intense physical exertion, extreme environmental heat, and restrictive PPE creates a perfect storm for HRIs.
Short-term illness and disease from heat occurs on a spectrum, ranging from mild to life-threatening.
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), these conditions include:
For firefighters, the risk of progressing quickly through these stages is high due to their intense work environment and protective gear.
A concerning statistic from a study of Korean firefighters revealed that 74.8% had experienced heat-related illness symptoms on the job, with 5% suffering from these symptoms 20 times or more in a year (Kim et al., 2019).
Perhaps most worryingly, heat stress is closely linked to an elevated risk of sudden cardiac events – a leading cause of line-of-duty deaths among firefighters (Wohlgemuth et al., 2023).
The progression from heat exhaustion to heat stroke can be rapid and fatal, as illustrated by a case study from NIOSH where a worker died of heat stroke after being left alone for just 45 minutes, with his core body temperature reaching a dangerous 108°F.
There are alarming increases in the prevenance of Chronic Kidney Disease of nontraditional means (CKDnt) linked to occupational exposure to heat.
Kenzen, a company at the forefront of wearable technology, designed an individualized approach to specifically combat heat illness that has been massively effective with firefighters and rescue teams that use it in the field for eliminating heat illness.
The solution offers a non-invasive way to monitor core body temperature (CBT) in real-time – a crucial leading indicator of heat stress that has traditionally been difficult to measure accurately in the field.
CBT is the best indicator of serious HRIs and traditional methods for monitoring core body temperature have been invasive, uncomfortable, and expensive.
Kenzen’s lightweight, wearable sensor addresses these challenges, providing continuous physiological monitoring that can alert both individual firefighters and their supervisors when unsafe core temperatures are reached.
This real-time data allows for immediate intervention, potentially preventing the progression of HRIs before they become severe.
The importance of such preventative measures cannot be overstated.
Research has shown that heat illness is 100 percent preventable if physiology is continuously monitored and is combined with best practices for heat illness prevention.
This approach aligns with the needs expressed by firefighters themselves.
In the Australian survey, firefighters reported a desire for “improved gear and clothing,” “cooling ingestion,” “cooling exposure,” and “technical recovery aids” to help manage heat stress (Fullagar et al., 2021).
Wearable technology addresses these needs by providing real-time physiological data that can inform when and how long to implement cooling strategies effectively.
Moreover, the individualized nature of wearable technology is a significant advancement.
Current heat illness prevention programs are fitted to a group, failing to recognize individual body characteristics and needs and leaving personnel at risk for HRIs and injury.
By monitoring each firefighter’s unique physiological response to heat, wearables allow for personalized risk assessment and intervention.
The benefits of this technology extend beyond immediate safety concerns.
When workers are safe and healthy, they are more motivated, effective and show higher productivity.
For firefighters, this could translate to improved performance during critical missions and potentially lives saved.
Long-term health outcomes are also likely to improve with the consistent use of such technology.
By preventing repeated episodes of heat stress, firefighters may reduce their risk of developing chronic health issues associated with frequent overheating.
Given the clear benefits and the increasing risks posed by climate change, there’s a strong case for the widespread adoption of wearable heat monitoring technology in fire services worldwide.
The U.S. military has already recognized the growing threat, with heat illness rates increasing by 580 percent since the 1980-2002 timeframe.
Fire services would do well to follow suit, especially considering the similar physical demands and environmental exposures faced by firefighters.
Implementing such technology could also provide valuable data for further research and development of heat management strategies.
As firefighters use these devices over time, the aggregated data could offer insights into patterns of heat stress, effectiveness of current PPE, and opportunities for improving operational procedures.
As climate change continues to elevate temperatures globally, the risk of heat illness among firefighters is only likely to increase.
Wearable technology offers a promising solution to this growing threat, providing real-time, individualized monitoring that can prevent illness and injuries before they occur.
By embracing these innovative tools, fire services can better protect their personnel, potentially saving lives and improving long-term health outcomes.
As we ask firefighters to continually put themselves in harm’s way to protect our communities, it’s crucial that we equip them with the best available technology to ensure their safety and well-being.
In the fight against heat stress, wearable monitoring devices may well be the next essential piece of a firefighter’s toolkit.
Kyle Hubregtse is CEO and Nick Hernandez is Global Account Manager at Kenzen, provider of continuous safety monitoring solutions that harness the power of physiological data to predict and prevent injury, illness, and death caused by heat on worksites around the world.
