Towards the development of an aerobic fitness standard for firefighters

Due to the physical demands of firefighting and the public's expectation of protection, it is common for jurisdictions to set physical fitness standards. Tests of fitness are used to assess an individual's capacity to safely and effectively manage the stress of firefighting work. The aim of this thesis was to investigate selected questions regarding the aerobic demands and standards for firefighting.;The second investigation further elucidated the effects of personal protective ensemble (PPE) including the self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) on gas exchange during graded exercise (GXTPPE). The main finding from this investigation was a 17.3% reduction in VO2max during GXTPPE. The difference in VO2max during the GXTPPE was significantly related to a reduction in ventilation (VE), which was due to a decreased tidal volume.;The third investigation examined the aerobic demands of a firefighting work simulation (FF Test: Deakin et al., 1996), with specific reference to the 8-min performance standard. In addition, a treadmill protocol to assess the aerobic fitness for firefighters was examined. Coincidence analysis revealed there was no difference in slope and intercept between the male and female regression lines; and they were therefore collapsed. The resulting equation showed that the VO2 associated with the 8-min standard was 34.1 ml•kg-1•min-1, which is consistent with the literature. It was also found that the aerobic demands could be replicated, without gender bias, using a constant workload treadmill test.;Results from this research underscore the need for aerobic fitness screening for firefighting; the assessment of aerobic fitness should take into account the effects of the PPE. Finally, the aerobic demands of the FF Test and subsequent treadmill test provided a novel approach to assessing the aerobic fitness for male and female firefighters.;The first investigation studied the heart rate (HR) responses of students performing physically demanding firefighter training. Results showed that students typically experienced four to six training scenarios a day, ranging from 10:54 to 74:00 min:s in duration. During the various training scenarios, average HR ranged from 55 to 87% of HRmax, with peak values frequently reaching 100% of HRmax, regardless of the type and duration of work.