VERDUGO FIRE ACADEMY

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VERDUGO FIRE ACADEMY
FIREFIGHTER REHABILITATION Robert Sepulveda,
VFA Instructor
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Objectives

• Define emergency incident rehabilitation.
• Describe why fire fighters need emergency
  incident rehabilitation.
• List and describe the types of extended fire
  incidents where fire fighters need emergency
  incident rehabilitation.
• Describe four other types of incidents where fire
  fighters would benefit from emergency incident
  rehabilitation.

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Objectives

• Describe the functions of a rehabilitation
  center.
• List the four parts of revitalization.
• Describe the types of fluids that are well suited
  for fire fighters to drink during emergency
  incident rehabilitation.

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Objectives

• Describe the types of food that are well suited
  for fire fighters to eat during emergency
  incident rehabilitation.
• Describe the personal responsibilities related to
  emergency incident rehabilitation.

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Introduction

• You must take care of yourself so you can help
  others.
• Rehabilitate To restore to a condition of health
  or to a state of useful and constructive
  activity.

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Introduction

• Without rest and recovery
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Gastrointestinal problems

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Factors, Cause, and Need for Rehabilitation

• Physiological job stressors
• From sleep to full activity in seconds
• Not enough time to eat or drink
• Physical demands

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Factors, Cause, and Need for Rehabilitation

• Environmental job stressors
• Adverse weather conditions
• Unfamiliar locations
• Smoke-filled environments

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Factors, Cause, and Need for Rehabilitation

• Personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Contributes to heat stress
• Can weigh up to 40 lbs.
• Increases energy needed to move
• Traps body heat
• Acts as vapor barrier

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Factors, Cause, and Need for Rehabilitation

• Dehydration
• State in which fluid losses exceed intake
• Fire fighter in action can lose up to 2 quarts of
  fluid in less than 1 hour
• Fluid loss reduces strength, endurance, and
  mental judgment

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Factors, Cause, and Need for Rehabilitation

• Energy Consumption
• During strenuous activity, the body burns
  carbohydrates and fats for energy.
• Essential to refuel energy sources with
  nutritious food

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Factors, Cause, and Need for Rehabilitation

• A well-rested, well-conditioned person has more
  endurance and can tolerate the stresses of
  firefighting.

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Types of Incidents Affecting Fire Fighter
Rehabilitation

• Rehabilitation required at all incidents
• Small incidents may require only water for
  rehydration.
• Major incidents may require a full rehabilitation
  center.

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Types of Incidents Affecting Fire Fighter
Rehabilitation

• Structure fires
• Intense heat and stressful conditions cause rapid
  dehydration and fatigue.
• High-rise fires
• Energy resources are drained quickly.

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Types of Incidents Affecting Fire Fighter
Rehabilitation

• Wildland fires
• Crews need to work in shifts so their bodies can
  recover.
• Large fires may require hundreds of fire fighters
  and take weeks to extinguish.

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Other Types of IncidentsRequiring Rehabilitation

• Hazardous materials incidents
• Long-duration search -and -rescue activities
• Large-scale training activities

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Other Types of IncidentsRequiring Rehabilitation

• Non-emergency events
• Athletic events
• Stand-by assignments

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Other Types of IncidentsRequiring Rehabilitation

• Nourishment and fluid replacement are essential
  whenever fire fighters must be ready for action.
• Weather conditions
• Heat causes rapid dehydration and fatigue.
• High humidity reduces evaporative cooling.
• Cold weather can cause hypothermia.

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How Does Rehabilitation Work?

• Six Functions
• Medical monitoring
• Revitalization
• Medical monitoring and treatment
• Transportation
• Critical incident stress management
• Reassignment

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Physical Assessment

• Signs and symptoms of fatigue
• Crew should be observed for signs of emotional
  stress.

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Revitalization

• Rest
• Opportunity to disengage from stressful
  activities and remove PPE

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Revitalization

• Fluid replacement
• Rehydrate with water.
• Restore electrolytes with diluted sports drinks.
• Avoid caffeinated and sugar-rich drinks.

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Revitalization

• Nutrition
• Glucose needed to burn fat and release energy
• Need to balance glucose levels for the body to
  work properly
• Too low weakness, shaking
• Too high sluggishness

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Revitalization

• Nutrition (continued)
• Carbohydrates
• Major source of fuel
• Readily used by the body during high-intensity
  activities
• Proteins
• Used by the body to grow and repair tissues

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Revitalization

• Nutrition (continued)
• Fats
• Used for energy, insulating and protecting
  organs, and breaking down vitamins
• Simple sugars stimulate insulin production.
• Sugar consumption can lead to lower energy
  levels.

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Revitalization

• Nutrition (continued)
• During short incidents
• Consume low-sugar, high-protein sports bars.
• During extended incidents
• Eat smaller, balanced meals that include complex
  carbohydrates.
• Proper nutrition is part of a healthy lifestyle.

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Revitalization

• Temperature stabilization
• Remove turnout gear as soon as possible.
• Move to climate-controlled environment.
• In cold conditions, use a heated rehabilitation
  center.

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Medical Monitoring and Treatment

• Medical monitoring and treatment
• Abnormal vital signs, pain, and injury
  necessitate further medical treatment.
• Signs of illness or injury should be checked in
  the rehabilitation center to prevent later
  disruption on the fire scene.

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Transportation to a Hospital

• Ambulance available at rehabilitation centers to
  
• Transport ill fire fighters
• Transport injured fire fighters

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Critical Incident Stress Management

• CISM
• Confronts critical incidents, defuses them, and
  directs the fire fighter toward physical and
  emotional balance
• Team members may meet with companies or
  individual fire fighters.

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Reassignment

• Fire fighters released to reassignment following
• Rest
• Rehydration
• Refueling
• Rechecking that they are fit for duty
• May return to the same or different tasks

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Personal Responsibility in Rehabilitation