The New South Wales Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) has over 70,000 members and is rapidly approaching a demographic dilemma. As 'baby boomers' begin to retire, it's time to shift the focus of the NSW ...RFS to 'millennials' and get ready for the challenges that come with that generation.
Objectives. On September 11, 2001 (9/11), attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC) killed 341 Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) firefighters and injured hundreds more. Previous ...WTC-related studies reported high rates of comorbid depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), identifying disability retirement, alcohol use, and early arrival at the WTC site as correlates. However, those studies did not evaluate risk factors that could have mediated the observed comorbidity. We identified unique risk factors for each condition in an effort to better understand comorbidity. Methods. We screened retired WTC-exposed firefighters using self-administered questionnaires including the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. We performed regression analyses to compare independent predictors of elevated depression and PTSD risk, and also tested a mediation hypothesis. Results. From December 2005 to July 2007, 23% and 22% of 1,915 retirees screened positive for elevated depression and PTSD risk, respectively, with comorbidity >70%. Controlling for comorbidity, we identified unique risk factors for (1) depression: problem alcohol use and (2) PTSD: early arrival at the WTC site. Conclusions. Our data support the premise that PTSD and depression are different responses to trauma with unique risk factors. The data also suggest a hypothesis that PTSD mediates the relationship between early WTC arrival and depression, while depression mediates the relationship between alcohol use and PTSD, a more complex relationship than shown in previous studies. Clinicians should consider these factors when evaluating patients for depression and PTSD.
Mountain pine beetle (MPB) outbreaks within the previous 10–15 years have affected millions of hectares of lodgepole pine forests in western North America. Concerns about the influence of recent tree ...mortality on changes in fire behaviour amongst firefighters and fire managers have led researchers to attempt to quantify the effects on crown fire potential. In this paper we provide an up-to-date review and critique of research that has endeavoured to quantify the effect of recent MPB-caused tree mortality, during the red stage, on crown fire potential based upon quantitative descriptions of important crown and canopy fuel characteristics and simulation-based assessments of crown fire initiation and spread using operational and physics-based models. While significant progress has been made in characterizing the important variables affecting crown fire potential in recently attacked forests, we suggest that many of the conclusions drawn from simulation-based studies conducted to-date are suspect given the use of inappropriate and/or un-validated models. A systematic program of experimental burning, the monitoring and documentation of wildfires and prescribed fires, and better models of fuel moisture and fuel structure are urgently needed in order to properly assess crown fire potential in lodgepole pine forests recently attacked by the MPB.
In recent years, numerous natural disaster affected the Italian territory, growing the demand of secure on-field procedures able to accomplish the task of reconnaissance, inspection and survey of ...instable infrastructure and cultural heritage. During the early-impact there are numerous first response figures, like firefighters, civil protection, geotechnical inspectors and surveyors, that have to operate nearby damaged structure putting at risk their lives in case of possible collapses. Most of these operators work in heavy conditions, so they need tools and procedures that allow them to rush into decisions. These procedures must be rapid, easy to use and must allow the possibility to conduct the task with a certain distance of the instable or not easily accessible structures. This paper deals with the use of tablet devices for rapid close range photogrammetry in post-earthquake scenario, following the close range photogrammetry approach. Starting from images acquired by tablets during speditive surveys, the authors show how is possible to reconstruct the environment starting from data acquired by low cost devices. The case-study considered in this work is the Sant’Agostino Church in Amatrice (Italy), a cultural heritage highly damaged by the 6.0 magnitude earthquake occurred on 24 August 2016 in the central part of Italy.
In the US, Incident Management Teams (IMTs) like to define their role as ‘bringing order to chaos’. Conversely, French firefighters tend to describe their jobs as ‘organizing chaos’. For US IMTs, ...internal order is the means to overcome external chaos, while French IMTs consider some (minimal) disorganization as opportunities for enhanced adaptability. What accounts for this difference in the way the Incident Command System (ICS) is enacted? Most importantly, how does it relate to success? Through a set of experiments on a virtual reality‐based simulation platform, we found that optimal performance was associated with the presence of certain types of triads the interaction network. Future research avenues are suggested and implications for ICS are discussed.
In all areas of human life, we encounter modern technologies. These technologies represent a significant simplification of basic daily life and provide improvements in saving lives and health. One of ...the contemporary technologies should be a firefighting robot. This robot helps firefighters in hardly accessible places. These technologies can protect the life and health of firefighters and transport water to the scene, where it is not always possible or at high risk. The paper aims to present the current state of modern information technologies in the Czech Republic. Based on different experiences, measures will be proposed to increase the intervention's success by transporting the necessary fire equipment to the scene. The first part of the paper presented the current state of the situation and the literature review. The second part describes the methodology of the paper, where primarily was used the Pareto diagram. The central part of the paper is the results. In this part are presented the used modern technologies which are used by FRS. Next was used the Pareto analysis and evaluation based on the scale. Finally, the Pareto diagram showed, based on which we could take the information about FRS's preparedness for the selected disasters. The last part of the paper is the recommendation and verification, recommendations, and conclusion. Keywords: Information Technologies; FRS; Robots; Remote Access; Emergency Management.
Post-traumatic stress affects millions of people worldwide. Appraisal training is an intervention that has been used to decrease the negative effects of a traumatic event. In two studies, the ...acceptance and effects of technology in supporting appraisal was studied. Study 1, a descriptive study, examined the response to and acceptance of a workshop on perspective broadening with technological support among soldiers and firefighters. Results revealed that both groups evaluated the training as useful and feasible, and both favoured the full version of the tool. Study 2 investigated the effect of the support tool among a student sample in comparison to the paper-based training. Participants followed the training individually. Comparisons between the two groups revealed no significant differences on multiple outcome measures. Behaviour observed during the training suggests that shorter sessions might prove more effective. The findings indicate acceptance of the technology supported training but gives no indication that the effects of the training are improved by technological support.
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