Pitt Study Helps Firefighters Learn to Play It Cool
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Allison Heinrichs
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Wearing 80 pounds of firefighter gear and breathing through an air tank, Lt. Chris Martin walked at a fast clip on an inclined treadmill.
In one minute, his heart rate had doubled and sweat began dripping down his brow.
But the Guyasuta Volunteer Fire Department firefighter continued to endure the
grueling workout. Even though he wasn't running into a fire, he was helping to
save lives.
Martin is among the first Allegheny County firefighters to participate in a trial
aimed at developing the best ways to reduce heart problems from exposure to heat
stress. Last month, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the Allegheny
County Fire Academy received a $222,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management
Agency for the two-year study.
Pitt was among eight to receive a research grant out of more than 2,900 applications.
A National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health study released in July
showed sudden cardiac death to be the most common cause of line-of-duty deaths
among firefighters, killing about 45 every year.
"I'm young now," said Martin, 23, of O'Hara. "But I'm sure in about 20 years,
I'm going to have to start worrying."
David Hostler, an assistant professor with Pitt's department of emergency medicine, plans
to put 20 to 40 firefighters through 10 tests during the next 18 months at the
university's Emergency Responder Human Performance Lab in Oakland.
Hostler, himself a volunteer firefighter, records the vital statistics -- blood
pressure, body temperature, weight -- of the firefighters before, during and after
the workouts. He then gives them water, Gatorade or intravenous fluids and tries
different methods to bring down their body temperature. He's looking for the most
effective way to rehydrate and cool firefighters at the scene of a fire.
Next year he'll take the methods to the Allegheny County Fire Training Academy
and have paramedics test them on firefighters responding to a controlled burn.
"At the end of it, we will basically be able to put out a how-to manual to fire
departments across the nation," Hostler said.
Firefighters typically work in two 30-minute shifts during fires. After the first
shift, they leave the fire to cool down and rehydrate to relieve cardiac and heat
stress. But protocol on how to do this varies, with some firefighters simply sitting
down and chugging water.
If they don't cool down to a sufficient degree and replenish their fluids, firefighters'
hearts will have to work harder during the second 30-minute shift, increasing
the risk of a heart attack, Hostler said.
After he compiles the results of his study and publishes his manual, Hostler
said it still will be a challenge to get firefighters -- who tend to view resting
as a sign of weakness -- to follow it.
"You're talking about trying to change a culture that has 200 years of tradition,"
he said. "That can be tough."
FEMA Fire Grant to Assess Heat Stress in Firefighters Awarded to University of
Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH, August 21, 2007 — Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine’s department of emergency medicine, in collaboration with the Allegheny County Fire Academy, have received a Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Fire Prevention and Safety grant to conduct
a study designed to develop optimal methods of reducing acute cardiovascular risk
resulting from exposure to heat stress during fire suppression.
According to a July 2007 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH) report, sudden cardiac death represents the most common cause of line-of-duty
deaths among firefighters, killing approximately 45 each year. It is suspected
that many of these deaths are triggered by heat stress, which can be caused by
exposure to the fire and the use of personal protective garments.
The report also found that, for firefighters, coronary artery disease and sudden
cardiac death involve a combination of personal and work-related factors. Personal
factors can include age, gender, family history, diabetes, hypertension, smoking,
high cholesterol, obesity and lack of exercise. Work-related factors can include
exposure to fire smoke, heavy physical exertion, heat stress and other physical
stresses.
“The Allegheny County Department of Emergency Services through the County Fire
Training Academy is pleased to work with the University of Pittsburgh’s department
of emergency medicine to enhance fire safety and reduce the amount of line-of-duty
deaths among fire and rescue workers,” said Robert A. Full, Chief of Emergency Services and Fire Marshal, Allegheny County. “What an advantage it is to have the resources of a world-class health organization
available to us in order to perform our jobs to the best of our ability.”
The two-year study, known as the Fire ground Rehab Evaluation (FIRE) Trial, will assess the best methods for maintaining the health and safety of
firefighters while in the line of duty, called fire ground rehabilitation.
Currently, fire ground rehabilitation is inconsistent across the profession due
to size and scope of each organization. Changing behavior can be difficult especially
in the fire and rescue community, where taking a break can be viewed as a sign
of weakness.
“During the FIRE trial, we will be looking for the right threshold at which fire
ground rehabilitation should be administered and investigating the efficacy of
different methods of rehabilitation that can be administered at fire scenes. The
study is designed to improve firefighter health and safety by providing an improved
understanding of the mechanisms of heat stress and its effects on the heart. We
anticipate that the study will result in improved methods of prevention and treatment
of heat-related cardiovascular stress that can be adopted by fire departments
across the United States,” said David Hostler, Ph.D., NREMT-P, research assistant professor, University
of Pittsburgh department of emergency medicine and volunteer firefighter of the
Guyasuta Volunteer Fire Department, O’Hara Township.
Firefighters from the Guyasuta Volunteer Fire Department and other departments across Allegheny County will be tested in the department
of emergency medicine’s specially-designed Emergency Responder Human Performance
Lab. Physiological monitoring will include pulse, heart rate, blood pressure and
core body temperature, while at rest and during exercise and while wearing the
firefighter protective clothing. Blood samples will be taken before and after
exercise to look for elevations in chemicals that promote blood clotting and are
associated with increased cardiovascular risk. After exercise, various cooling
and hydration treatments will be administered (e.g., oral fluids versus IV fluids,
cooling blankets) to determine the most practical and effective method to reduce
cardiovascular risk among firefighters. Similar tests will be performed during
exposure to fire, smoke and heat when the firefighters are training at the Allegheny County Fire Academy.
Co-investigators of this trial include Joe Suyama, M.D., assistant professor
of emergency medicine and Steven Reis, M.D., associate vice-chancellor for clinical
research, health sciences, and professor of medicine, University of Pittsburgh.
Dr. Reis is a volunteer firefighter and medical officer of the Guyasuta Volunteer
Fire Department.
Upon completion of the study, a list of recommendations will be given to the
FEMA Assistance to Firefighter Program to be implemented by fire departments across
the country looking to establish fire and EMS rehabilitation protocols.
Further information about this study can be obtained by contacting Dr. Hostler
at 412-647-3078.
Mike Dortenzo, EMT-B, Chief, Guyasuta Volunteer Fire Department, O’Hara Township takes part in the FEMA FIRE grant project at the University
of Pittsburgh, department of emergency medicine’s specially-designed Emergency
Responder Human Performance Lab. Assisting him is David Hostler, Ph.D., NREMT-P.,
research assistant professor, University of Pittsburgh Department of Emergency
Medicine and volunteer firefighter with the Guyasuta V.F.D. and Jennifer Seitz.
Jennifer Seitz and Mike Gallagher attend to Chief Mike Dortenzo in the Emergency Responder Human Performance Lab, Department of Emergency Medicine
Members of the Guyasuta Volunteer Fire Dept. take part in a routine fire drill at RIDC Park in O’Hara Township
A member of the Guyasuta Volunteer Fire Dept lowers his fellow fireman to safety during a mock rescue drill at RIDC Park
 Guyasuta VFD Names First Chaplain
The Herald
Misty Chybrzynski
Staff Writer
Thursday, February 15, 2007
The Guyasuta Volunteer Fire Depart-ment has taken a new member into its ranks
and hopes that his presence will aid victims during times of tragedy.
The fire department's board recently named Rabbi Ely Rosenfeld, 29, of O'Hara,
Chaplain of the fire and emergency response unit.
"I see (the fire department) as an incredible inspiration," Rosenfeld, who is
a director of the Fox Chapel Center for Jewish Life, said. "Everyone there is
a professional during the day and they don't have time for this -- but they give
the time. It reminds me that no matter what time it is, you have to be there."
Rosenfeld, a friend of Dr. Steve Reis, a medical officer for the department,
witnessed the overwhelming response to a small fire across the street from the
Center for Jewish Life a few months ago.
After conversing about the department and its responsibilities, Rosenfeld became
enthralled with the idea of volunteering at such a capacity.
The board voted Rosenfeld in as its first chaplain last month.
"(Rosenfeld) will bring some much needed emotional support to victims after critical
incidents," Fire Chief Mike Dortenzo said. "Depending on what calls we have, he
will be on site to talk to victims."
Rosenfeld sees the job as a dual-sided duty: First, to aid the community when
fire or tragedy strikes and second, to provide emotional support to the firemen
and emergency response workers after they have witnessed such tragedies firsthand.
"I hope to be someone on the scene that can work with the families until their
pastor, rabbi or the Red Cross can take over," Rosenfeld said. "A lot of these
volunteers are young kids and seeing these tragedies is not easy. You and I can
live in a utopia world, but when you see it every single day -- accidents on Route
28 and that fire in O'Hara (in December) -- it can be very depressing."
While Rosenfeld, thankfully, hasn't hit any extreme calls thus far, he has spent
some time getting acquainted with the department's crew.
He fits in somewhat -- he also is busy with duties tending to the Center for
Jewish Life and has a family of his own -- wife, Shternie, and two children, Mendy,
1, and Chaya, 2. He connects with the fellow members on that level.
Rosenfeld slowly is getting to know each of them personally, but admits that
"Some are suspicious ...some feel like they can't be themselves. It's the language
thing -- you are careful about what you say in front of a rabbi, but over time
we'll be able to grow together."
Already, Rosenfeld has encompassed the communal sense of responsibility and family
that most firemen share. Reading about a fireman's death recently evoked an emotion
of brotherhood to his mind.
"For the first time it struck home," Rosenfeld said. "I really feel like a part
of a family."
Rosenfeld, who previously was a chaplain of the Allegheny County prison for a
year, hopes to distribute a non-denominational message about good will throughout
the community while performing his duties.
"There's a big barrier between volunteers and average people," Rosenfeld said.
"I hope I can be a person in the community that can answer questions and share
more about what these volunteers do."
Guyasuta Fire Department Day
Guyasuta VFD Chief Mike Dortenzo's
Duo scorches competition with firefighting skills
By Jessica Bruni, Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 5, 2006
Last month, Cory Gonder and Orie List won the state Skills USA Fire fighting
Championship in Lancaster and qualified for nationals.
But last Friday, while hanging out at Colton fire hall before a fish fry dinner,
the Penn-Trafford juniors were more than modest about what they've done.
Cory's father, firefighter Russ Gonder, says they shouldn't be so humble. He
calls the boys the pride of Claridge.
"This is a very small community," he says. "They've kind of put the Claridge
fire department on the map."
As students at Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center, both teens
are enrolled in the Protective Services program, which teaches firefighting, EMS
and police skills.
After winning a district firefighting skills championship as a team earlier this
year, the boys moved on the state competition in March. As part of the event,
Cory says, they had to travel up and down ladders, as well as demonstrate a variety
of knots and hoist tools into the building -- which was not burning.
Cory says he was surprised when he and Orie swept the competition.
"States were awesome. It was a huge surprise."
For his part, Orie says his legs felt like Jell-O as the winners were announced.
"It was hard to walk," he admits.
Both boys credit their vo-tech teacher, Mike Dortenzo, for teaching them the skills needed to win the competition.
"He's good. He makes everything fun to do," Corry says.
The national championship will be held in Kansas City in June. If the boys win,
then it will be off to Europe for the international competition later this year.
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