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Sleep, Workload, and Stress in Aerial Firefighting Crews
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posted on 2023-02-10, 03:36 authored by M Sprajcer, Spencer RobertsSpencer Roberts, Brad AisbettBrad Aisbett, S Ferguson, D Demasi, A Shriane, MJW ThomasBACKGROUND:The challenges of climate change and increasing frequency of severe weather conditions has demanded innovative approaches to wildfire suppression. Australia’s wildfire management includes an expanding aviation program, providing both fixed and rotary wing aerial
platforms for reconnaissance, incident management, and quick response aerial fire suppression. These operations have typically been limited to day visual flight rules operations, but recently trials have been undertaken extending the window of operations into the night, with the assistance
of night vision systems. Already a demanding job, night aerial firefighting operations have the potential to place even greater physical and mental demands on crewmembers. This study was designed to investigate sleep, fatigue, and performance outcomes in Australian aerial firefighting crews.METHODS:A
total of nine subjects undertook a 21-d protocol, completing a sleep and duty diary including ratings of fatigue and workload. Salivary cortisol was collected daily, with additional samples provided before and after each flight, and heart rate variability was monitored during flight. Actigraphy
was also used to objectively measure sleep during the data collection period.RESULTS:Descriptive findings suggest that subjects generally obtained >7 h sleep prior to flights, but cortisol levels and self-reported fatigue increased postflight. Furthermore, the greatest reported
workload was associated with the domains of ‘performance’ and ‘mental demand’ during flights.DISCUSSION:Future research is necessary to understand the impact of active wildfire response on sleep, stress, and workload on aerial firefighting crews.Sprajcer
M, Roberts S, Aisbett B, Ferguson S, Demasi D, Shriane A, Thomas MJW. Sleep, workload, and stress in aerial firefighting crews. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2022; 93(10):749–754.
History
Journal
Aerospace medicine and human performanceVolume
93Pagination
749-754Location
United StatesPublisher DOI
ISSN
2375-6314eISSN
2375-6322Language
EnglishPublication classification
C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalIssue
10Publisher
AEROSPACE MEDICAL ASSOCUsage metrics
Keywords
Science & TechnologyLife Sciences & BiomedicineBiophysicsPublic, Environmental & Occupational HealthMedicine, Research & ExperimentalResearch & Experimental MedicinefatiguewildfiresleepperformanceshiftworkaviationHEART-RATEAIRCREWSTATESActigraphyAustraliaFatigueHumansHydrocortisoneSleepSleep DeprivationWork Schedule ToleranceWorkloadSleep ResearchBehavioral and Social ScienceHuman Movement and Sports Science not elsewhere classified
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