Relationship between fire fighting suppression tasks and physical fitness

Abstract

This investigation evaluated the relationship between physical fitness and performance of fire suppression tasks. The following mean +/- SD values were associated with 91 fire fighters: age 31.69 +/- 7.39 years, height 177.29 +/- 6.38 cm, weight 83.97 +/- 10.86 kg, % fat 13.78 +/- 4.31, fat free weight (FFW) 71.52 +/- 7.66 kg, pull-ups 9.03 +/- 4.79, push-ups 41.02 +/- 14.08, 1.5 mile run 737.60 +/- 108.11 s, sit and reach 32.00 +/- 8.5 cm, sit-ups 39.88 +/- 7.75, and total grip strength 116.75 +/- 17.67 kg. The physical performance assessment (PPA) consisted of the following: stair climb, hoist, forcible entry, hose advance, and victim rescue. Significant correlations (p < 0.01) were found between the PPA and the following: total grip strength (r = -0.54), FFW (r = -0.47), height (r = -0.40), pull-ups (r = -0.38), push-ups (r = -0.38), 1.5 mile run (r = 0.38), sit-ups (r = -0.32), weight (r = -0.30) and % fat (r = 0.30). Multiple regression analysis indicated that the best multiple predictor of PPA was the 1.5 mile run, FFW, and pull-ups, r = 0.73, p < 0.001. This investigation shows the importance of physical fitness as related to performance of fire suppression job tasks.