Determination of the physiological responses of female fire fighters while working in the heat
This study determined the physiological responses of female fire fighters to two similar bouts of work in the heat. Peak heart rates (HR), peak oxygen consumption (VO2), peak rectal temperatures (Trec), peak mean skin temperature (MST), and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were compared between two work bouts which were separated by a standard recovery period. Seven female fire fighters walked for twenty minutes in complete fire fighting ensembles at 50% of their VO2max in a 40Ã‚Â°C environment. After the first work bout (WB1), subjects removed their protective clothing, rehydrated and rested in front of a fan until their Trec returned to baseline levels. Then, they completed a second work bout (WB 2) similar to WB1. The differences in Trec and HR between WB1 and WB2 were significantly higher during WB2. Although Trec was higher in WB2 , the difference was small (0.38Ã‚Â°C); the difference in HR was twelve beats per minute.
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