Being a firefighter is incredibly heroic, and an essential part of emergency services. Because there is a range of responsibilities involved with the job, no two days are the same. However, this can mean that there is a higher range of potential risks associated with the job.
In order to prevent this from causing long-term consequences on a firefighter’s well-being or physical health in general, they must protect themselves. The most common form of protection is turnout gear used by firefighters. Here are the risks that come from working as a firefighter, and why these individuals are more exposed than others.
Disease
Firstly, firefighters have a far higher risk of developing multiple diseases when they are on the job. This is because of the incredibly high levels of stress which are dealt with on a regular basis.
Firefighters must save people and beloved pets from severe burning and more. This alone can be extremely stressful, especially when a firefighter needs to perform the impossible in some cases. As a result, firefighters typically have a higher risk of developing stress-related diseases. These include high blood pressure and heart disease.
Other diseases that firefighters are more likely to develop during their employment include various types of cancer. This is caused by the increased exposure to chemicals, burning materials, smoke, and more harmful materials that have been proven to increase the risk of developing cancer.
Burning
The more obvious risk that firefighters face on a regular basis is burning. Because they need to put out fires and save people from this, firefighters have a higher chance of burning themselves when they are exposed to extreme temperatures and open flames.
In order to keep firefighters protected from this, they are required to wear protective gear whenever they are putting out any fires. Although this can be heavy, it is better to stay protected.
Psychological Damage
In addition, firefighters have a high risk of developing a range of psychological conditions. This is because they are more exposed to scenarios and situations that can have a long-term impact on someone’s emotions, and ability to process a certain experience.
Because of this, most firefighters are required to undergo psychological training so that they can use the necessary preventative measures and keep themselves and others safe at all times.
Some of the things that firefighters handle can be extremely stressful, traumatic, or psychologically damaging. It is important for them to engage in counseling and regular therapy sessions when needed.
Hearing Loss
In terms of physical health, firefighters are far more likely to experience hearing loss. This is because they are needed to handle dangerous situations, including explosions. Not only that, but firefighters use heavy-duty equipment that can generate a significant amount of noise when they are using it frequently.
As a result, firefighters can develop hearing loss. This is caused by the eardrums defending themselves from high amounts of noise on a regular basis. The pressure inside the ear is more likely to be impacted by atmospheric changes, too.
In turn, the increased exposure to high volumes can lead to damage to the ear. This is likely to result in some level of deafness or hearing loss over time, and some firefighters can experience this many years after their retirement.
Protective earwear, such as headphones or ear plugs, is ideal for protecting firefighters’ hearing. However, they need to be able to hear in some situations to save as many people as possible.
Respiratory Conditions
Another risk that firefighters are more likely to experience is respiratory conditions. This is due to the increased dust, smoke, and small amounts of pollutants that they are exposed to on a daily basis.
Firefighters must protect themselves from developing respiratory conditions, by wearing appropriate face coverings and protective equipment when necessary.
High amounts of exposure to these harmful pollutants and other materials, can increase the likelihood of developing respiratory conditions over time. These include asthma and more severe conditions like lung cancer or tumor growth.
Summary
Firefighters are exposing themselves to a range of harmful pollutants, materials, and more on a regular basis. Over time, this can increase the likelihood that they can become unwell in later life.
From psychological protection to protective equipment, firefighters need to preserve their own well-being and health in order to perform their job correctly in the future. It is worth noting that these conditions can arise in later life, many years after exposure to a certain stimulus.
