Report of the Week from FireFighterNearMiss.com
"I was working the second half of a 48-hour shift (trade) over the busy Independence Day holiday. We had been running constantly, without significant sleep for over forty hours. Driving the rescue back from an EMS call, I fell asleep at the wheel on a winding, rural road. I awoke as the vehicle drove into the median. I was able to correct and returned to quarters without further incident. I'm not sure that my crew members even realized what had happened." click here for entire report.
The consequences of sleep deprivation are well chronicled in a number of industries. Some studies indicate that for every hour of sleep less than 8 a human misses, the impact on performance equates to one alcoholic drink. Fire departments across the country, regardless of composition, face this dilemma every day. The easy answer is, “Get more sleep.” However, even people not engaged in emergency service work are significantly sleep deprived. The true answer for emergency service workers lies in adopting strategies that balance service delivery with adequate rest and recovery periods.
1. How does your current lifestyle (off-duty activities, commuting distances, etc.) impact getting adequate sleep given your department work schedule or duty requirement?
2. Has your department adopted a more flexible attitude toward firefighters and EMS workers “catching a nap” during “regular” business hours? If not, why?
3. Would adjusting shift start times (e.g., 8 a.m. vs. 6 a.m.) provide for additional rest and recovery?
4. Should there be a limit on the maximum number of hours a firefighter/EMS provider can work consecutively?
5. When was the last time you obtained 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep?
Excellent information can be found here at the National Sleep Foundation.
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