The Health of Firefighters Deployed to the Fort McMurray Fire: Lessons Learnt.

ABSTRACT: Introduction: Firefighters were working in exceptionally difficult conditions during the Fort McMurray/Horse River fire in May 2016. Methods: From mid-May, we recruited firefighters from 13 fire services as they returned from the fire. In October 2016 we extended recruitment to all Alberta-based firefighters deployed to the fire. In December 2017-May 2018 we sent a first online follow-up: this concentrated on mental health supports. The second follow-up, in October 2018-January 2019, included screening scales for respiratory ill-health and PTSD. All three contacts included visual analogue scales for chest symptoms and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. We estimated exposure to PM_2.5, and calculated an exposure mitigation index from reports of respiratory pr

SUBMITTER: Cherry N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8632044 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature