The Need For Rehab
Exhaustion on the fire ground is real. It must be addressed!
Sean F. Peck
FIF Development Team
We have all read the LODD’s as they come out. Our goals are to not allow history to repeat itself. You have to wonder how many deaths could be avoided or at least problems discovered before it is too late. The goal of this column is to talk about the importance of incident rehabilitation.
I know being assigned to rehab is not for the cool kids and every firefighter reading this wants to be in the fire saving the baby from the clutches of the fire like on TV, but here is an opportunity to truly help our own.
So the question begs, when do we implement rehab? According the NFPA 1584, “procedures shall be in place to ensure that rehabilitation operations commence whenever emergency operations pose the risk of members exceeding a safe level of physical or mental endurance”. Although there are no set rules as to when to establish rehab the NFPA does offer the following guideline:
• Members shall undergo rehabilitation following the use of a second 30-minute self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) cylinder, a single 45-minute or 60-minute SCBA cylinder, or 40 minutes of intense work without SCBA. A supervisor shall be permitted to adjust the time frames depending upon work or environmental conditions (NFPA, 2008).
Obviously weather plays a big part of rehab, so it is important that this is taken into account.
It is important to note that as your incident grows in size, it is imperative that your rehab sector is able to accommodate the influx of additional units. As the incident commander, you should locate your rehab based on 3 factors;
1. In the cold zone, uphill, up wind from hazard area
2. Reasonable distance from work area
3. Weather appropriate
Now, we will talk about what is required at rehab. Again if we reference the NFPA 1584, we learn that there are minimum abilities that need to be available;
1. Medical evaluation and treatment
2. Food and Fluid Replenishment
3. Relief from climatic conditions
4. Rest and recovery
5. Member Accountability
Of course things change depending where you are at, so be sure to be aware of your department’s policies and procedures. Over the next few columns we will address each of these abilities in detail. Please join us next time as we delve into medical evaluation and treatment.
Works Cited
NFPA. (2008). NFPA 1584: Standard on the Rehabilitation Process for Members During Emergency Operations and Training Exercises. Quincy: NFPA.
USFA. (2008). Emergency Incident Rehabilitation. FEMA.