Firefighter occupational exposures in forest fire settings – Three years of the FUMEXP project

Introduction and objectives: There is a growing awareness that smoke produced during wildland fires can expose firefighters and populations to hazardous concentrations of several air pollutants. The FUMEXP Project was developed to evaluate the potential effects of smoke emissions on firemen health. Methods: A sample of firefighters (n=38) was submitted to spirometry and responded to the SF-36® General Health Survey before the 2008 forest fire season, and again at the end of the 2010 season. During three years (2008-2010), a subsample of 18 firefighters was tested before and after firefighting. Exhaled nitric oxide (eNO), carbon monoxide (CO) and% carboxy-haemoglobin were monitored. Ten of these firefighters carried monitoring devices to assess particulate matter (PM2,5), NO2, volatile organic compounds (VOC's) and carbon monoxide, during prescribed/experimental an real forest fires. Results: Values above international recommendations were measured: PM2.5 > 1,280 μg.m3; CO>73,000 μg.m-3; NO2 >4,670 μg.m-3. VOC values were also high. Airway monitoring: there was a significant decrease (p<0.05) on the eNO, and a very significant increase on exhaled CO (p<0,001), pre and post firefighting. Predicted FEV1, F25, F50 e MEF were lower at the end of the Project (p<0.05). Three questions of the SF-36 survey had scores significantly lower. Conclusions: With the levels of exposure monitored, forest fire smoke inhalation can cause acute and long term health effects on exposed professionals. Suggested preventive measures include regular health evaluation, use of adequate protecting equipment and individual monitoring devices, planning of fire-fighting shifts and modelling of exposure.