Fire Fighter Fatigue Management Program: Operation Healthy Sleep
Overview
- Phase
- N/A
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Shift-Work Sleep Disorder
- Sponsor
- Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Enrollment
- 1189
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Firefighters' Performance, as Determined by Response Time Over 12 Months
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 9 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
Firefighters work some of the most demanding schedules known under highly stressful and demanding conditions. The need to work frequent extended shifts and long work weeks leads to acute and chronic partial sleep deprivation as well as misalignment of circadian phase. Sleep disorders are common, costly, and treatable, but often remain undiagnosed and untreated and it is likely that a significant proportion of firefighters suffer from undiagnosed sleep disorders which will further impair their sleep and exacerbate fatigue.In the current proposal, we aim to address the health, performance and safety issues related to fatigue in firefighters and test the effectiveness of a Comprehensive Firefighter Fatigue Management Program (CFFMP) that we have termed 'Operation Healthy Sleep.'
Detailed Description
We propose to use a station-level, randomized experimental design to test the hypotheses that implementation of a Comprehensive Firefighter Fatigue Management Program will: 1. improve the mean total sleep, alertness and cognitive performance of firefighters; 2. improve firefighter safety, as determined by: 1. decreased rates of motor vehicle crashes; 2. decreased on-the-job injuries; 3. improve firefighter performance, as determined by decreased response time; 4. improve firefighters' health, as determined by: 1. diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders 2. improved general health indices 3. decreased number of 'sick' days 5. improve firefighters' and families' job satisfaction and ability to cope with extended work hours.
Investigators
Charles Andrew Czeisler, MD, PhD
Charles A Czeisler, Ph.D., M.D.,
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •This proposal includes research involving human subjects (fire department employees).
- •Active firefighters working in the study fire department will be eligible to participate in the study.
- •All applicants will be considered without bias, regardless of race, ethnicity, or national origin.
Exclusion Criteria
- •Non fire department employees
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Firefighters' Performance, as Determined by Response Time Over 12 Months
Time Frame: 12 months
A lower response time is indicative of better performance. Following detailed review of departmental procedures and records, we determined that 'turn-out time' was already very rapid and not considered an accurate measure of firefighters' performance by the department. Similarly, 'clearance time' (time from the start until the end of the event), which could last for many hours, was also not considered an appropriate measure of firefighter' performance in relation to sleep and alertness given the multiple factors, many of which are not under the control of the firefighters, that could affect clearance times. We therefore did not address this aim.
Firefighters' Health, as Determined by Number of 'Sick' Days Over 12 Months
Time Frame: 12 months
We assessed 'sick days' cumulatively over 12 months in two ways from departmental payroll records; the number of 24-hour pay periods coded as 'sick' time per firefighter and the number of 24-hr pay periods coded as injury and disability per firefighter. Fewer sick days is indicative of better health.
Firefighter Safety, as Determined by Motor Vehicle Crashes Over 12 Months
Time Frame: 12 months
Fewer motor vehicle crashes is indicative of better health. We assessed motor vehicle crashes cumulatively over 12 months. Accidents were counted as any incident that resulted in the filing and review of a departmental Fleet Accident Report.
Firefighter Safety, as Determined by On-the-job Injuries Over 12 Months
Time Frame: 12 months
Fewer on-the-job injuries is indicative of better health. We assessed injuries cumulatively over 12 months. Injuries that triggered the filing of an official city government accident report as the result of following normal departmental procedures were included in this study.
Secondary Outcomes
- Change in the Mean Total Sleep Time(Baseline to 12 months)
- Change in the Mean Alertness and Cognitive Performance of Firefighters - Sleepy During Meetings(Baseline to 12 months)
- Change in Firefighters' Health, as Determined by General Health Indices;(Baseline to 12 months)
- Change in the Mean Alertness and Cognitive Performance of Firefighters - Sleeping on the Telephone(Baseline to 12 months)
- Change in the Mean Alertness and Cognitive Performance of Firefighters - Sleeping While Driving(Baseline to 12 months)
- Change in the Mean Alertness and Cognitive Performance of Firefighters - Sleeping While Stopped in Traffic(Baseline to 12 months)
- Change Firefighters' and Families' Job Satisfaction and Ability to Cope With Extended Work Hours(Baseline to 12 months)