Impact of cooling vests on the physiological and perceptual responses of firefighters in high-temperature and heat radiation environments

doi:10.16511/j.cnki.qhdxxb.2024.22.021

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Journal of Tsinghua University(Science and Technology) ›› 2024, Vol. 64 ›› Issue (6) : 1039-1046. DOI: 10.16511/j.cnki.qhdxxb.2024.22.021

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Impact of cooling vests on the physiological and perceptual responses of firefighters in high-temperature and heat radiation environments

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Abstract

[Objective] In firefighting and rescue scenarios, firefighters often confront a combination of high-temperature, heat radiation, and physical exertion, frequently leading to heat stress reactions among firefighters and resulting in fainting, injuries, and casualties, which affects their physical and mental well-being. Moreover, thermal sensation and comfort significantly impact the operational efficiency of firefighters and the duration of effective rescue efforts. This analysis focused on the effectiveness of cooling vests in alleviating heat stress and improving thermal comfort for firefighters. Herein, we mitigate heat stress levels among firefighters, enhance the operational efficiency and the duration of emergency rescue operations, and validate the effectiveness of cooling vests.[Methods] This study utilized a high-temperature environmental chamber and silicon carbide radiant panel to construct a high-temperature and heat radiation experiment setup. Experiments were conducted in a composite environment at 35 ℃ and 2.5 kW/m² heat radiation at two physical activity intensity levels, 4.5 and 7.0 km/h. This study involved physiological experiments on the human body and the use of subjective questionnaires to investigate the impact of cooling vests on the physiological and subjective responses of firefighters.

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high-temperature and heat radiation environment / firefighters / cooling vests / perceptual responses / thermal comfort

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CAO Kai, LI Yayun, LAN Mingqiang, GUO Xian, LIU Xiaoyong, CHEN Aojie. Impact of cooling vests on the physiological and perceptual responses of firefighters in high-temperature and heat radiation environments[J]. Journal of Tsinghua University(Science and Technology). 2024, 64(6): 1039-1046 https://doi.org/10.16511/j.cnki.qhdxxb.2024.22.021

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