Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Fire Fighters and EMS ... - NAEMT

<strong>Effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Sleep</strong> <strong>Deprivation</strong> on Fire Fighters and EMS Responders
Additional reports on fatigue and scheduling issues can be found in the Aviation Safety Reporting
System (ASRS) database. The air crashes captured on those sites corroborate the potential dire
consequences <strong>of</strong> pilot fatigue demonstrated in research settings.
Pilot Fatigue Woven Through Circumstances <strong>of</strong> FedEx Crash
Fatigue can defeat pilots’ proven performance records and progressive companies’ policies. The
object lesson comes from the July 26, 2002, collision with trees on final approach <strong>of</strong> a Federal
Express B727 cargo jet at Tallahassee, Florida. The three pilots survived the crash, but their airplane
was destroyed. The fatigue factor was woven throughout the National Transportation Safety Board
(NTSB) final hearing on the case. “Much more work needs to be done on the fatigue issue, especially
on the back side <strong>of</strong> the clock,” said NTSB Member John Goglia. The “back side <strong>of</strong> the clock” is the
expression <strong>of</strong>ten used to describe the time from midnight to about 6:00 AM, when the human
body’s natural demand for sleep is greatest. As one <strong>of</strong> his last <strong>of</strong>ficial acts after nine years on the
board, Goglia chaired the hearing. He noted with dismay that the accident occurred even though
FedEx “is one <strong>of</strong> the more enlightened companies regarding the fatigue issue.” Updating obsolescent
flight time and duty time regulations has been on the NTSB “Most Wanted” list <strong>of</strong> aviation safety
improvements since its inception in 1990. The FedEx crash case has focused attention on this issue,
as it marks at least the third crash in which the safety board has cited pilot fatigue as a contributing
factor. The two previous fatigue-related crashes were:
* The Aug. 18, 1993, crash <strong>of</strong> American International Airways Flight 808, a DC-8 cargo jet, at
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, at the end <strong>of</strong> a long day involving a last-minute runway change as in the
case <strong>of</strong> the FedEx accident, and
* The June 1, 1999, crash <strong>of</strong> American Airlines [AMR] Flight 1420, an MD-82, at Little Rock, Ark.,
at the end <strong>of</strong> a long day involving a last-minute runway change, as in the case <strong>of</strong> the FedEx crash.
Air Safety Week, June 14, 2004 (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0UBT/is_24_18/
ai_n9911769).
2.14 Possible Implications for Fire Fighters and EMS Responders
Emergency services, long haul commercial vehicle operation and seafaring may seem divergent
occupations. However, they are united by their each having long work hours.
Seafaring has overlap with emergency medical services responders because both involve working
in teams or crews in unique circumstances. Also for both sites, workers rely on other members’
performance, and their tasks <strong>of</strong>ten are accomplished under unpredictable environmental conditions.
In addition, for both occupations, the effects <strong>of</strong> worker fatigue can have catastrophic consequences.
Seafarers’ efforts to acknowledge, identify and deal with long work hours and fatigue, especially as
they relate to the Cardiff recommendations (Table 2.2) and the U.S. Coast Guard efforts have touch
points with fire fighters and EMS responders, and the conclusions about countermeasures presented
in Table 2.2 also would apply for those workers. One aspect missing in marine worker reform
efforts, which is discussed further in Section 5 (page 63), is the need to involve consideration <strong>of</strong>
workers’ families and other psychosocial components in planning and assessing work structures.
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