Capacitats físiques determinants en les tasques dels Bombers de la Generalitat de Catalunya

Abstract

TESI DOCTORAL:<br/><br/>La professió de bomber representa, amb seguretat, un dels oficis de major demanda física del sector públic (Bahrke, 1982; Brownlie et al., 1985; Davis, Dotson, i Santa Maria, 1982; Gledhill i Jamnik, 1992a). Una inusual i significativa alta incidència d'accidents laborals i morts prematures fan que sigui considerada com una de les professions de risc (Bahrke, 1982; Baris et al., 2001; Barnard, Gardner, i Diaco, 1976; Cady, Bischoff, O'Connell, Thomas, i Allan, 1979; Cady, Thomas, i Kawasky, 1985; Demers, Heyer, i Rosenstock, 1992; IAFF, 1979; Ma, et al., 2005), establint-se fins i tot, en les seves retribucions econòmiques un plus de perillositat com a compensació. Els sobreesforços, les postures forçades i la fatiga estan entre les tres primeres causes de risc d'accident d'aquest col·lectiu (Sanz, 2006), però quan s'han endegat programes per a la millora de la condició física i la prevenció de lesions, la incidència d'accidents laborals ha disminuït i el rendiment davant situacions simulades ha millorat (Adams, et al. 1986; Cady et al., 1985; Cohen, 1998; Czwalia, Sykes, n.d.; Fowler, 1989; Mealey, 1979; Paffenbarger, 1988; Peterson, Dodd, Alvar, Rhea, i Favre, 2008; Puterbaugh i Lawer, 1983).<br/><br/>Per tal de conèixer els requeriments físics que comporta la feina dels Bombers de la Generalitat de Catalunya, així com les variables determinants que afecten el seu rendiment, la Direcció General de Prevenció, Extinció d'Incendis i de Salvament, i el Centre d'Alt Rendiment Esportiu (CAR), de Sant Cugat del Vallès, van promoure un seguit d'investigacions basades en tests de valoració fisicotècnica. La investigació a posat de relleu tant les capacitats físiques que implica la feina del bomber de la Generalitat, com l'exigència metabòlica, destacant el sobrepès com una de les variables que afecten més el seu rendiment.<br/><br/>Depenent, doncs, la salut dels bombers, la seva seguretat i la de la pròpia població de la capacitat per resoldre cadascuna de les situacions a les que s'han d'enfrontar, és essencial que les capacitats físiques del bomber s'adeqüin a les demandes reals del seu treball (Davis et al., 1982; Dotson, Santa Maria, Schuartz, i Davis, 1976; Gledhill i Jamnik, 1992).<br/><br/>Paraules clau: valoració bombers, capacitats físiques en bombers, test fisicotècnics.

<i>DOCTORAL THESIS ABSTRACT:<br/><br/>"Decisive Physical Abilities of the Firemen Employed by the Autonomous Community Government of Catalonia"<br/><br/>TEXT:<br/><br/>Firefighting is widely-acknowledged as being one of the most highly physically demanding civilian occupations. (Bahrke, 1982; Brownlie et al., 1985; Davis, Dotson, and Santa Maria, 1982; Gledhill and Jamnik, 1992a). An unusually high, significant incidence of job-related injuries and premature deaths has led firefighting to be considered a high-risk occupation (Bahrke, 1982; Baris et al., 2001; Barnard, Gardner and Diaco, 1976; Cady, Bischoff, O'Connell, Thomas and Allan, 1979; Cady, Thomas and Kawasky, 1985; Demers, Heyer and Rosenstock, 1992; IAFF, 1979; Ma, et al., 2005), firefighters' wages thus even including hazard pay. Strains, forced positions and fatigue are the three leading causes of risks of accidents among this group (Sanz,2006), but when programs have been started up for enhancing physical fitness and preventing injuries, the incidence of occupational accidents has dropped, whilst performance in simulated situations has improved (Adams, et al. 1986; Cady et al., 1985; Cohen, 1998; Czwalia, Sykes, n.d.; Fowler, 1989; Mealey, 1979; Paffenbarger, 1988; Peterson, Dodd, Alvar, Rhea and Favre, 2008; Puterbaugh and Lawer, 1983).<br/><br/>For the purpose of ascertaining the physical requirements for the fire-fighters employed by the Autonomous Community Government of Catalonia, as well as the decisive variables which have a bearing on their performance, the Fire Prevention, Firefighting and Rescue Service and the High-Performance Sports Centre of Sant Cugat del Vallés promoted a series of research studies based on physical-technical tests. This research revealed both the physical capabilities involved in working as a Fireman for the Autonomous Community Government of Catalonia, as well as the metabolic demand, being overweight standing out as one of the variables having the greatest effect on their performance.<br/><br/>Fire-fighters' health and safety and that of the population per se thus depending on the ability to successfully deal with each one of the situations confronting them, it is essential that fire-fighters' physical abilities be well-suited to meeting the real-life demands of their jobs. (Davis et al., 1982; Dotson, Santa Maria, Schuartz and Davis, 1976; Gledhill and Jamnik, 1992).<br/><br/>KEYWORDS: firefighter assessment, physical capabilities in firefighters, physical-technical tests. </i>