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Protecting Wildland Firefighters’ Health: saving the lives of those who fight to save us

2023-07Conference object Restricted access
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dc.contributor.authorEsteves, Filipa
dc.contributor.authorMadureira, Joana
dc.contributor.authorPires, Joana
dc.contributor.authorTeixeira, João Paulo
dc.contributor.authorCosta, Solange
dc.date.accessioned2023-10-10T14:53:21Z
dc.date.available2023-10-10T14:53:21Z
dc.date.issued2023-07
dc.description.abstractClimate change and global warming have contributed to the rise of forest fires across the globe. The proximity of firefighters to wildfires exposes them to a complex mixture of pollutants. In June 2022, occupational exposure as a firefighter was classified as “carcinogenic to humans” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. However, up to date, very few studies have been focused on the relationship between wildland firefighting occupational exposure and health outcomes. Bio4Fox study aims to characterize wildland firefighters’ exposure in a pre- and during a wildfire season to identify a set of appropriate (bio)markers for the surveillance of wildland firefighters’ health. We aim to enroll around 200 northern Portuguese wildland firefighters. Here we present some preliminary data characterizing the exposure of these firefighters in the fire stations before the wildfire season. Around 172 northern Portuguese wildland firefighters (141 males and 31 females; mean age of 37.5± 10.9) recruited before the wildfire season of 2021 were enrolled in this analysis. Information on sociodemographic data, lifestyle and occupational exposure was obtained via a comprehensive questionnaire. Genetic instability was assessed in buccal cells through the Buccal Mucosa Cytome (BMCyt) assay. Lower frequencies of micronuclei and pycnotic cells (cell death biomarker) were observed among firefighters taking vitamin supplements and consuming vegetables daily, respectively (p<0.05). Being part of Permanent Intervention Teams (full-time firefighters) or part of the Command team, contributed to higher frequencies of cells with condensed chromatin (cell death marker) and karyolitic cells, respectively (p<0.05). Our findings will furnish a better characterization of Portuguese wildland firefighters in a pre- wildfire season. We expect to contribute to the implementation of health and safety measures highly needed in this sector.pt_PT
dc.description.versionN/Apt_PT
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.18/8688
dc.language.isoengpt_PT
dc.peerreviewedyespt_PT
dc.subjectWildland Firespt_PT
dc.subjectFirefighterspt_PT
dc.subjectOccupational Exposurept_PT
dc.subjectBiomonitoringpt_PT
dc.subjectAr e Saúde Ocupacionalpt_PT
dc.titleProtecting Wildland Firefighters’ Health: saving the lives of those who fight to save uspt_PT
dc.typeconference object
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.citation.conferencePlaceGranada, Spainpt_PT
oaire.citation.title2nd International Congress on Fire in the Earth System: Humans and Nature, 4-8 July 2023pt_PT
rcaap.rightsclosedAccesspt_PT
rcaap.typeconferenceObjectpt_PT

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