Tag: firefighters

Wildfires ravage firefighters’ long-term physical, mental health

(HealthDay)—Roaring, fast-moving blazes. Choking smoke. Fiery tornados. Thunderstorms and lightning. The Dixie Fire—now the single largest wildfire in California history—continues to spread, having burned through more than 750 square miles of forest land north of Sacramento. The astonishing spread of smoke from the fire, causing discomfort and illness to people hundreds or thousands of miles,

Distress tolerance plays role in alcohol use and abuse among firefighters

New findings by a University of Houston psychology professor indicate that among firefighters, distress tolerance amplifies associations between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and alcohol use severity. In the world of psychology, distress tolerance is your actual or perceived ability to withstand emotional distress. It is surviving—and knowing you can survive—an emotional incident. “Firefighters who

Female firefighters more likely to suffer PTSD, contemplate suicide

In the heavily male-dominated firefighting profession, females seem to take on a majority of stress. Consuelo Arbona, UH professor of counseling psychology reports in the journal Occupational Medicine that one-fifth of female firefighters in a large, urban fire department experience post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and are at higher risk of contemplating suicide than their male

Blood cancer precursor found in 9/11 firefighters

A study in today’s issue of JAMA Oncology reports that New York City firefighters exposed to the 9/11 World Trade Center disaster site face an increased risk for developing myeloma precursor disease (MGUS), which can lead to the blood cancer multiple myeloma. The study was conducted by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore