Effects of the self-contained breathing apparatus and fire protective clothing on maximal oxygen uptake

To examine the effects of firefighting personal protective ensemble (PPE) and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) on exercise performance, 12 males completed two randomly ordered, graded exercise treadmill tests (GXTPPE and GXT(PT)). Maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) during GXTPPE was 17.3% lower than the GXTPT in regular exercise clothing (43.0 +/- 5.7 vs. 52.4 +/- 8.5 ml/kg per min, respectively). The lower VO2max during the PPE condition was significantly related (r = 0.81, p < 0.05) to attenuated peak ventilation (142.8 +/- 18.0 vs. 167.1 +/- 15.61/min), which was attributed to a significant reduction in tidal volume (2.6 +/- 10.4 vs. 3.2 +/- 0.41). Breathing frequency at peak exercise was unchanged (55 +/- 7 vs. 53 +/- 7 breaths/min). The results of this investigation demonstrate that PPE and the SCBA have a negative impact on VO2max. These factors must be considered when evaluating aerobic demands of fire suppression work and the fitness levels of firefighters.