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National Fire Plan Success Story

Planning + Response = Life Saved During Firefighter Fitness Test
New River Gorge National River, West Virginia
National Fire Plan - Firefighting
2010

Sunburst over Sandstone Falls.
It was a very good day.  Sunburst over Sandstone Falls, New River Gorge NR. Photo by Gary Hartley.

People have died taking the fitness test for wildland firefighting. Bruce Miller, Fire Management Officer for New River Gorge National River, looked at the statistics and thought, “This is a planned event; maybe we can change that.”

The Work Capacity Test (WCT) requires firefighters to walk 3 miles in 45-minutes or less wearing a 45-pound pack. Each federal unit that gives the test must prepare a medical response plan for it. In 2004, Miller further improved his plan. The test would be given on a track where participants could be observed the entire time. He also required that a staffed ambulance with good cardiac protocol and an automated external defibrillator (AED) be on-scene.

It was a change. It was more than the minimum standard required. Sometimes the ambulance was late and people had to wait. Some people complained, but Miller stuck by his plan.

It’s good that he did. On March 12, 2010, a 46-year old National Park Service employee collapsed while taking the WCT. Others there responded promptly and effectively. After determining the man had no pulse, a ranger began chest compressions and a second ranger gave ventilations through a pocket mask. The on-scene ambulance quickly moved to them. An AED was hooked up; it advised a shock and one was administered. A bag valve mask then provided ventilations. A third ranger began to see him breathe independently and gave high flow oxygen via a non-rebreather mask. The man was taken by ambulance to a local hospital and was later transferred to a regional hospital. According to the final report, early CPR and use of the AED were crucial to the successful outcome.

Best of all, the employee was discharged from the hospital on March 23 and his prognosis is good. On medical advice, he walks every day, but without the 45-pound pack.

Contact: Frank Sellers, District Ranger, New River Gorge National River; Barb Stewart, Fire Communication Specialist, Northeast & National Capital Regions. (434) 220-9065.