战斗火是艰苦的工作。这是一个大学sal truth since the inception of the fire service. No amount of tactics, resources, or technological progress will change this fact. One thing that has changed over the past 100-plus years of the modern day fire service is that firefighter rehab is absolutely necessary. We have come a long way in the concept of firefighter rehab, but there is always room for improvement. Specialty apparatus with comfortable seating, air-conditioning, misting systems, and other amenities specifically designed for rehab are certainly a plus. However, you don’t need to spend millions to have an effective rehab sector.
Following National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1584, Recommended Practice on the Rehabilitation of Members Operating at Incident Scene Operations and Training Exercises, does not require that you have a huge budget at your disposal.1 An effective rehab area can be set up using very simple concepts and tools. This article addresses one component of rehab: firefighter hydration.
What is dehydration, and what does it do to the body? Our bodies are made up of about two-thirds water. When someone gets dehydrated, it means the amount of water in the body has dropped below the level needed for normal body function. Under normal circumstances, we lose about two to 2.5 liters of water a day through body waste, sweat, and breathing. Nutrition experts recommend a daily fluid intake of about 1.5 to 2.5 liters for healthy adults under normal living circumstances to prevent a liquid deficit. Small decreases don’t cause problems and go completely unnoticed in most cases. Losing large amounts of water (in excess of 2 percent of body weight) can be a problem.
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