Thesis (M.S.)--University of Montana, 2007. / Title from title screen. Description based on contents viewed Oct. 3, 2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 50-57).

published_or_final_version / Politics and Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

Despite high levels of exposure, firefighter posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) rates are unclear. Likewise, questions remain regarding how social interactions and beliefs about emotion might interact to influence PTSD in firefighters. In this study, U.S. urban firefighters (N = 225) completed measures of social support, negative social interactions, and fear of emotion which were then used via regression analyses to predict PTSD symptoms. Each independent variable predicted PTSD beyond variance accounted for by demographic variables. Additionally, fear of emotion emerged as the strongest individual predictor of PTSD and a moderator of the relation between social interactions and PTSD symptoms. These findings emphasize the importance of beliefs about emotion; both in how these beliefs might influence the expression of PTSD symptoms, and in how the social networks of trauma survivors might buffer distress.

The lack of a current fire technology training program limits the employment possibilities of Inland Empire Job Corps Center trainees. The fire technology curriculum will provide Job Corps trainees with one more valuable skill to aid to their goal to gain and maintain meaningful employment after graduating from the Job Corps training program.

Fire fighters are involved in critical decision making situations, and under-performance and lack of job satisfaction due to burnout could adversely affect the welfare of the people that are being provided with the service. This study thus investigated the relationship between burnout and job satisfaction amongst operational fire fighters. Two measuring instruments were used: the Pines, Aronson & Kafry (1981) Burnout Index, and the Smith, Hulin and Kendall (1969) Job Descriptive Index. This study was conducted amongst 102 fire fighters working for a local authority. Through a literature review, burnout and job satisfaction were defined, and a link between the two constructs outlined. Through an empirical study, the relationship between burnout and job satisfaction was determined. Supporting evidence indicates a negative correlation between burnout and job satisfaction, as well as revealing social support amongst co-workers as being an important buffer against the effects of burnout. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial Psychology)

Firefighting is a very hazardous profession. Firefighters experience an injury rate that is three times higher than other physically demanding professions and the death rate in the fire service is also much higher compared to typical. Throughout the literature, data suggest the physical nature of firefighting contributes to the high incidence of injury and death among firefighters. As such, special interest groups and firefighting organizations advocate for firefighters to exercise and stay fit in order to safeguard their physical health. Yet, despite these efforts, firefighters still experience a very high incidence of back injuries and heart attacks which can lead to early retirement from disability or death. In the first aim of this dissertation, we examined the relationships between specific back fitness tests and history of back injuries in 113 firefighters in an effort to understand which fitness tests may aid in screening firefighters for risk of back injury. We found that a test of lumbar extension flexibility was associated with a higher incidence of back injuries among our sample (p<0.01). In the second aim of the study, we investigated whether perceived fitness was related to history of back injuries since firefighters’ perceptions of their fitness level may direct how they choose to perform job tasks that pose high risk for injury. Within the same sample of firefighters, we found that perceived fitness was not related to history of back injuries nor was the relationship between actual fitness and history of back injuries mediated by perceived fitness. However, perceived fitness correlated with scores on our back strength (r=0.28; p=0.003) and hamstring strength (r=0.21; p=0.03) tests. In the third aim of the dissertation, we sought to develop a treadmill walking protocol to screen firefighters for low aerobic capacity which is a major risk factor for heart attack. Thirty-eight male firefighters wore a vest weighing 20% of their body weight and performed a walking VO2max test in which the treadmill grade increased by 1% each minute. The predicted VO2max from this walking test was very accurate; within a standard error of the estimate of 3.2 ml/kg/min. This new (Moore) protocol requires only a standard treadmill and is more job specific than a running test. In conclusion, more research needs to be conducted to understand how firefighters’ perceived fitness directs their behaviors when performing job tasks and how high levels of fitness can protect against back injuries and heart attacks in firefighters. This dissertation has contributed to the development of screening protocols to aid in preventing these adverse events. / Graduation date: 2013

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 74-75).

The purpose of the study is to investigate attitudes and opinions of police and fire association presidents and members about labor and management relations in their city and collective bargaining in general in the state. Presidents of fourteen police and fire associations were interviewed to obtain information about their experiences with collective bargaining or in seeking collective bargaining in local option elections. They were also asked about necessary changes in state and federal law on public sector collective bargaining. On the survey, the opinions of police officers, fire fighters, and private sector union members were similar. Respondents believe labor and management relations are satisfactory but not better than in past dealings. None of the private sector members believe their union is weaker at the bargaining table, while over a third of the police officers and fire fighters indicate their association is weaker. The primary reason for joining a union or association is to have more influence on issues of job and working conditions. On the survey factors, respondents agree that employee representation is necessary and worthwhile. The IAMAW is more effective in performing representational duties, followed by the fire fighters' associations and the various police associations. All three groups agree that members should support their association or union; however, IAMAW members disagree that employees be required to join. This is somewhat surprising considering union security sentiments. Police and fire fighters are not sure whether collective bargaining or strike rights are sufficient to balance their power in labor and management relations. Some recommendations are made as to the treatment of public sector unions under the law in the state of Texas.