A Podcast for Today's Wild Land Firefighters, produced by the Health and Human Performance Department at the University of Montana, Missoula.
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Season 2, Episode 01: Pack Test
Brent Ruby, Matthew Bundle, and Charles Palmer
The Work Capacity Test, otherwise known as the pack test, has been in use for nearly 25 years. Designed as a measure of muscular strength and aerobic capacity, the arduous version of the test entails hiking three miles on even terrain while carrying 45 pounds ... Read More
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Season 1, Episode 01: Heat Related Injuries
Charles Palmer, Charles Dumke, and Brent Ruby
In this debut podcast of “On the Line”, moderator Charlie Palmer, along with University of Montana professors Dr. Chuck Dumke and Dr. Brent Ruby discuss heat related illnesses/injuries (HRI’s) for wildland firefighters. HRI’s fall along a continuum of severity, with heat cramps being the mildest ... Read More
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Season 1, Episode 02: Rhabdo
Charles Palmer, Charles Dumke, and Brent Ruby
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Rhabdomyolysis, or rhabdo, is “a medical condition associated with heat stress and prolonged physical exertion, resulting in rapid breakdown, rupture, and death of muscle. When muscle tissue dies, electrolytes and large proteins are released into ... Read More
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Season 1, Episode 03: Injuries in Wildland Firefighters
Charles Palmer and Valerie Moody
Although thousands of wildland firefighters are employed every year, and despite the fact that many of them sustain injuries while on the fireline or preparing themselves for the rigors of the job, very little is known about wildland firefighters and injury from a research perspective. ... Read More
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Season 1, Episode 04: Recovery
Matthew Bundle and Patty O'Brien
In this episode of On the Line, University of Montana biomechanist Matt Bundle and clinical psychology doctoral student Patty O’Brien join the podcast to discuss the concept of recovery and how it relates to wildland firefighters. Some of the science behind recovery is examined, and ... Read More
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Season 1, Episode 05: Wood Smoke
Charles Dumke and Tony J. Ward
Not only are firefighters exposed to wood smoke as a part of their occupations, but so too are millions of humans across the globe who must contend with this byproduct of combustion in the places they live. In this episode of “On the Line”, University ... Read More
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Season 1, Episode 06: Tactical Nutrition
Brent Ruby
Firefighters can expend upwards of 6200 calories per day during rigorous operations. Therefore, what they eat, when they eat, and how much they eat become extremely important factors that must be taken in to consideration by not only the firefighters themselves but also fire managers. ... Read More
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Season 1, Episode 07: Hydration
Charles Dumke and Brent Ruby
Dr. Chuck Dumke and Dr. Brent Ruby from the University of Montana re-join the podcast to discuss this vital component of performance. Hydration plays an important role in firefighter safety, and yet at times its significance has been over-emphasized. “Hydration is not a rescue from ... Read More
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Season 1, Episode 08: Forty Something Years of Fire: an Interview with Wayne Williams
Charles Palmer and Brent Ruby
Few people can claim to possess a fire career that spans over four decades. From being a first year firefighter with the California Division of Forestry in the 1970’s, to thirty-four years of smokejumping with the Forest Service, and ending with a final six year ... Read More
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Season 1, Episode 09: Suicide
Charles Palmer, Annie Sondag, and John Sommers-Flanagan
About 42,000 Americans take their own lives every year. While no known research has looked specifically at suicide prevalence rates within wildland firefighters, it appears to be a major concern within our population. Studies looking at structural firefighters indicate that they are three times more ... Read More
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Season 1, Episode 10: Maclean
Brent Ruby, Charles Palmer, and John Maclean
Maclean. The name is synonymous with many things: great writing, fishing, and fire to name just a few. On this, the tenth and final episode of season one, author John Maclean joins the podcast, along with University of Montana researcher Brent Ruby and host Charlie ... Read More