Science to the Station SCAN’s:
Where fellow firefighters with advanced degrees help you understand
and make science actionable!
Evaluation of a Fitness Intervention for New Firefighters: Injury Reduction and Economic Benefits
Most firefighter fitness research tells you what's wrong. This study shows what actually works — and what it's worth. Researchers evaluated a structured fitness program for new recruits at Tucson Fire Department, comparing injury and workers' compensation outcomes against three historical recruit classes. The result: fewer injuries, lower claims costs, and a positive financial return in the first year alone.
Common Sleep Disorders Increase Risk of Motor Vehicle Crashes and Adverse Health Outcomes in Firefighters
Heart attacks and motor vehicle crashes are the two leading causes of on-duty firefighter death — and sleep disorders are an independent risk factor for both. Harvard researchers screened nearly 7,000 firefighters across 66 departments and linked sleep disorder risk to health and safety outcomes. The findings are stark: more than a third of firefighters have a sleep disorder, most don't know it, and the consequences reach far beyond feeling tired
Relationship Between Firefighter Physical Fitness and Special Ability Performance
Not all fitness is the same — and not all fitness tests tell you whether you can actually do the job. This study used machine learning to identify exactly which physical fitness parameters predict performance on seven simulated firefighting tasks. The findings give firefighters and departments a science-based framework for what to measure, what to train, and what actually matters when the bell rings.
Web-Based Nutrition and Physical Activity Program for Firefighters: Weight Outcomes in a Randomized Trial
Most firefighters are carrying more weight than is safe for the job — and without deliberate action, the trend only goes one direction. This study tested the first web-based, firefighter-specific nutrition and fitness program proven to produce weight loss. Researchers randomized 421 volunteer firefighters across 10 departments for 6 months. The result: the program produced measurable weight loss while the control group gained weight, consistent with the typical firefighter career trajectory.
Etiology of Exercise Injuries in Firefighters: A Healthcare Practitioners' Perspective
The people treating your exercise injuries have seen the patterns. Researchers interviewed 14 healthcare practitioners who regularly treat firefighter injuries to find out exactly why firefighters get hurt while training. Their findings are specific and actionable — most exercise injuries come down to how you move, how recovered you are, and whether anyone is teaching you proper mechanics.
The Association of Aerobic Fitness: With Injuries in the Fire Service
You already know fitness matters for firefighting performance. This study shows it matters just as much for staying off the injured list. Researchers tracked nearly 800 career firefighters over five years, linking annual fitness data to on-duty injury records. The bottom line: low aerobic fitness directly predicts injury — and training intentionally is how you prevent it.
Emergency Duties and Deaths from Heart Disease: Among Firefighters in the United States
Heart disease is the #1 killer of on-duty firefighters — more than fire, smoke, or trauma. Harvard researchers analyzed every reported U.S. firefighter on-duty death over 11 years. Their finding: your cardiac risk is not constant across your shift. Specific duties spike it dramatically — and understanding when you're most at risk is the foundation of everything else.
The Determinants of Organizational Change Management Success: Literature and Case Study
When departments understand and apply proven change principles, initiatives like wellness programs, new procedures, and equipment rollouts are much more likely to succeed. Research shows 60-70% of organizational change fails, and fire departments can often fall into that category. This research reviewed 37 different change management approaches and studied a 2-year implementation project to identify what actually works.
Hierarchy of Contamination Control in the Fire Service: Review of Exposure Control To Reduce Cancer Risk
Firefighters face higher cancer rates than the general population. You're exposed to cancer-causing chemicals through your skin, by breathing them in, and even by accidentally swallowing them. This research reviewed every major study on contamination control and organized the findings using a proven safety framework. The goal: give you and your department the best strategies to protect yourself from the gear you wear to how you design your station.