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Oklahoma Forestry Services (OFS) firefighters are doing
their part to help make wildland firefighters breathe easier in the future.

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OFS firefighters recently volunteered to participate in a
smoke exposure study that is based out of the U.S. Forest Service's Technology
and Development Center in Missoula, Montana.?? A team from the center
visited Oklahoma Forestry Services' East Central office in Wilburton and
collected data from eleven firefighters while they conducted prescribed burns
in surrounding areas.?? Prescribed burns are planned, controlled burns that
utilize low-intensity fire to manage land, and provide an excellent environment
for studying firefighters.

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???Smoke inhalation is obviously a big issue for wildland
firefighters and the more we learn about its effect, the safer we can make the
job,??? said Oklahoma State Forester George Geissler.?? ???We're pleased to
have had the team from Missoula here and for our firefighters to have
volunteered for such important research.???

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The five-year study is looking at the air inhaled by
firefighters in relation to their activity during a work shift.??
Volunteers wear sensors and air filters that measure temperature and the amount
of carbon monoxide and particulate matter being inhaled.?? The researchers
shadow participants while they work to document their physical activities while
they perform their duties.

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Particulate matter collected in the participant's air filter
is sent to a lab for processing, while all of the other data is downloaded onto
a hard drive at the end of the day.?? Pulse oximetry is also used to obtain
oxygen and carbon monoxide levels in the blood at various times throughout the
day.?? This information is being collected from wildland firefighters
across the nation in an attempt to better understand the impact of smoke on
them and to develop practical recommendations to minimize the smoke effect.??
Oklahoma is the first southern state to participate.

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One unexpected result has already come from the study.??
Smoke exposure tends to be worse, not in the intense wildfire perimeter, but in
the cooler ???mop up??? or clean-up stage when firefighters are digging up
smoldering stumps and soaking hot spots.???? Oklahoma Forestry Services
and wildland firefighters across the nation look forward to learning more.

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