
Fatigue in Emergency Services
Fatigue impacts personal health as well as the ability of responders to perform key functions including patient care, incident command and vehicle operations. Studies have shown that 17 hours of sustained wakefulness is equivalent to a blood alcohol level of 0.05 percent and that after 24 hours, it is equivalent to 0.10 percent – more than the legal limit for driving.
Despite this evidence, efforts to move to shorter shifts continue to face significant resistance and the number of EMS agencies using 24- and 48-hour shifts continues to rise.
Fatigue Specialist
Featured Resources
Don't Risk It! Podcast related to Fatigue
- Fatigue Management with Chris Rodgers and Daniel Althaus
- Fatigue Management with Chesterfield Fire and EMS
- Fatigue Management for ESOs
Other Fatigue Resources
- 6 Ways to Help EMS Agencies Fight Fatigue
- EMS Fatigue Risk Management and Project Research
- Virginia EMS Fatigue Infographic
- Tips for Healthcare Professionals - Coping with Stress and Compassion Fatigue
- 2018 Fatigue Risk Management Guideline for EMS
- Fatigue and the EMS Provider
- Impact of Fatigue on Firefighters
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