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’s equivalent to 0.10 percent—which is more than the legal limit for driving.

Despite the risk of fatigue in EMS, efforts to move to shorter shifts continue to face significant resistance while the number of EMS agencies using 24- and 48-hour shifts continues to rise—and fatigue in the fire service isn’t addressed much better.

Fatigue impacts personal health, as well as the ability of first responders to perform key functions including patient care, incident command and vehicle operations. These fatigue management resources for ESOs, including tips for fighting paramedic fatigue and fatigue prevention tips for firefighters, can help ensure that your team is safe, alert and fit for duty.

 

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