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Pa. professor studying heart health of firefighters

Deborah Feairheller is conducting a study to come up with ways to fight line-of-duty related heart attacks

Delco Times

COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. — Sometimes, the most deadly part of a fire isn’t the smoke or flames but the stress placed on a firefighter’s body as they move in, out, up and down a burning building.

Wearing heavy “bunker gear” and carrying other equipment and breathing apparatus, firefighters are susceptible to over-exertion and even heart attacks.

Nearly every year, more than half of the firefighters who die in the United States die due to stress directly related to a call. One Ursinus College professor is working on a study which may help drop that number by raising personal awareness and prompting changes in operations when it comes to fire calls.

Full story: Ursinus professor studying volunteer firefighters’ hearts