Total Contact Inc. is conducting a study to help develop updated, safer equipment.
 
By William G. Schmidt
Dayton Daily News

GERMANTOWN, Ohio — Last year, firefighters accounted for 52 vehicular fatalities in the United States. Many of them weren't wearing seat belts.

To understand why, we might consider how our body shape has changed over the years.

And as a rule, said Jennifer Whitestone, president of Total Contact Inc. of Germantown, firefighters are a little heavier on average than the general population.

"For whatever reason, firefighters are somewhat heavier than other nonmilitary occupations," she said.

Specifications for body size, developed in the 1970s, were based on young military men and didn't include women or minorities.

Add in turnout gear worn by a firefighter, the stress of carrying heavy equipment and the excitement of a fire alarm, and many don't bother with a seat belt.

Enter Whitestone's company which is making high-tech measurements of today's firefighters.

"Firefighters have never been measured as a population," she said. There's data on farmers, construction workers, even teachers, but not firefighters.

With a goal of 120, Whitestone said they've had about 65 volunteers — again, mostly males — in late August. The study, which began in July, will conclude about the first week of October.

"The study will be a cornerstone for what will be a very large study," she said.

The study is being conducted at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, where a $400,000 full body scanner is available. The actual optical scan takes only about 15 seconds and measures a million points on the human body.

Volunteers — who are paid $40 — change into a pair of shorts (provided) and have a few manual measurements, such as stature and weight, taken. Then the actual body scan is done both standing and seated.

Tests are also done with turnout gear and in a mock-up of a fire engine seat. Whether the volunteer can put on a seat belt is checked. All told, the tests might run and hour or two.

"The bottom line is, it's just so important," Whitestone said.

The data will be used by the Fire Apparatus Manufacturing Association and others to produce safer equipment.

The study is sponsored by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

Retired Huber Heights firefighter David DeVilbiss is assisting Whitestone by recruiting and scheduling subjects.

Whitestone began her company in 1998. Total Contact's primary product is burn masks. She and her husband, Tim, live in Germantown.

Area firefighters who want to volunteer for whole body 3D scanning must be at least 18 years old. Women and minorities are particularly needed.

Copyright 2007 Dayton Newspapers, Inc.