Our lung with a gas exchange surface area of approximately 100 metres2 is the largest part of the body exposed to the environment. The risks for Fire-Fighters in developing lung diseases due to their exposures to toxic fumes and pollutants were brought to prominence in the reports of lung function deficits in New York Fire Fighters. Associations between exposures and lung function decline have been demonstrated by several longitudinal epidemiological studies of New York Fire Fighters, who were involved in rescue and other functions at the World Trade Centre Collapse on the 11 of September, 2001. [1-13] These results prompted the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service to initiate a longitudinal study to evaluate the lung function of the SA Metropolitan Fire Fighter (SAMFF) population.

The main purpose of this longitudinal study has been to obtain objective data using spirometry and Impulse Oscillometry, exposure data, as well as quality of life and to monitor the rate of decline of their lung function over time. This information provides vital data to quantitatively assess the impact on the respiratory health of the fire fighters should they experience a significant exposure/s sometime in the future.
The results of the longitudinal study collected over the period from 2007 to 2014 demonstrated an accelerated rate of decline in some lung function parameters in some fire fighters and an increase in others at an age where it is coventually understood that lung function will decline normally with increasing age. The classification of abnormality is also difficult if the current defintions and predicted normal values are employed as many fire fighters demonstrate the signs of dysanapsis. Dysanapsis is associated with independent growth of the airways and lung parenchyma which results in larger than predicted forced vital capacities but “abnormal” FEV1/FVC ratios[14, 15].