AFRL Evaluates Life-Saving Body Cooling Technology for Firefighters Published Dec. 13, 2006 By Plans and Programs Directorate AFRL/XP WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- AFRL's Fire Research Group is evaluating the Vapor Relief™ System (VRS), a new, commercial off-the-shelf technology that is leading the way in providing firefighters with the means to stay cool in extreme heat conditions. The VRS has potential uses throughout the Department of Defense and the civilian firefighting community. This cooling technology is particularly useful in the desert and other hot climates, and it is also an effective apparatus for chemical and biological decontamination purposes. AFRL integrated the VRS into a standard P-27 firefighting vehicle and performed preliminary evaluations to determine the initial benefits that this type of cooling system may provide firefighters in the field. At the request of the Air Force Fire Protection program, AFRL performed a series of 26 evaluations in which 18 firefighters observed the VRS' effectiveness in preventing heat exhaustion. The VRS is a humidification technology in which a combination of chilled water and pressurized air creates atomized water vapor (mist) that decreases the surrounding area's air temperature. The evaporating water droplets lower the ambient air temperature, and preliminary research shows that the cool mist causes test subjects to experience a decreased body temperature and a refreshing interlude from the intense heat conditions. AFRL designed the evaluations to determine the effects of the atomized mist as it surrounds the body, as well as the length of time required to cool a person and/or return the individual to a fully functional level. During the tests, a radio frequency telemetry sensor on each firefighter recorded heart rate, activity level, and skin temperature. The firefighters performed physical labor for approximately 12 minutes; they then received a 5-minute exposure to the cooling system while cooling down. Scientists obtained baseline data by performing a second set of tests in which the firefighters did not receive exposure to the cooling system during the cooldown period The overall performance of the VRS in firefighter applications is still under study; however, these preliminary findings indicate that this innovative concept may have future potential to prevent firefighters from suffering the effects of heat stress brought on by the severe conditions in which they fight fires. When the evaluations are complete, the Air Force may consider the cooling vapor technology for installation on its future fire trucks.