Recruitment is now complete. Thank you to all those who participated! Thank you to all firefighter and paramedic unions and services, who have supported this project. We have collected a total of 206 participants across Ontario!
If you participated in the study or have questions for the research team, please email rachel.tyli@ontariohealth.ca.
Thank you to the paramedic services who have hosted our study:
Cochrane District Emergency Medical Services Cornwall SDG Paramedic Services Frontenac Paramedic Services Greater Sudbury Paramedic Services Halton Paramedic Services Lennox and Addington County Paramedic Services Ottawa Paramedic Services Simcoe County Paramedic Services Timiskaming Shores Emergency Medical Services
Thank you to the fire services who have hosted our study:
Borden Fire Department Brantford Fire Services Cobourg Fire Department Duoro Dummer Fire Services Greater Sudbury Fire Services Guelph-Eramosa Fire Services Ottawa Fire Services Timmins – Northern College
Emergency workers (paramedics and firefighters) are at risk of exposure to bioaerosols. Respirators are often the only protection available against bioaerosols for workers providing emergency care. However, little is known about how well respirators fit during patient-handling and life support tasks and the exercises used in the standard respirator fit testing protocol may not reflect the movements performed by workers in their job.
We aim to recruit 200 Ontario paramedics or firefighters to determine how well respirators fit during patient handling and life support tasks that may break the seal between the respirator and face. Information from this study can help to ensure paramedics and firefighters are provided with adequate respiratory protection.
Study FAQ
Contact the study coordinator, Rachel Tyli (rachel.tyli@ontariohealth.ca), or principal investigator, Tracy Kirkham (tracy.kirkham@ontariohealth.ca).
Project Summary Page Study FAQ
