Annual/Termination Reports:

[12/15/2010] [12/08/2011]

Report Information

Participants

Meyer, Sonya (smeyer9@uwyo.edu) - University of Wyoming;
Mullet, Kathy K. (kathy.mullet@oregonstate.edu) - Oregon State University;
Park, Juyeon (juyeon.park@colostate.edu) - Colorado State University;
Peksoz, Semra (semra.peksoz@okstate.edu) - Oklahoma State University;
Petrova, Adriana (adriana.petrova@okstate.edu) - Oklahoma State University;
Sanders, Eulanda (eulanda.sanders@colostate.edu) - Colorado State University;

Brief Summary of Minutes

Minutes of WDC 20
Date: October 29, 2010
Location: Hyatt Regency Hotel, Montreal Canada

Members present: Kathy Mullet, Oregon State University; Eulanda Sanders, Colorado State University; Juyeon Park, Colorado State University; Adriana Petrova, Oklahoma State University; Sonya Meyer, University of Wyoming.
Also in attendance: Semra Peksoz, member of NC170, Oklahoma State University

The following officers were selected: Sonya Meyer: Chair, Juyeon Park: Chair-elect, and Kathy Mullet: Secretary

Sonya explained the development of the Multi-Sate Research Project and the reason for selecting wildfire protective gear. Four states were represented at the meeting and plan to be active participants in the project. The states are Wyoming, Oregon, Colorado and Oklahoma, thus satisfying the project requirements of multi states' involvement.

Discussion was centered on due dates and establishing a timeline for completion of the work. The following timeline and responsible party was established based on the final due date of the proposal.

November 15, 2010: Justification draft - Sonya Meyer and Bruce Cameron

December 5, 10, or 15: Conference call or Skpye discussion of proposal - all participants

Objectives: Juyeon Park

Methods and Measurements: Kathy Mullet

January 30, 2011: rough draft submitted to all participants

March 15, 2011: Peer Review - Administrative Advisor, Dr. Bret Hess

May 15, 2011: Final Submission to WRC

Next plan of action includes a review of the NC170, Personal Protective Technologies for Current and Emerging Occupational Hazards proposal to determine the issues that need to be addressed and how the committee can develop their proposal. Also, the exact date of the December meeting will be determined, in which the proposal will be discussed.

Accomplishments

The committee agreed to pursue the development of a Multi-state Research Project for the purpose of evaluating comfort and use issues of wildland firefighter's protective clothing and a writing committee was formed.<br /> <br /> Writing tasks were assigned divided among the stations. University of Wyoming will be developing the justification and literature review, Colorado State will be revising the project objectives (since the October 29 meeting there has been a change in committee membership and Oklahoma State is now refining the project objectives), and Oregon State will identify appropriate methodology and measurements to meet the objectives.

Publications

Impact Statements

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Report Information

Participants

Mullet, Kathy (Kathy.Mullet@oregonstate.edu) - Oregon State University;
Sanders, Eulanda (eulanda.sanders@colostate.edu) - Colorado State University;
Meyer, Sonya (smeyer9@uwyo.edu) - University of Wyoming

Brief Summary of Minutes

The purpose of this meeting was to further refine the multi-state research proposal draft. Those present further clarified the goals and objectives of the project. It was again reiterated that although there appears to be specific issues facing female wildland firefighters that male firefighters could potentially be faced with similar issues. The study will not focus on issues related to one gender except where specific factors are identified by the population involved with the study.

The ultimate goal for the project has been identified as creating and testing a prototype of protective clothing and gear for wildland firefighters. However the committee also recognizes that in order to develop and test a prototype an in-depth needs assessment needs to be conducted to identify specific concerns and issues with the current gear designs. The feasibility of both focus group and independent face to face interviews vs. mail out surveys for the needs assessment generated much discussion. The group felt that focus group and/or face to face interviews would be the better initial choice followed by a mail or electronic survey. The bulk of the meeting time was then spent drafting a set of interview questions that could be used for the needs assessment phase of the study.

The committee also reviewed feedback on the proposal draft received from members unable to attend the meeting. A list of research equipment and possible consultant/collaborators available at each institution in attendance at the meeting were also identified for inclusion in the proposal.

Further communication with the entire committee will take place through electronic communication in order to complete the proposal before the January 15th deadline. The meeting was adjourned at the end of 2 hours.

Respectfully submitted,
Sonya Meyer

Accomplishments

Publications

Impact Statements

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