A comparative anthropometric analysis of U.S. female firefighters versus the general female population

Abstract

Introduction. Female firefighters face a heightened risk of injury due in part to ill-fitting personal protective clothing (PPC), which is often designed based on general population data. This issue of poor fitting PPC for women in the structural and wildland fire service is largely due to a lack of available anthropometric data specific to the female firefighter population in the United States. This study consists of a comparative anthropometric analysis to investigate whether female firefighters in the United States are significantly different from the general female population, with the aim of enhancing the design and fit of female firefighting PPC. Methods: Utilizing mobile-app-based 3D body scanning technology, body measurements from 187 female firefighters were collected across the United States. These data were compared to the USA Size North America survey. Key measurements such as bust, height, waist, hip, and other circumferential and vertical dimensions were analyzed. Descriptive data for these measurements are presented and significant differences between the two databases were statistically tested. Additionally, the distribution and correlations among the key body measurements were evaluated to inform sizing recommendations for female firefighter PPC. Results: Female firefighters are generally taller than the U.S. female population by 6.7 cm, on average, and possess wider waists and hips, suggesting a more uniform upper body shape. Significant differences in secondary measures, such as leg inseam length and center back waist length, highlight the necessity of developing a female-firefighter-specific sizing system. Conclusions: This study underscores the limitations of PPC designed utilizing general population data alone, which fails to capture the unique anthropometric needs of female firefighters. This research advocates for a specialized approach to PPC design and sizing to improve the fit, performance, and safety of female firefighters. Additional research with larger sample sizes is recommended to validate these findings and refine the sizing system. Practical application: The comparative anthropometric analyses in this study will aid personal protective equipment (PPE) manufacturers in designing patterns for women’s firefighting PPC. Sufficient, but not excessive length coverage, should be considered when referring to the general female population’s sizing system. The next step in expanding the female firefighter body scan database will provide a unique and updated resource for designing better fitting and appropriately sized protective clothing for female firefighters in the United States.