Gayton, Scott D

Gorey, Richard J

Irving, Shane D

Jones, Ralph P

Knapik, Joseph

Orr, Rob Marc

Pope, Rodney R

Walker, Anthony

English

Tactical operators, encompassing military, law enforcement, fire and other emergency personnel, can be found in all climatic zones. These tactical operators may be deployed at short notice to tropical environments, often with limited time to acclimatise if based in more temperate zones. They are then expected to undertake arduous tactical tasks, often repeatedly and for extended periods in the tropical area. These demands combine with harsh environments, personal protective equipment (PPE), tactical loads, threats to life, and responsibility for the safety and survival of others to place immense physical and mental stresses on tactical operators. Managing the resulting risks is challenging. The aim of this presentation is to elucidate the challenges, discuss their management and identify knowledge gaps requiring further research. The presentation will draw on experienced tactical operators, research evidence, and reports of adverse events

Bond University Research Portal

Bond UniversityResearch RepositoryTraining for tactical operations in tropical environments: Challenges, risks, & strategies for riskmanagementPope, Rodney R; Orr, Rob Marc; Walker, Anthony; Irving, Shane D; Jones, Ralph P; Gorey,Richard J; Gayton, Scott D; Knapik, JosephPublished: 01/01/2016Document Version:Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of recordLink to publication in Bond University research repository.Recommended citation(APA):Pope, R. R., Orr, R. M., Walker, A., Irving, S. D., Jones, R. P., Gorey, R. J., ... Knapik, J. (2016). Training fortactical operations in tropical environments: Challenges, risks, & strategies for risk management. 35-37. Abstractfrom 2nd Science of Sport, Exercise and Physical Activity in the Tropics conference, Townsville, Australia.General rightsCopyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright ownersand it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights.For more information, or if you believe that this document breaches copyright, please contact the Bond University research repositorycoordinator.Download date: 10 May 2019Science of Sport, Exercise and Physical Activity in the Tropics 2016 35 | P a g e  Friday 9th September  Chairperson: Ian Stewart Room 1 – Raffles   Training for tactical operations in tropical environments: challenges, risks, & strategies for risk management   Rodney P Pope1, Robin M Orr1, Anthony Walker2, Shane D Irving3, Ralph P Jones4, Richard J Gorey5, Scott D Gayton6, and Joseph J Knapik7  1Tactical Research Unit, Bond University, Gold Coast, AUSTRALIA.  2Australian Capital Territory Fire and Rescue, Canberra, AUSTRALIA. 3Australian Federal Police, Canberra, AUSTRALIA.  4Aspen Medical, Townsville, AUSTRALIA.  5Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, Brisbane, AUSTRALIA.  6Australian Regular Army, Brisbane, AUSTRALIA. 7US Army Public Health Center, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, USA   Correspondence: rpope@bond.edu.au    Introduction  Tactical operators, encompassing military, law enforcement, fire and other emergency personnel, can be found in all climatic zones. These tactical operators may be deployed at short notice to tropical environments, often with limited time to acclimatise if based in more temperate zones. They are then expected to undertake arduous tactical tasks, often repeatedly and for extended periods in the tropical area. These demands combine with harsh environments, personal protective equipment (PPE), tactical loads, threats to life, and responsibility for the safety and survival of others to place immense physical and mental stresses on tactical operators. Managing the resulting risks is challenging. The aim of this presentation is to elucidate the challenges, discuss their management and identify knowledge gaps requiring further research. The presentation will draw on experienced tactical operators, research evidence, and reports of adverse events.   Personal protective clothing, equipment and loads PPE (encompassing personal protective clothing and equipment) and other tactical loads are essential for protection, sustainment and effectiveness of tactical personnel. However, they are heavy, affect mobility, hasten fatigue and can compromise thermoregulation and visibility. By impeding sweat evaporation and body heat dissipation, PPE may contribute to rises in core temperature (Tc) with physical exertion and hot and/or humid conditions1. Heat illness, heat stroke or death can result, with field-based assessment of individual risks sometimes quite difficult in practice2. Operational intensity and external threats may reduce opportunities to remove PPE and cool the body and some PPE may impede access to fluid and food. The associated risks must be carefully monitored and managed in real time, with attention to tactical context, loads, clothing layers, Tc, signs and symptoms of heat illness, cooling options, nutrition, hydration, work/rest schedules and healthcare1,2.   Nature of tactical tasks Tactical personnel fulfil wide-ranging, arduous occupational roles, with roles in special tactical units often the most demanding. Terms such as ‘tactical athlete’ are insufficient descriptors, since athletes are not generally responsible for the safety and survival of others, can generally self-determine levels of participation, rarely require comparable PPE, and do not commonly have to schedule physical training regimes around unpredictable operational taskings. Tactical tasks are frequently critical or essential, not elective. Timelines, workloads and work/rest ratios may not be easily varied to suit ambient conditions in time-critical operational tasks but can generally be controlled in training contexts. Operational taskings are unpredictable. Long sedentary periods (eg transport, waiting in position) may be interspersed with multiple short bursts of intense physical activity; alternately, physical activity can be of long duration and sometimes repeated with little time between bouts to recover3. In tropical climates, this may limit opportunities to cool, hydrate and eat, resulting in pre-heated, dehydrated and fatigued3 personnel re-entering tasks. Task-related stress can push heart rates to near maximum even at rest. Sleep deprivation due to deployment, tasks and tropical and tactical environments may impact cognitive function3. Tactical effectiveness may be impaired by all of these factors3 and training must prepare personnel for these tasks and conditions while carefully managing safety risks2,3.   Nature of tactical operators Tactical operators typically identify as team workers who value teamwork, integrity, courage and good judgement in themselves and others4,5. They know and accept risks of the tactical role5. Fitness levels vary, and cultural norms can lead some to push beyond their limits. Injury rates tend to be high6 due to the hazardous and unpredictable nature of tasks and environments. Tactical operators will often view hardship, like tropical heat and humidity, as a normal part 

Training for tactical operations in tropical environments: Challenges, risks, &amp; strategies for risk management

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Training for tactical operations in tropical environments: Challenges, risks, & strategies for risk management

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Training for tactical operations in tropical environments: Challenges, risks, &amp; strategies for risk management

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Training for tactical operations in tropical environments: Challenges, risks, & strategies for risk management