Episode 131: Sleep Science Zzzz with Joel Billings, Ph.D.

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Joel and I talked about one of my favorite topics (sleep) and he has some tremendous insight into FD shift schedules, alerting systems and organizational impacts on sleep.

Joel M. Billings, PhD is an assistant professor at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. He is the Program Chair for the undergraduate degree program in Emergency Services and teaches courses in fire and emergency services. Dr. Billings’ research expertise focuses on firefighters’ sleep and health. Specifically, he studies firefighter sleep process and sleep-wake cycles, fire department shift schedules, and the cardiovascular and sleep impacts of firefighter alerting systems. His research is funded by NIH/NHLBI and DHS/FEMA.

His goal is to improve health, safety, and performance of members in the fire and emergency services profession by bringing together research and practice. He has former experience as a volunteer firefighter and EMT-Basic in Michigan. Dr. Billings serves as a member of the Science Alliance, council member for the Healthy Work Design & Well-Being cross-sector program at NIOSH, and serves on the Council of Governors at the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress.

So what, now what?!?

Joel's top considerations to improve firefighter sleep:

1-get rid of the Kelly schedule
2-integrate appropriate and responsible napping
3-get rid of the morning wake up "alarm"
4-shift start time later

https://faculty.erau.edu/Joel.Billings

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