A tiny capsule swallowed by firefighters is changing the way volunteers work on the front line.
The pill can relay an individual's core temperature in real time, giving a better understanding of the body's vulnerability to heat stress to protect firefighters.
Victoria's Country Fire Authority health and wellbeing officer Peter Langridge said the data gathered in a CFA trial had led to changes in firefighters' work patterns, including the length of time they are exposed to blazes.
"If we see their core body temperature increasing then we know to remove them from the fire and put them into the rehabilitation area," he said.
"Working in hot environments will stress different people at different rates. There is no set formula for how long a person can fight a fire before they start suffering from heat stress or dehydration and management is the key to protecting our fire fighters".
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