Determination of Biofoam Awareness of Students in Civil Defense Firefighting and Emergency Disaster Management Programs

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the level of awareness of biological foam among students enrolled in civil defense and firefighting and emergency and disaster management courses at four universities in the eastern Black Sea region. The study population consisted of students enrolled in these programs during the 2022-2023 academic year. No specific sampling method was used; an attempt was made to reach the entire population and a total of 260 respondents were surveyed. The data for the study was collected using a questionnaire that included socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge about fire, disasters and firefighting, and attitudes towards exercises and a Biological Foam Awareness Scale (BFAS) questionnaire that was developed based on a literature review. Frequency and t-tests were used to statistically analyze the data. The research results indicate that awareness of biological foam is at a moderate level among students enrolled in civil defense and firefighting and emergency and disaster management programs at the four identified universities. Examination of the results of the study revealed that there is insufficient awareness of biological foam. Therefore, it is recommended that efforts and activities to increase awareness and use of biological foam be conducted targeting students in existing degree programs as well as individuals involved in firefighting.