Which fire ground situation is most likely to result in bloating?

• A. Heavy exertion
• B. Gulping water
• C. Use of positive-pressure SCBA
• D. Stress and anxiety

Answer: (B)

Bloating on the fire ground is most often caused by aerophagia—swallowing air. When a firefighter gulps water, they tend to swallow extra air along with the liquid. That air accumulates in the stomach, causing distension, abdominal pressure, and discomfort. This is a direct pathway to bloating.

Heavy exertion and stress can influence breathing and cause other issues, but they don’t introduce swallowed air into the stomach as reliably or as directly as gulping water does. The use of a positive-pressure SCBA is unlikely to produce bloating in the same immediate way, since the air supply is focused on the lungs, not the stomach.