Dr. Sharkey is a United States Forest Service expert in human physiology and fitness for people fighting forest fires. His works were funded by the Forest Service and performed by University of Montana faculty or graduate students who served as his study groups.
His studies include health hazards of the smoke breathed by wildland firefighters, heat stress experienced by wildland firefighters and meal/hydration needs while preparing for and operating on a wildfire.
The pack test was developed to insure that all wildland firefighters were in a physical condition that was safe at levels of high stress and hard working conditions like on forest fires.
