By Julie Crothers
Clarion Ledger
FORT WAYNE, Ind. — The alarm sounds, and the earsplitting tones echo through the firehouse.
In a dash, men and women donning heavy outfits and helmets jump aboard fire trucks. Less than 90 seconds later, they are out the door and down the street, headed to a vehicle crash, fire or other medical emergency. In a matter of seconds, firefighters go from sitting at a table to jumping aboard a truck — from a body at rest to a heart instantly racing.
With fire runs happening multiple times a day, there’s no doubt that stress takes its toll, often in the form of a heart attack, a local physician said. Heart attacks are a leading cause of death among firefighters in the United States, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.
Full story: Firefighters focus on preventing heart attacks