By Captain Shawn Perry; M.S. Exercise Physiology
Sacramento Fire Department
 AP Photo/Keith Srakocic A firefighter in turnout gear walks on a treadmill as part of a heart health study last year in Pittsburgh. |
Where does your fire department stand today on the much discussed and hyped subject of firefighter health and wellness? Chances are it’s in some stage of development whether it be a comprehensive fitness assessment, medical screenings, equipment acquisition, and/or educational programs. The topic of firefighter health and wellness is so broad and complex it is difficult to determine a starting point let alone design a master plan with implementation schedules and identified funding. But there are three major components we can focus on here:
- Annual medical and physical evaluations
- Appropriate fitness equipment and exercise programs
- Targeted nutrition education
Annual medical and physical evaluations
You’ve heard the standard disclaimer, “Always consult a physician before beginning any exercise program.” Why? It’s a liability issue. If a company or organization sells you a product or exercise program and does not include this little one liner, they may be held liable if you get injured or have the “Big One.” This actually makes good sense. However,,many fire departments initiate a health and wellness program by purchasing resistance and aerobic equipment (weights, treadmills, etc.), which lands in the firehouse somewhere. The department then declares the program has commenced, and while this is a well-intentioned start, it has potentially dangerous possibilities.
Doesn’t it make sense to actually make sure a firefighter is fit and healthy enough to begin an exercise program before purchasing gadgets and developing exercise policies/standards? It’s true that we should be in good physical condition to perform our sworn duties, but haven’t decades of sobering statistics proven this to not to be the case for a large proportion of our fatalities each year.
The NFPA and the IAFF/IAFC have diligently developed and refined standards and methodologies for program design and implementation. It would be safe to say that if all fire departments across the nation were able to fully adapt the Wellness-Fitness Initiative, there would be a reduction in preventable firefighter deaths and injuries including an improved retirement experience.
So what’s the problem? Why aren’t we all on the same page? For starters, there is an up front expense. All programs cost money and when you look at medical screenings, equipment, facilities for the equipment, and professional educators the price tag can seem ominous. Fixed and/or limited budgets pit health and fitness against safety gear, apparatus, and equipment, not to mention salaries.
But as the saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” It is the essence for fiscal justification and prudence. It just takes time to realize the investment, but once an organization turns the corner this grey area starts to clear up. Simply identifying one firefighter with ominous signs of a cardiovascular event or the initial stages of a cancer not only potentially saves their lives but saves hundreds of thousands of dollars in the cure stage. It is difficult these days to find something that is both morally good and fiscally smart — but this is one of them.
Appropriate fitness equipment and exercise programs
Fitness equipment is one of the first steps departments take to address health and fitness. Buy some Olympic weights, dumbbells, and a treadmill; stick them in a corner of your apparatus bay (next to the tailpipe of the engine); and tell the crew they can exercise between 9-10 a.m. Done deal, right? Let the success stories begin!
If your department has already taken the first step of medical screenings you are on the path to success. Buying fitness equipment should only come after these have been done, and don’t forget the importance of firefighters learning how to use it correctly. A few years back a young firefighter in my region went out to the exercise room to lift weights. Tragically, he was found an hour or two later deceased from a crushing injury while weight training. We talk about safety every day in the firehouse, but we don’t do a good job of connecting the dots when it comes to fitness activities. Indeed, one of the most injury prone activities in the fire service is basketball! It’s vital to bear in mind that fitness activities can be unhealthy and dangerous when performed inappropriately.
So here’s the advice: When you invest in exercise equipment, you must include professional and comprehensive instruction on how to use it. It’s kind of like ordering a new type of saw and not providing any training. It means a valuable tool now becomes a liability.
Resistance and cardiovascular equipment are valuable assets unless ignorance is the order of the day. My favorites are still treadmills, free weights and cable-based machines if used properly. Your department may choose different modalities. Start with your heart and go from there.
Targeted nutrition education
Are we firefighters really any different from the general population regarding supportive nutritional practices? The answer is both yes and no. The yes part lies in the basics. Nutrition 101 still says, “Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and lean sources of protein.” There is plenty more information to detail out, but if we all followed that simple statement as the golden rule, most of the health problems within our profession and as a nation would go away. It really is that simple, but people will continue to go down the wrong aisle at the grocery store and fill their baskets based on instant “taste” gratification and powerful misleading marketing. The food industry couldn’t give a damn about you and your family — I don’t know of a more corrupt industry in the world today.
However, in the marketing jungle of health claims, there are good companies and products that fight the right fight. What the fire service needs is real education from nutritionists and exercise physiologists that have no financial ties to specific groups. We need food to survive, but more specifically we need to know the appropriate foods and quantities to support us in both emergency and non-emergency activities.
Firefighters also need to understand appropriate choices to make to support potential activities during a shift and how to best recover from strenuous events. Red Bull and Copenhagen are not the magic potions you should be incorporating into your daily lifestyle. Coffee still gets mixed reviews but only when consumed in moderation. Firefighters have some of the worst addictive personalities on the planet and are usually tied to maintaining that “action hero” energy status. But the nervous system and cardiovascular system can only take so much of this abuse before you enter in to the world of medications to mitigate the damage. Stop rushing death!
The information is out there to support our well being. The crux of the issue is how much responsibility should be placed on the individual and how much on the organization? Unless an individual has a formal education on this subject, they are vulnerable to makes decisions that have little merit and can be counterproductive. In my opinion, the individual has the responsibility to seek information to address their personal health and wellness, but the organization has the responsibility to provide a valid program that supports our commitment to the public and to our personal health and safety. Always refer back to the number one killer of firefighters and use that as your point of reference.
Fire Captain Shawn Perry’s health and fitness experiences include competing and coaching track and field at the NCAA division 1 level. Capt. Perry earned a B.S. in Human Performance from San Jose State University (1983) and a M.S. in Exercise Physiology from the University of Illinois (1987). He began his fire service career in 1992 with the Sacramento Fire Department, promoting to the ranks of engineer and captain.