We came to find out that the VES size-up video we recently had on the site was actually captured by a team of researchers that was doing an intensive study on Firefighters. Dr. Jim Brown from Indiana University was leading a team of researchers looking into firefighter line of duty deaths. They have been continually (over an entire shift) monitoring the heart rates of Indianapolis Firefighters to better understand what our bodies go through. Indiana Channel 13 (WTHR) recently highlighted IFD and Dr. Brown’s study. Special thanks go to Ron Marks from Indianapolis Station 10 for giving us the heads up of this video.
[flv]http://www.vententersearch.com/videos/flv/indystudy.flv[/flv]
Obviously we should all remember that Cardiac Issues are historically the number one killer of firefighters. Undoubtedly, some of it is preventable. So with that in mind, we ask this of you today… Take the time this holiday season to pull “that guy†aside and help encourage him get in better shape. It’s what true brotherhood is all about, helping a brother out! Let us never stand over another casket and say how great someone was, while under our breath we tell each other how out of shape he was, or how this came at no surprise. We can train all day long, we can study fire behavior, building construction, and everything else, but we all know someone who wears our uniform that needs some encouragement to get in better shape. So…TALK TO THEM! Do it for us, do it for you, and most importantly do it for them!
What are you guys’ suggestions when that person makes up excuses to not work out? and gets MAD at you when you try and push him?
Certainly “working out” can be part of the solution but as we know some people are never going to exercise.
That said we can improve in many other areas.
1) Firefighting is a great blood thickener, throw in some heart disease and weight issues and it’s even worse. So when you drink all that coffee…maybe…DON’T. Especially when you’re in “rehab”! Hydrate BEFORE the call and during with good old fashioned water!
2) Speaking of rehab, use it BEFORE you need it.
3) Chiefs and Capts; don’t let you crew’s enthusiasm for their job get in the way of their health. Monitor your guys activities at a call and judge accordingly.
Fits
Flip,
I recently had “that guy” transfer in to my station at his request. I feel it is one of my main priorites as a company officer to make sure everyone goes home (if at all humanly possible) to their families at the end of the shift. I sat down and had a “heart to heart” with this 10 year plus veteran (these guys have normally been on the job awhile as they are not hired on this way) and one of the keys to approaching this guy (in my opinion) was to do so in a non-derogatory fashion; moreover, he could tell I was talking to him because I care. We did discuss the statistics regarding LODD, but we also talked about his young children at home and the fact that all of us can strive to become better at our jobs. One of the reasons I feel his attitude was positve regarding this was that he was not singled out in front of the other guys. I also talked to him regarding his strengths (dig deep if you have to) so the talk was not all negative. We also discussed his role as one of the senior guys on the crew and how he would be an example to the FNGs we had. As a company officer, I set it up to where we worked out together as a crew every shift. Granted he did less than others at first, but the rest of the crew was very encouraging to him once they saw he was willing to put in an effort. We also, as a crew, changed our dietary habits to the benefit of us all. Now this guy is exercising on his off days and is watching what he eats on his own. Not everyone will be this receptive, some are going to be a PITA, but if nothing else lead by example (whether you are a company officer or not.)Let’s see some of you get as passionate about this as you were of Captain Van Sant and his decision. This (being “that guy”) will cause more LODD than any other reason and dead is dead right? This is just how I recently dealt with the situation and had a positve outcome. I look forward to other ideas as this is one of those “personality issues” where not everyone will respond to the same stimulus. Finally, I did change the name I normally post under as my crew checks this site out on a regular basis and knows my posts.
My question to anyone willing to answer or throw some ideas out is this: How would you encourage members of a volunteer dept to eat better, work out more, and improve their overall well being when talking about health and fitness?
I’m from an average volunteer station with all of the typical work out equipment in house (weights,treadmill,bike,etc.) The majority of the active members are in the station at least one night a week (our drill or mtg.) and some of them more when just “hangin around”. Theese are of course our most active members and the ones that will be working the hardest at a call. How ever, we are also surrounded by all of the usual fast food establishments wich are very well visited and financially supported by our members on the way to station. Coupled with having multiple computers and of course the largest tv that would fit through the door for all the members to park themselves in front of, I don’t think I have to explain what the end result may be some day. I am also relatively sure that I’m not the only one with these questions circulating my mind each time this topic comes up. I know that some of our members would by into a work out program if the officers push the issue a bit but how can it be sustained once started when members are only asked to be in the station one night a week. Unfortunately a large percentage of our membership are interested in doing only what they have to and nothing more. If anyone has a program or knows of one for volunteers please pass it on.
Sorry, excuse some of the spelling errors!
Eng851,
I kinda pre answered your question.
You can’t control an individual’s exercise habits (or lack thereof). However you can monitor his activities at a fire. Control what you can control.
Fits
Point well taken, thanks
Gents,
The most obvious answer is to establish policy that requires physical fitness training and/or fitness performance standards in your department. My department has had a policy on the books for well over 20 years that requires participation in PT as part of the daily training. This makes the “enforcement” much easier. I don’t mean to say that we have 100% participation, but we are close. For the company officers, a manditory policy makes their job easier but they still have to make it a priority.
If you want to read an interesting research report on “Firefighter Fatalities and Injuries-the Role of Heat Stress and PPE” follow the link. This study was conducted by the Illinois Fire Service Institute/University of Illinois using Illinois firefighters in the study. This research project provides a review of the known research and new and important findings concerning the interrelationship of cardiovascular function, biomechanics and the design of personal protective equipment. This research will only be of value to the fire service if it is read and the science it documents is translated into department and firefighter action.
http://www.fsi.uiuc.edu/documents/research/FFLSRC_FinalReport.pdf
Also, in agreement with Eng851’s comment about “control what you can control” as a company officer you have a direct ability to make sure that your members are rested and rehabbed. Watch their level of exertion and make sure they are rested, make sure they activly cool themselves, make sure they hydrate these are all things within your power to get done.
Does anyone /dept have a good policy regarding working out/health/wellness program that they would be willing to share.
email me:…. fools45002@gmail.com
Thanks-
Hey! 😉
Sorry
Np Art! 🙂
And for fools45002 check out;
The Fire Service Joint Labor Management Wellness-Fitness Initiative:
(Jeesh you have to be in shape just to say that in one breath!)
http://www.iafc.org/associations/4685/files/healthWell_WFI3rdEdition.pdf
The National Volunteer Fire Council has a great program take a look at the link below.
http://www.healthy-firefighter.org/
My department lost a great firefighter and officer a while back when she moved to another area of the country. She was the spearhead of a great campaign to get our whole department in shape. She was instrumental in the building of a gym on the 4th floor of our headquarters, open 24 hours to department employees. The gym is seriously as nice as any gym around, but it’s free. All the equipment is brand new, top of the line. Great mix of machines (no multi-exercise machines, only single-use machines) and free weights. Cardio workouts are covered, too. The only thing missing is a pool, hot tub, and sauna. And it gets little to no use. Anyways, after this person left, it’s like no one cared anymore.
We have a decent setup at our station, but when can we use it? I’ve been a victim of the same problem everyone else has when trying to work out on duty: you still have to run calls. You can exercise, but not well, if you’re still in service. You can’t do anything strenuous, because the next call might be one where you need most or all of your strength. If you’re physically tired on shift, it increases your risk of injury on calls, reduces your productivity, and requires more manpower to do the same task.
I wish we could go out of service for an hour each shift to do PT. That would give us time to work out, then rest for a few minutes. It won’t be a killer session at the gym, but that’s not what we’re after on duty. Just being able to do enough cardio to make a difference (at least 20 minutes) would be nice. Couple that with some weight training, and we’re doing okay. I can supplement that with running at home, but I don’t have a gym at home.
Fits & Buzzard…. thanks for the info….I am looking to see how depts are implementing this a s SOP or SOG.
We have an SOG in place at our department, but like Art said, it has to be “enforced”. It is up to the company officer to make sure his/her personnel are doing something. Whether it is a weight room, a modified workout using the items around your station, team sports, or just plain walking/jogging around the block, the idea is to get everyone to do it. If they are not doing something on duty, then suggest they do something on their days off. There are several members of every department that have gym memberships and use their duty day to rest. Fine and dandy, just be sure to monitor these guys at training or fire scenes to be sure that they are up to the task at hand.
Hopefully, for the “that guy” scenario, you have a fire or a training scenario that gives him/her a wake up call. Use that opportunity to stress the importance of fitness and the need for them to do something. I recently had a firefighter who had that wake up call during a training scenario. He felt bad that he let me and his crew down. I stressed to him that it is not only me and his crew he needs to worry about. It’s that wife and family he has to think about also. Since then he has done better when it comes to fitness, although I still have to “encourage” him from time to time.
A few years ago, I had “that guy” on my ladder truck. He loved to train, was in decent shape, but HATED when the station went to go play an organized sport for physical fitness. Every shift, the same gripe. As a company officer, I continually had to remind him that training is a priority, but if you don’t have the cardiovascular fitness to do a search, throw ladders, pull lines, etc., what good is all the training. Since then he has moved on to bigger and better things in our department. Right Jimm?
Link to our fitness SOG if anyone intersted. It lays out the entire annual physical fitness tests, employee physical fitness maintenance, and a peer review system. http://wpfd.org/images/Standard%20Operating%20Guidelines/100%20Administrative/SOG%20100.09%20Medical%20%20Physical%20Fitness%20Requirements%20.pdf
This is a great topic, and great timimg as well. Our Fools Chapter is starting a fitness challenge in Jan. I think that this is a way to get everyone involed in health and fitness. Heck you can even do one with your station, company, or department for that matter. Just throw in some kind of prize, money, or just plain old good pride and most firemen I would hope jump on that bandwagon.
fit for fire
fit for life
LTD62A, I am one of the guys that likes to go to the gym on my off days. I despise getting a call when I am in the middle of a workout, it just throws it all off course and sometimes it it hard to get back into it again. I will some times hit up a quickie ab workout or a quick 15 min run or so on the treadmill, but that is about it. I save all of my intense training for off days, at the gym which is better suited for working out.
Footrat, there is a city department around me that goes unavailable for calls to do the 1hr of PT, one unit at a time. Try asking through the chain if that is something that they would allow, depending on call load.
Eng 851, It is funny you ask the question about volunteer’s. The Indiana University study released its findings and a interactive dvd. The dvd contained exercise information for volunteers. The release of this info was done at my career dept. There was a member of the Indiana Volunteer Fire Assoc. that asked the same question but in a different way. He took these findings as a bash to volunteers and blamed the unions and other organizations. He pretty much stated they don’t have time to exersice. Basically it is up to all of us as firefighters career or volunteer to better our health. We all know what could happen. My dept. came up with a mandatory workout policy about a year ago when are new Chief came aboard. (He was orignally from IFD). For the most part it works. As for my volunteer dept., Most of us are Career else where, but the problems is still motivating the true volunteers.
LTD62A……….exactly the type of info I am looking for…thanks for the link
2dawgs,
Could you go into more detail about a “fitness challenge”. I’m curious about such a program.
Thanks,
Brotherhood above all.
Be safe.
It is interesting that fitness programs in the fire house seem to be well-mandated but that fitness is not. Is fitness a negotiable condition? Is it really voluntary?
We’ll be able to deal with fitness when we are able to mandate it as a condition of employment (volunteer & career). I am not convinced that less will be successful.
Look around, other industries and vocations do now as a service to their staff and those they serve.
Firefighter fitness and well-being is an issue that is beginning to bring a lot of attention to the job. Many of our fellow brothers and sisters, retired or currently working, are being plagued with cardiac and health issues because of the daily stress that this job brings to their lives. Having said this, I am glad that this problem is being recognized and acknowledged throughout our community by various means of resources including this site.
I feel that best solution to this problem is to encourage physical fitness, not only while at work but on your off days as well. Yes, physical fitness at work is a must but it needs to be taken a step further. Going out of service for an hour to PT is not a solution to the problem, it’s not even a good suggestion…sorry. If you catch a run when you’re PT’ing and it upsets you, maybe you should think about getting a new job. We signed up for this career to help, serve and protect our community. Having said this, you still must make an effort to effectively PT during your shift. When 7am hits the next morning and you have been relieved, that doesn’t mean that you cant PT because you’re not getting paid to. Being effective at this job doesn’t stop when you’re shift is over, but you should be constantly trying to get better at what you do. To parallel that with physical fitness, your days off need to be utilized as another resource to promote your health. Find time on your off-days to engage in physical activity that enhances your well-being on and off the job.
I know there are factors we cannot control such as genetics that could ultimately inhibit us from doing what we all love but that is a whole other conversation in its own. This video and all of the posts that propose better lifestyles for firefighters is a great way to stimulate conversation and promote thought to open our eyes to the biggest hazard we face today. Stay safe…
Haaaaa Charley Murphey Im rick james bitch,, LOL.
if you dont get it go here http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=11909
I like Charlie’s post above…Physical fitness is a lifestyle change for whomever wants it. Not just firefighters…It just so happens that it is a lot more critical for us to be fit than say others. My crew and I work out EVERY shift for about an hour sometimes longer. No excuses!!! We ask ourselves three things every morning of our shift…What’s for dinner, what are we training on today and what’s the workout. But we also do stuff on our own on our off days…Lifestyle! Plain and simple…If you want it bad enough you WILL find a way. Be safe everyone.
Squadguy,
I appreciate your enthusiasm, however not everyone shares our views on this subject. The fire service is a typical bunch of talkers. All we ever do is talk about being safer, more fit, more educated. The majority of the FF’s in this country on only in it for the glory. Which is hilarious when they find out how little glory there is. We will never change on the whole. If I can quote my captain(and this is not directed at anybody) “Worry about what the f@#k you’re supposed to worry about.” I know we all want to change the world but all we can really do take care of ourselves. As I always say I answer to two people. One of them is me. The other one’s not you. Anyone like Squadguy, keep up the the good work. Take care.
There is glory in this job???? I started my carrier because all chicks love fire fighters, except the ones who divorce them !!!!!!!!!
564,
So the fitness challenge we are setting up, is just that, challenge to get fit, but more so hopefully get a few guys to make serious lifestyle changes.
The challenge we are doing will consist of four things.
1. Strength (sit-ups/pushups each for sixty seconds)
2. Flexibility (sit and reach)
3. Body composition (body fat/weight)
4. Cardio (3 minute step test)
Basically the way it works is that after your initial assessment you will be awarded so many points. After the challenge is over (for us we are going from Jan 5th to June 5th) we will be reassessed, and so the better you do in all, the more points you get.
Challenges or even weight loss contests are pretty easy to set up. I would suggest that if you do not have a department “coach†or “trainer†maybe go to your local gym and hit up one of the personal trainers. Of course there is always a lot of information out on the net.
This is something great to do with your crew, station, or even department. Station vs Station, Truck versus Engine. Not only is this great team building, but it also can get you working out together as a crew.
Hope this helps.
2dawgs,
Appreciate the info! Now I understand.
I’ll have to see if I can convince the brothers.
One more question…how do y’all do the points? Is everything weighed the same or are certain things more?
Better to copy the wheel to build the tire than reinvent it entirely.
Thanks again brother.
Brotherhood above all.
Be safe.
564,
Tell you what bro, go to the website link, by clicking on my name, go to our guestbook, and leave your email, and I will send you all the info that I have.
EGH RFB
if that doesnt work go to norcalfools.org
I’m writing this under a different name than I usually post under.
I am “that guyâ€. I am weak when it comes to resisting temptations (food) around the station. I could really use your help. I want to eat the right things and workout, but it always seems to get put off until tomorrow. I use the excuse that some have posted that I could be too fatigued if we catch a call during a strenuous workout. But I will stuff myself to the gills at the dinner table every shift and hope and pray we don’t get a call. You can assume that this is just written by some loser halfway across the country, or turn to “that guy†in your house and give ME the help and encouragement I need. You might be surprised by my response.
2 years ago I gave up trying to do Cardio at the station. Now, I get up before work at 0420 hra and run. Sounds crazy, but after about a month it became my “cup of coffee”. I can’t go without it. I am at a very busy station by any city’s standards and i get in about 70 minutes before I need to shower. An excuse is just that. We have to make a personal committment to exercise and that is not just for us, but our families and our coworkers.
I work in the same firehouse as Matt and have the pleasure of knowing him for a couple years now. I have seen him elevate his physical level from that of an average firefighter to that of upper level athlete. He is an inspiration to many when it comes to PT.
Is there anymore information on this study? I’ve read alot about how cardiac issues and deaths are very high for firefighters but do they factor in other things such as the current and past health of the firefighter? Their diet, and relative health habits? Smoking, eatting high fat foods, and drinking are all huge risk factors too. So if a large percentage of their study involves, or does not disern these factors, i really dont think the results are as valid. It’s definitly an interesting study though and would love to find out more details.
Does anyone know anything about Crossfit? A lot of guys at our dept are “crossfitting” with great results. I love it, as it is a functional approach to working out, not just one dimensional “iron pumping”. Working on range of motion, cardio, and muscle group cohesion you quickly get an accurate gauge of how in shape you are. check it out! They’ve got a workout of the day and tons of resources. http://www.crossfit.com
Hi there!
Is the research presented on the video, somewhere available on the internet?
great
Thanks… Much needed information…
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