Best Practices for a Healthy Heart in the Fire Service

We have documented twenty-six non-fatal heart related injuries from November 2012, to November 2013. These injuries occurred most often during station duties. Station duties are defined as normal activity around the station such as cleaning, cooking, sleeping, and moving around.  The injuries reported were identified as chest pains and cardiac symptoms.

 

Fire suppression was the next leading cause of heart related injuries, followed by skills training and physical fitness activities.

Firefighters work under extreme conditions that require both strength and endurance. A healthy heart is essential for firefighter performance and survival.

The Texas fire service encourages its firefighters to have wellness plans that promote healthy lifestyles. It is recommended that regulated fire departments have wellness plans that include physical fitness activity.

The Texas Administrative Code Title 37 Part 13 Chapter 435 Rule 435.21 states:

• (a) A fire department shall assess the wellness and fitness needs of the personnel in the department. The procedure used to make this assessment shall be written and made available for Commission inspection.

• (b) A fire department shall develop and maintain a standard operating procedure to address those needs.

• (c) The approach to the fitness needs of the department shall be based on the local assessment and local resources.

• (d) The standard operating procedure shall be made available to the Commission for inspection.

The number of heart related injuries may be decreased with long term efforts to improve one’s health and lifestyle. If you would like to learn more about wellness plans, our library has many resources to offer.

If you would like to learn more about fitness, nutrition, or diet plans, please visit us at the Emerson Library page, where you can explore our library for audio visual materials.  

 

 

Library Resources:

TEAM HEALTH AND SAFETY 
AV11-2528  Date Acquired: 8/2/2011  Length: 27:15  Format: DVD  Author: ACTION TRAINING
This is Part 6 in the Fire Officer I Series. Every day, firefighters risk their lives to save people from fires, serious accidents and other perils. But in the heat of the moment, their own safety is often the last thing on their minds, and they fail to recognize the dangers in routine habits and daily life at the fire station. “Watching their backs” is the fire officer’s most important responsibility. Learning objectives in the video include: Using statistics as a tool to prevent potential injury and death; implementing fitness and wellness programs to ensure firefighters are fit; developing awareness for physical and mental stress and how to intervene; guidelines for increasing emergency vehicle safety; and how to enforce a “no-excuses” safety culture. (c2006) View a sample video clip online here: http://www.action-training.com/Uploads/Video%20Samples/Fire%20Officer/RFO106ILM.wmv

 

FIRE SERVICE JOINT LABOR MANAGEMENT WELLNESS-FITNESS INITIATIVE 
AV06-1949  Date Acquired: 6/16/2006  Length: 1:00:00  Format: CD  Author: IAFF/IFCA
This CD contains the full text of the manual 'The Fire Service Joint Labor Management Wellness-Fitness Initiative, 2nd ed'. The chapters are: Introduction, Medical, Fitness, Injury/Fitness/Medical Rehabilitation, Behavioral Health, and Data Collection. It also contains Appendix A--Fitness Protocols and Fitness Evaluation Worksheets; Appendix B--Self Assessment Protocol; Appendix C--Fire Service and Health, Fitness & Wellness Resources; and Appendix D--Generic Request for Proposal: Medical and Fitness Evalutions. (2000)

FIRE SERVICE JOINT LABOR MANAGEMENT WELLNESS-FITNESS INITIATIVE 
AV06-1948  Date Acquired: 6/16/2006  Length: 1:00:00  Format: CD  Author: IAFF/IFCA
This CD contains the full text of the manual 'The Fire Service Joint Labor Management Wellness-Fitness Initiative, 2nd ed'. The chapters are: Introduction, Medical, Fitness, Injury/Fitness/Medical Rehabilitation, Behavioral Health, and Data Collection. It also contains Appendix A--Fitness Protocols and Fitness Evaluation Worksheets; Appendix B--Self Assessment Protocol; Appendix C--Fire Service and Health, Fitness & Wellness Resources; and Appendix D--Generic Request for Proposal: Medical and Fitness Evalutions. (2000)

FIREFIGHTER PHYSICAL FITNESS: STRENGTH 
AV95-0468  Date Acquired: 8/31/1995  Length: 27:30  Format: VHS  Author: FIRE ENGINEERING
Learn how to develop a personal weight training program and customize it to fit your needs. The exercises presented include warm-up, leg, abdominal, chest, tricep, shoulder, bicep, back and cool down
FIREFIGHTER`S WORKOUT 
AV05-1855  Date Acquired: 7/12/2005  Length: 50:00  Format: DVD  Author: MICHAEL STEFANO
This 50 minute DVD presents a challenging, enjoyable 30-minute-a-day, train-for-life program for men and women. Michael demonstrates a varied routine that fuses strength training, toning and flexibility through a series of exercises that also burn calories. The routine consists of: the warm-up; two 20 minute workouts; one beginner level, one intermediate, and one advanced level; and a cool down. A book accompanies the DVD. (2001) Copy 2

FIREFIGHTER`S WORKOUT 
AV05-1854  Date Acquired: 7/12/2005  Length: 50:00  Format: DVD  Author: MICHAEL STEFANO
This 50 minute DVD presents a challenging, enjoyable 30-minute-a-day, train-for-life program for men and women. Michael demonstrates a varied routine that fuses strength training, toning and flexibility through a series of exercises that also burn calories. The routine consists of: the warm-up; two 20 minute workouts; one beginner level, one intermediate, and one advanced level; and a cool down. A book accompanies the DVD. (2001)

FIREFIGHTER`S WORKOUT 
AV05-1853  Date Acquired: 7/12/2005  Length: 50:00  Format: VHS  Author: MICHAEL STEFANO
This 50 minute video presents a challenging, enjoyable 30-minute-a-day, train-for-life program for men and women. Michael demonstrates a varied routine that fuses strength training, toning and flexibility through a series of exercises that also burn calories. The routine consists of: the warm-up; two 20 minute workouts; one beginner level, one intermediate, and one advanced level; and a cool down. A book accompanies the video. (2001) Copy 2

FIREFIGHTER`S WORKOUT 
AV05-1852  Date Acquired: 7/12/2005  Length: 50:00  Format: VHS  Author: MICHAEL STEFANO
This 50 minute video presents a challenging, enjoyable 30-minute-a-day, train-for-life program for men and women. Michael demonstrates a varied routine that fuses strength training, toning and flexibility through a series of exercises that also burn calories. The routine consists of: the warm-up; two 20 minute workouts; one beginner level, one intermediate, and one advanced level; and a cool down. A book accompanies the video. (2001)

HEALTH AND SAFETY OFFICER 
AV99-1132  Date Acquired: 3/11/1999  Length: 18:00:00  Format: VHS  Author: NFA
Risk analysis, wellness, program management, and other occupational safety issues are the main emphasis of this NFA course.