Corey Conrady: The Rural Firefighter

This article is dedicated to all fire departments -not just rural -- and the kinds of things we deal with as firefighters who live and serve in the communities we have grown up in.

This month again we will focus on the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s firefighters’ life safety initiatives.

The 6th initiative seeks to increase awareness of the need for medical and physical wellness programs for EVERY first responder.

Medical & Physical Fitness - Develop and implement national medical and physical fitness standards that are equally applicable to all firefighters, based on the duties they are expected to perform.

As first responders, firefighters and EMS alike, we all face deadly dangers in our jobs. Carcinogens on scene, stress leading to substance abuse, and depression, impact mental health.

This 6th initiative focuses on the physical and mental fitness of responders to combat the issues that would significantly reduce a first responder’s ability to respond quickly, save lives (including our own) and protect property.

Medical Fitness Physicals: we all would opt out, if given the chance, right? But should we? Shouldn’t we have a different mindset?

Cancer is the number one killer of firefighters. Every first responder needs to understand the risks and what can be done about them.

We have a 9% higher risk than the US general population, and a 14% higher risk of dying. According to the IAFF, cancer caused 61% of deaths for career firefighters (from Jan 2002-Dec 2016), also, cancer caused 70% of line-of-duty deaths in 2016.

Now just one minute, for all of those who might be thinking those stats are for careers, volunteer numbers just don’t get reported as often. But volunteers are no less susceptible to cancer than careers, we are all human. Men, for instance, have a higher risk of testicular cancer, not just because of smoke, but higher temps in the bunker pants. That’s why it is so very important in rehab to pull the bunkers off, all the way!

I was fortunate enough to attend a Wildland Incident Commander’s Toolbox put on by FST, and in that class, we discussed rehab and its notion that it is a “penalty box” and how we have to change our mindset about rehab as well. That’s another article for the next issue. Medical physicals are the first line of identifying conditions that could lead to a medical line-of-duty death. Wouldn’t you want to know if there was an issue you could correct as soon as possible? Early detection can save lives!

Physical Fitness A study in JAMA Internal Medicine found that people who did 1.25 hours of vigorous activity, or 2.5 hours of moderate activity a week had a 31% lower risk of dying of cancer than those who didn’t. Regular exercise also helps you stay at a healthy weight, regulates hormones, and helps the immune system.

Hydrate - Drinking plenty of water and other liquids may reduce the risk of cancer by diluting the concentration of cancer-causing agents and help flush them through the body faster. Drink at least 8 cups of liquid a day, suggests the American Cancer Society.

A second leading cause of line-of-duty deaths is cardiovascular strain from strenuous activities, and heat stress faced by first responders. These things place extreme demands on the heart, arteries, and circulatory system. A heart attack or stroke during a fire scene is a constant threat.

What other benefits can be gained by a good physical fitness program? Your ISO rating. They will evaluate your structured fitness and wellness program, along with your documented cardio, weight training, and other types of exercise.

As the saying goes, “It starts at the top,” and in the case of a structured fitness and wellness program, this is true. But this isn’t just the chief; successful programs have shared their vision and goals with the public and what we are doing in the background to be better for them.

Firefighter health and wellness needs to be clearly explained to the concerned parties, so if you need funding for equipment or training, the “why” is clearly understood.

This buy-in at the top is especially important if and when training injuries occur, as I would rather have a training-based “minor injury” than a catastrophic injury on scene. Of course, exercise should never cause injury, but we have to cover all of our bases.

Once we have the administrative buy-in, the next top-down plan is to build fitness and wellness into your standard operating procedures (SOPs) and follow them. As bugles come and go, so do priorities, but surviving the job is always a top priority.

Your culture is also established the moment the probie walks in the door. If they walk into a lazy and fractured fitness/wellness culture, then nothing will work. If they walk into a department that is invested in their health and wellness from the start, that probie will become a brand ambassador for the next group.

This culture falls heavily on the established company officers, and this is where the push often fails. If one crew is fit and invested while the next crew is invested in the recliner, then you have a leadership issue. This is why buy-in from the top is so critical. Someone with rank needs to remind these folks that safety also involves being fit for duty and following a department-wide SOP on fitness.

There are several tools to guide the process. One such tool is the Vulnerability Assessment Program (VAP) administered by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. This free assessment is available to all fire departments—volunteer, career, industrial, fire/EMS, and combination services.

Until next time, remember to look out for one another, in the smoke and at the station. Everyone Goes Home!

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation leads an “Everyone Goes Home” Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives” plan on their web page www.everyonegoeshome. com/16-initiatives that lists 16 attitude initiatives.

The National Safety Culture Change Initiative (NSCCI) was developed to advocate for the need for culture change for health and safety within the fire service. This effort is led by the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), in partnership with the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA). www.ffsafetyculture.org/ Download report at www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa_342.pdf

Fire Rescue Fitness, Firefighter Cancer Prevention -The Top 5 Ways to Reduce Your Risk, https://firerescuefitness.com/2023/01/firefighter-cancer-prevention-thetop-5-ways-to-reduce-your-risk/

By Greg Lindsay OKC Fire Department Greg Lindsay: