A publication dedicated to the well-being of firefighters across North America and beyond.
Firefighters are aware of the statistics linking firefighter deaths to preventable diseases and illnesses caused by unhealthy lifestyles. One of the leading causes of firefighter deaths is heart attacks. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Bringing answers to the modern firefighter’s burning health questions, we aim to help firefighters identify and put into practice better health choices to increase your chances at a healthier wellbeing with disease and illness free careers and retirements.
I turned 50 last year and recently hit the 30-year mark in my fire service journey. Lately, I have spent a lot of time reflecting on my life and career. It has been an amazing ride, but I certainly recognize the physical, mental, and emotional toll that this job has taken on me over the last three decades.
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Physical fitness facilities are a no-brainer for the fire services. Not only are firefighters expected to be physically fit but need to be athletes to perform on-the-job functions in a manner that is expected by the public.
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As far as I can tell, Father Time is undefeated, but it doesn't need to be a blowout. What do I mean by this? It means living life on your own terms for as long as you possibly can should be a priority. Until it's difficult to do them it's easy to take the mundane activities of daily living for granted, like clipping your toenails, putting a 20lb carry-on in the overhead bin or running to catch a bus. Not to mention the things you really want to do, like playing recreational sports or playing on the floor with a young child.
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Have you heard anyone call firefighters athletes? I have! I have used the term "Industrial Athletes" to describe the men and women in the fire service.
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If you have been a firefighter for more than a minute you know you face an increased risk of a cancer diagnosis due to the exposure to carcinogens you will receive during your fire service career. Even if you follow all the recommended actions during your career to reduce your risk, the unfortunate reality is you can do everything right and still get cancer.
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As first responders, we often talk about depression, anxiety, and PTSD, conditions fairly common within our profession. Given the stressors of our job, a high incidence isn’t surprising.
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Not so long ago, keeping your health in top shape was generally a matter of doing your day-to-day work. Most people had manual labor jobs that involved a lot of physical activity and they slept well at night simply because they were tired. There were no electronic devices to keep them sedentary or disturb their sleep. Pre-packaged processed food didn’t exist and food was either grown on their own properties or traded with neighbors.
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“In a fire, you can plan everything out to the minute, and a minute before that, everything changes,” says Dan Felix. Indeed, the repercussions of being exposed to the fire are something every firefighter is aware of, yet he remains undeterred. Whilst I continue to stay in nothing but awe and gratitude to our heroes, let’s take a look into what exactly happens when you get exposed to radiant heat from the blazing fires.
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It’s common to think that being detached is not so great. Detached people are considered cold, aloof and indifferent. We make assumptions that if a person is detached, they must be disconnected from their work, family, spirituality or other important elements of being human.
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Low serum testosterone levels can be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular and all-cause mortality.
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