Each month, Fit to Survive includes a poll question relating to a specific topic featured for the month. The IAFF uses these poll questions to develop a general sense about what fire departments across North America are doing to stay fit and healthy and to build greater awareness for important fire fighter fitness issues.
Below is a summary of the results for each of the eight poll questions featured to date on Fit to Survive, along with additional information about the topic itself.
Poll Question 1:
Do you get an annual physical from your fire department?
63% -- Yes, my department pays
18% -- No, but I go to a private provider
19% -- I don’t get an annual physical
A comprehensive annual medical exam by a fire department physician is included as part of the IAFF-IAFC Fire Service Joint Labor Management Wellness-Fitness Initiative and is designed to:
- Determine whether the fire fighter is physically and mentally able to perform essential job duties without undue risk of harm to his/herself or others;
- Monitor the effects of exposure to specific biological, physical or chemical agents;
- Detect changes in the fire fighter's health that may be related to harmful working conditions;
- Identify any patterns of disease in the workplace that might indicate underlying work-related problems;
- Provide the fire fighter with information about his/her occupational hazards and current health;
- Offer a cost-effective investment in the early detection, disease prevention and health promotion of the fire fighter; and
- Comply with federal, state, provincial and local requirements.
Poll Question 2:
Are you allowed to workout on duty?
93% -- Yes
07% -- No
Wellness and fitness requires a personal commitment to survive and sustain a career in the fire service. When fire fighters are ill or injured, malnourished or overweight, over stressed or out of balance, their ability to effectively do their job is effected. Fire departments that allow for on-duty workout time benefit from fit and healthy fire fighters who perform effectively on the job.
Poll Question 3:
Does your department use CPAT?
46% -- Yes
48% -- No
06% -- Will in future
The Fire Service Joint Labor Management Wellness-Fitness Task Force addresses improving fire fighter performance. The IAFF, the IAFC, and the fire departments and IAFF affiliates involved in this program believe strongly that the fire service must improve its diversity, but never by lowering its standards. Across the United States and Canada, fire departments have been frustrated by the legal challenges to hiring qualified fire fighters. In a bold proactive move, the IAFF, the IAFC, the fire chiefs and IAFF local union presidents participating in the Task Force, along with technical experts, have developed the comprehensive Candidate Physical Ability Testing (CPAT) program. This program is designed to ensure that new fire fighter candidates are physically capable of performing the challenging job of a fire fighter while making it possible to improve the diversity of the fire service.
The ultimate goal of this project is to improve the quality of life of all uniformed personnel. When a diverse group of physically qualified candidates become fire fighters, and then participate in the comprehensive wellness-fitness program, everyone wins. The community gets better service, the fire department improves its performance, and the fire fighters enjoy long healthy careers and retirements.
For more information on the CPAT program, visit http://www.iaff.org/safe/content/wellness/CPATLicensestory.htm.
Poll Question 4:
Does your department have exercise equipment in each of your stations?
52% -- Yes, adequate equipment
30% -- Yes, inadequate equipment
19% -- No
Exercise equipment in the firehouse provides a convenient means for fire fighters to workout. It is important that equipment is maintained and kept in good condition to avoid the risk of injury. Designating and training departmental experts on the equipment is an efficient means of ensuring that equipment is kept in good condition.
Poll Question 5:
Has your station communicated healthy messages through posters, bulletin boards, newsletters, brochures, videos or lectures?
09% -- Yes
91% -- No
Communicating the importance of staying healthy to fire fighters through posters, brochures or other means creates awareness for eating healthy, exercising and promoting a balanced lifestyle. Health information is available through organizations such as the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association – and Fit to Survive, of course.
Poll Question 6:
Do you have peer fitness trainers at your center?
29% -- Yes
71% -- No
Fire fighters who become Peer Fitness Trainers possess the knowledge and skills required to design and implement fitness programs, improve the wellness and fitness of the fire fighters in their departments, assist in the physical training of recruits and assist the broader community in achieving wellness and fitness. In addition, Peer Fitness Trainers improve the safety, performance and quality of life for IAFF members. Click on the link below to read more about how you can become a Peer Fitness Trainer and the importance of getting involved in this program. http://www.foodfit.com/iaff/articles/peer_trainer.asp
Poll Question 7:
Does your station provide an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)?
84% -- Yes
16% -- No
An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a cost-effective, humanitarian job-based strategy for helping employees whose personal problems are affecting their work performance. The Employee Assistance Professionals Association defines the EAP as “a worksite-based program designed to assist in the identification and resolution of productivity problems associated with employees impaired by personal concerns, including, but not limited to: health, marital, family, financial, alcohol, drug, legal, emotional, stress, or other personal concerns that may adversely affect employee job performance.” The primary purpose of the EAP in the fire service is to counsel and rehabilitate troubled fire fighters. Fire fighters can benefit from EAP assistance when the overwhelming demands of their occupation and the deterioration of job performance force them to responsibly seek treatment and face their problems. Retired fire fighters can also benefit from the use of EAP counseling and other EAP services. For more information on EAP programs, contact the IAFF.
Poll Question 8:
Do you know if you have the risk factors for heart disease?
23% -- No
78% -- Yes
Heart disease is the number-one killer of fire fighters and the second-leading cause of death in America. A healthy lifestyle and heart health go hand-in-hand. You can lower your risk of heart disease by eating right and maintaining a healthy weight.
There are several risk factors for heart disease; some are controllable, others are not. Uncontrollable risk factors include:
- Male sex
- Older age
- Family history of heart disease
- Post-menopause
- Race (African-Americans, American Indians, and Mexican Americans are more likely to have heart disease than Caucasians)
Many risk factors that can be controlled. By making changes to your lifestyle, you can actually reduce your risk for heart disease. Controllable risk factors include:
- High LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, and low HDL, or "good" cholesterol
- Smoking
- Uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Physical inactivity
- Obesity (more than 20 percent above your ideal body weight)
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- High C-reactive protein
- Uncontrolled stress and anger
Making changes to lifestyle is a proven method for reducing your risk of developing heart disease. While there are no guarantees that a heart-healthy lifestyle will keep heart disease away, these changes will certainly improve your health in other ways, such as improving your physical and emotional well-being. Also, because some risk factors are related to others, making changes in one area can benefit other areas.
Below are some ways to reduce your risk of heart disease.
- Quit smoking. Smokers have more than twice the risk for heart attack as nonsmokers and are much more likely to die if they suffer a heart attack. Smoking is also the most preventable risk factor. If you smoke, quit. Better yet, never start smoking at all.
- Improve cholesterol levels. The risk for heart disease increases as your total amount of cholesterol increases. A total cholesterol level of more than 200, a HDL or "good" cholesterol level under 40, or a LDL or "bad" cholesterol level of more than 160 indicates an increased risk for heart disease. Of course, interpretation of cholesterol values must be individualized, taking into account all of your risk factors for heart disease. A diet low in cholesterol and saturated fat will lower cholesterol levels and reduce your risk for heart disease.
- Control high blood pressure. About 60 million people in the U.S. have hypertension, or high blood pressure, making it the most common heart disease risk factor. Nearly one in three adults has systolic blood pressure (the upper number) over 140, and/or diastolic blood pressure (the lower number) over 90, which is the definition of hypertension. Like cholesterol, blood pressure interpretation should be individualized, taking into account your entire risk profile. If treatment is warranted, today's blood pressure medications are effective, safe and easy to take.
- Get active. Many of us lead sedentary lives, exercising infrequently or not at all. Those who don't exercise have higher rates of death and heart disease compared to people who perform even mild to moderate amounts of physical activity. Even leisure-time activities such as gardening or walking can lower your risk of heart disease.
- Achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Excess weight puts significant strain on your heart and worsens several other heart disease risk factors, such as diabetes. Research shows that obesity itself increases heart disease risk. By eating right and exercising, you can lose weight and reduce your risk of heart disease.
- Manage stress. Poorly controlled stress and anger can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Use stress and anger management techniques to lower your risk.
- Control diabetes. If not properly controlled, diabetes can lead to significant heart damage, including heart attacks and death.
Send your ideas for poll questions you would like to see on Fit to Survive to fittosurvive@iaff.org.
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