In March, the New England Journal of Medicine published a study that examined the duty specific risk of death from coronary heart disease among on-duty firefighters in the United States. The study looked at data from 1994 to 2004, as well as estimates of time spent at fires and other emergencies from 17 metropolitan fire departments. A similar study released in May by the Center for Disease Control concluded that firefighting duties were associated with a risk of death from coronary heart disease that was 10 to 100 times greater than the risk from the non-emergency duties of the general public.
The study published in the NEJM looked at the significant impact that firefighting has on the physiological stress to a firefighter’s cardiovascular system, including elevated core body temperatures and other vital signs.
Over the past 10 years, the fire service has made significant progress on the need for firefighter health and safety. These steps include wellness and fitness Programs, a rehab sector at major incidents, and the evolving design of PPE and SCBA.
With the obvious significance of these studies on the relationship of firefighting with coronary heart disease, what do you think will be the impact on firefighting and firefighters in the next five years? Do you feel there is also a relationship between this higher incidence of CHD among even the fittest firefighters and reduced staffing levels that could cause even more physical stress especially on the first arriving crews?
June 1st, 2007 @ 1:14 pm
I believe that the fire service will continue to see increasing incidence of cardiac-related illness in the next five years. Several causes contribute to the condition. Nutritional misinformation, apathy or ignorance leaves the firefighter’s body unable to properly heal itself from environmental and job-related stress. The cumulative damage is slow in manifesting and is ignored or unrecognized by the individual until a precipitating event triggers sudden failure.
All emergency response agencies are experiencing increased call volumes with flat or reduced funding/reimbursement problems. This means doing more with less, just as the corporate world has experienced in the last 7 years. Does this cause additional stress and chance for injury or job-related illness? Yes, first-in crews are not only under-staffed, but over-stressed by the volume of daily responses to fire, hazard and EMS calls. Is there an answer? I do not see one in the near future. My only suggestion is accurate nutritional/health/wellness training: proper exercise and appropriate stress-reduction techniques. Adequate funding and staffing will only affect the problem minimally. The health issue is the most important
June 1st, 2007 @ 2:07 pm
What I would like to know is, what is the condition of the firefighters going down?
If you look around your department I expect you’ll see some firefighters who are doing the right things and are very fit, while others are doing all the wrong things and are badly out of shape.
Does it make a difference? Does being fit reduce the chances of CHD? If so, by how much?
I have never come across any data like this, but it seems to me that if it can be shown how being fit affects your chances of survival, this could be a powerful motivating tool.
June 1st, 2007 @ 5:38 pm
Coincidence or what? Today we received a package of material from the National Volunteer Firefighters Council; included in the package was three posters and a CD with information on health/nutrition/fitness.
The CD is a brochure that has answers to a lot of questions that may arise when this is all discussed at a fire meeting. Also, on the last page there is a list of sources that can be accessed with great information for those who are concerned. The Web site is http://www.cholesterolalarm.com/
If your department didn’t get the package you may want to request one.
June 4th, 2007 @ 1:41 pm
As long as you see firefighters with pot bellies, heart attacks are sure to follow in the majority of cases. We need more physicals as per regulations, not just when we are recruits. Physicals should be required yearly. It is hard to have stress on our minds and a fat belly, too. Fitness should be part of our daily routine.
June 27th, 2007 @ 10:33 am
Thanks for the information.