Sacramento, CA — 10/24/12 — Firefighting is one of the nation’s most dangerous occupations. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reported in its Third Assessment of the U.S. Fire Service that 70 percent of fire departments lack programs to maintain basic firefighter fitness and health — compared to 80 percent in 2001 and 76 percent in 2005.
In an effort to help keep firefighters safe Strength & Conditioning Coach John Hofman authored Beyond the Turnouts: A Comprehensive Guide to Firefighter Health & Wellness — where he combined the latest research and his years of experience developing firefighter health and wellness programs within the fire service.
Most fire departments understand the need for a health and wellness program, yet many do not know how to start. Questions such as “Where do you begin?“ “How do you justify it?“ “What type of research is available?” can be a daunting ask. In fact 7 out of 10 fire departments in the U.S. have no program to maintain basic firefighter fitness, and those that do may fail after 1 year of starting. Knowing the answers to these questions first will ensure your health & wellness program is successful.
So it is of no surprise that a physical fitness program affords numerous benefits — lower cholesterol and blood pressure; greater strength and stamina; weight reduction and maintenance; decreased risk of death, injury or disease; heightened job performance; reduced stress, tension and depression and enhanced capacity to recover from strenuous or exhaustive work.
Beyond the Turnouts is a comprehensive manual designed to cover all the risks associated with fire suppression. It was created to help small — mid-size fire departments looking for information on establishing a health and wellness program. Everything from low back pain to nutrition to how to create a comprehensive health and wellness program is covered within this manual.
About Coach John Hofman
Coach Hofman is one of leading experts in the field of Firefighter Health and Wellness. As the strength and conditioning coach for the Sacramento Fire Department, John oversees the Wellness Centre, coordinates the department’s medical and fitness assessments, develops recruit fitness training, pre-employment medical and fitness evaluations and assists the department’s 20-certified Peer Fitness Trainers. In addition to John also works as the strength and conditioning coach for the California Regional Fire Academy, Sierra Fire Technology Program, Rocklin Fire Department, and South Placer Fire District. He also consults with the Fire Authority Self Insurance System of California. Coach Hofman is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, USA Weightlifting – Sports Performance Coach, USA Track and Field – Level 1 Coach, Functional Movement Screen, and ACE Peer Fitness Trainer. John is a sought after speaker on a variety of Firefighter Health and Wellness topics such as Fire Ground Rehabilitation, Low Back Injuries, and Developing a Health and Wellness Program.
For more information about Beyond the Turnouts: A comprehensive guide to firefighter health & wellness, please visit www.Amazon.com or contact CreateSpace.com. Available in both Kindle Version and Hard Copy.
