Welcome to the annual heart health edition of Mayday Monday. This year’s theme is apparatus maintenance. Every fire department has two valuable assets: 1) fire trucks, and 2) firefighters.
It seems as though the fire trucks get better treatment than the firefighters. There are so many social media posts showing trucks getting washed and checked out but we don’t see as many shots of firefighters keeping their hearts in shape. We all must understand the firetrucks don’t run unless firefighters are available! So, let’s maintain the members first!
2020 saw 23 firefighters die in the line of duty due to cardiac issues. Bill Carey of FirefighterNation/FireRescue Magazine provides us with the following information about the 2020 cardiac fatalities:
The chart above shows this issue effects all areas of the fire service. Just like taking care of the firetruck, we must take care of Yourself! This month perform some maintenance on the most important apparatus, YOU! Get the crew together and do a fitness session in the bay. Schedule a stress test and get a report on your heart health. Most of all…do something!
In our podcast above, we talk to Todd LeDuc of Life Scan Wellness and the IAFC SHS. Now, get healthy!
Tony Carroll is a battalion chief with the District of Columbia Fire & EMS Department.
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