Fire department health fitness program

Kingman requires all members, not just new members, to take their annual physical ability test and physical assessment test. This makes health and wellness an ongoing commitment for it's members and brings a group-approach to the program which provides a sense of community. Why does your department need a wellness program? If it's simply to appease standards, it's not going to inspire your members to adapt to a healthy lifestyle.

Your fire department will need to develop a culture that supports a comprehensive approach to wellness for your program to to be effective. Wellness will need to be a part of your organization's DNA.

If seeking assistance isn't seen as acceptable in the culture of your organization, your program will not be purposeful. Using a p eer support model similar to the Kingman's peer-to-peer program can help combat years of negative stereotypes and stigmas so that firefighters feel more at-ease asking for help.

A peer support team is made up of fellow-firefighters who make routine visits, visit after traumatic events to offer help, provide education to the team and vet resources for first responders. When this team of rockstars isn't immersed in the process of researching how to reduce the risks your organization faces, we share stories of our pets, kids and favorite pizza toppings—on the daily. The information contained in this blog post is intended for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace expert advice in connection with the topics presented.

Glatfelter specifically disclaims any liability for any act or omission by any person or entity in connection with the preparation, use or implementation of plans, principles, concepts or information contained in this publication.

Glatfelter does not make any representation or warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the results obtained by the use, adherence or implementation of the material contained in this publication.

The implementation of the plans, principles, concepts or materials contained in this publication is not a guarantee that you will achieve a certain desired result. It is strongly recommended that you consult with a professional advisor, architect or other expert prior to the implementation of plans, principles, concepts or materials contained in this publication.

Lack of sleep, missing holidays, increasing negative interactions with the public, administrative problems and struggling relationships are just some of the daily pressures that you may Continue Reading. Glatfelter Program Managers is a specialty provider of premier property, casualty, life, accident and health insurance programs, as well as consulting, education and training.

Learn More. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy Legal Policy. How to implement a wellness program in your fire department By The Glatfelter Team on December 27, Available for Subscriptions.

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PDF Price. Not a Member? Although simple to implement, this process creates powerful information which allows the leadership to know if the program is working and where improvements need to be made. Positive outcomes also help to justify budget decisions such as the training and certification of PFTs or the purchase of new exercise equipment. Implementation of this standard may take several months. Larger departments may wish to create a task force to include management, labor, and any outside consultants who may be involved for this purpose.

Smaller departments may wish to have their existing safety committee take up the work of implementation. In either case, it is best to have ample planning time and not to rush the process. It could also fail to produce positive outcomes, which may result in loss of funding for the next year.

However, if the program is carried out well, the department is likely to notice several positive results, including a reduction in overexertion injuries, reduced lost work days, and improved ability to perform with full turnout gear and SCBA. Gregg Squeglia has been a practicing physical therapist for 16 years, with much of that time dedicated to the management and treatment of worker compensation injuries. He graduated from the University of New England in and has taken advanced training in functional capacity evaluations, physical demands analysis, and implementation of injury prevention programs.

He also serves as a military intelligence officer in the Army National Guard and is an Iraq War veteran. Sign in. Forgot your password? Clarion Events Privacy Policy. Password recovery. Recover your password. Get help. By Gregg Squeglia Firefighting is considered to be among the most physically demanding occupations. The components are 1.