Health and Wellness for Fire
In the fire service, the focus can often be on the task at hand instead of the health of the one performing the task. The simple truth of it is that you’re not at your best if you’re not feeling 100%. That, combined with the traumatic situations encountered, reinforces the need for greater attention to health and wellness for fire. Courses like Firefighter PTSD (NFPA 1500), Mental Health and Wellness for Firefighters, and Firefighter Rehab: Protocols for Rehab, Firefighter Cancer: Prevention and Health are an excellent place to start.
| Course Name | Course Description | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Firefighter Cancer: Prevention and Health | Firefighters have a nine percent higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer than the general U.S. population. Many firefighters face hazards that are easily visible such as structural collapse, hazardous materials, and high heat environments, but it is the unseen hazards that are most dangerous to firefighters today. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) concluded after recent studies that firefighters are experiencing a 9 percent increase in cancer diagnoses and a 14 percent increase in cancer-related deaths. Those as young as their 30s are developing these terminal illnesses. In this course, sponsored by Globe, we will explore the common cancer-causing agents firefighters will face on the job as well as the importance of wearing proper PPE and using decontamination techniques to increase firefighter health and quality of life. | 1h |
| Firefighter Fitness | Firefighting is a physical occupation. It’s vital that firefighters maintain their physical fitness. City of Madison firefighter Aaron Zamzow provides several short video courses in this training block about the essential components of firefighter workouts, including having a plan, working your core, and incorporating cardiovascular and full-body strength training, and exercises that increase flexibility and mobility. The learner will also learn about the importance of staying hydrated, both in the gym and on the fireground. | 1h |
| Firefighter Fitness | Firefighting is a physical occupation. It’s vital that firefighters maintain their physical fitness. City of Madison firefighter Aaron Zamzow provides several short video courses in this training block about the essential components of firefighter workouts, including having a plan, working your core, and incorporating cardiovascular and full-body strength training, and exercises that increase flexibility and mobility. The learner will also learn about the importance of staying hydrated, both in the gym and on the fireground. | 1h |
| Firefighter Fitness: 7 Exercises Firefighters Can do Anywhere | In this single video course with City of Madison firefighter Aaron Zamzow, you will learn a way to make a total body fitness system using a couple of bed sheets and/or webbing. You can create this system similar to a TRX by tying the two bed sheets together and laying them over an inward-swinging door or using an engine or ladder as an anchor. This bodyweight system can give you a great full-body workout form any room in your home or firehouse. | 15m |
| Firefighter Fitness: Selecting Firefighter Functional Fitness Equipment for Your Station Gym | In this single video course with City of Madison firefighter Aaron Zamzow, learn about the essential pieces of equipment firehouses should have to help promote functional movements for fire rescue athletes. | 15m |
| Firefighter Fitness: The Burpee | In this single video course with City of Madison firefighter Aaron Zamzow, learn about one of the essential components of firefighter workouts: the burpee. This video course will focus on the versatility of the burpee and how it can easily be added into an exercise routine. | 15m |
| Firefighter Fitness: The Carry | In this single video course with City of Madison firefighter Aaron Zamzow, learn about one of the essential components of firefighter workouts: the carry. This video course will focus on the importance of incorporating the carry into your fitness routine. | 15m |
| Firefighter PTSD (NFPA 1500) | The mental and physical stressors associated with the ever-increasing number of emergency responses are taking their toll on the health and well-being of America’s firefighters. A combination of acute and cumulative occupational stressors, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), has contributed to a silent subculture of depression, isolation, mental fatigue, and apathy, often resulting in senseless premature deaths by suicide. Health and wellness initiatives for firefighters have been developed through nationally recognized fire service organizations, but too few of these programs have been implemented at the local level. In this course, we will cover PTSD basics, discuss the symptoms and contributing risk factors, as well as ways to address and combat this problem in the fire community. | 1h |
| Fire Rehab: Protocols for Rehab | EMS Coordinator Mike McEvoy discusses the importance of establishing specific protocols for firefighter Rehab and who should do it, and typical parameters that should be set to determine when a firefighter can return to the fireground. | 10m |
| Hydration | In this single video course with City of Madison firefighter Aaron Zamzow, learn the importance of staying hydrated and staying alive on the fireground. | 10m |
| Mental Health and Wellness for Firefighters | The need for mental health assistance in the fire service has become more apparent in the past few years. With the rise of depression, PTSD, and suicide, firefighters today need support for their physical and mental health. In this course, learners will explore the mental health challenges firefighters face, the stigmas surrounding seeking mental health assistance, healthy strategies for handling stress, and the many mental health resources available to firefighters today. | 1h |
| Stop Exercising, Start Training | In this single video with City of Madison firefighter Aaron Zamzow, learn about developing a training program for improved performance instead of just exercising. | 10m |
| Workout Part 1: Have a Plan | In this single video with City of Madison firefighter Aaron Zamzow, learn about one of the essential components to firefighter workouts: the importance of having a plan. | 10m |
| Workout Part 2: Work Your Core | In this single video course with City of Madison firefighter Aaron Zamzow, learn about one of the essential components of firefighter workouts: working your core. | 10m |
| Workout Part 3: Cardiovascular Training | In this single video course with City of Madison firefighter Aaron Zamzow, learn about one of the essential components of firefighter workouts: cardiovascular training. | 10m |
| Workout Part 4: Full-Body Strength Training | In this short video with City of Madison firefighter Aaron Zamzow, learn about one of the essential components to firefighter workouts: incorporating full-body exercises. | 5m |
| Workout Part 5: Flexibility and Mobility | In this single video with City of Madison firefighter Aaron Zamzow, learn about one of the essential components to firefighter workouts: increasing flexibility and mobility. | 5m |