Welcome to the NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter E-News. The NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program was designed to help firefighters and EMS personnel become more heart-healthy and lower the incidence of heart attack-related deaths in the fire and emergency services. We hope that you enjoy this newsletter and that it benefits not only you, but others in your department, family, and community.

1. NVFC Awarded Grant for Next Phase of Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program
2. Heart-Healthy Booth Attends the Alaska State Firefighters Association Conference
3. October is Healthy Lung Month
4. Risk Assessment Tool for Estimating Your 10-year Risk of Having a Heart Attack
5. Tips: How to Eat a Variety of Fruits and Vegetables Every Day
6. November 15 is the Great American Smokeout
7. Calendar of Events

NVFC Awarded Grant for Next Phase of Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program

The Department of Homeland Security awarded the NVFC a grant of nearly $1 million to continue the important work of the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program. The grant will be used to implement Phase Five of the Program, which features two new components.

The first new component, a state and local train-the-trainer program, is designed to train fire and emergency services personnel how to create and maintain an effective health and wellness program within their fire department, with a significant focus on heart-health. It will include a curriculum that firefighters can bring back to their departments.

The second new component is the Adopt-the-Program feature that allows firefighters and departments to register with the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program to receive specific tools and information that they can follow to maintain a heart-healthy lifestyle. The tools and resources to be developed as part of this include heart-healthy meal plans, fitness information, and tracking mechanisms to monitor progress.

“We are very excited to be able to add these two important new elements to the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program,” said Maggie Wilson, NVFC’s Director of Health and Safety. “With every phase of the Program, we have been able to provide even more tools and resources to first responders to help keep them healthy and decrease their risk of heart attacks. With Phase Five, we are going to be able to educate emergency personnel on how they can implement the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program within their department.”

In addition to developing and implementing these new features of the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program, this grant will also enable the NVFC to continue providing existing Program elements such as free health screenings and heart-healthy cooking demonstrations, as well as valuable heart-health tools and resources such as The Pulse newsletter, the Heart-Healthy Firefighter E-news; the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Cookbook, and the Resource Guide. Through this grant, the NVFC’s Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program will also continue to offer the highly successful FIRED UP FOR FITNESS Challenge and the www.healthy-firefighter.org web site, the emergency services’ leading resource for information concerning heart-health.

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Heart-Healthy Staff Attends the Alaska State Firefighters Association Conference

The Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program staff attended the Alaska State Firefighters Association (ASFA) Conference in Valdez, AK, on September 26-28. The show was a great success, with approximately 80% of the attendees taking advantage of the free blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose screenings offered by the Program and conducted by L&T Health and Fitness.  

In addition to the screenings, the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program staff distributed important heart-healthy resources, including the Program’s Cookbook and Resource Guide. Visitors to the booth also enjoyed samples of heart-healthy tortilla chips donated by Corazonas Foods. These chips offer an alternative to unhealthy snack options because they contain plant sterols that have been proven to lower cholesterol.

“It was a pleasure to attend the ASFA Conference. The firefighters and emergency personnel in Alaska are truly committed to providing excellent emergency response, and they understand that this includes taking care of themselves so they are better able to help others,” said Maggie Wilson, NVFC’s Director of Health and Safety.

Wilson, along with Ken Viglio of L&T Health and Fitness, led a two-hour workshop to give participants an overview of the NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program and raise awareness about cardiac-related deaths in the fire service. Gail Fast, Vice President of Marketing for L&T Health and Fitness, also conducted a workshop on behalf of the NVFC regarding emerging health and safety issues within the emergency services, many of which directly correlate with the purpose of the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program.

ASFA President, Carol Reed, gets checked for cholesterol.

An attendee enjoys the healthy snack donated by Corazonas Foods.

Responding to emergencies increases your health risks. As a first responder, your lungs may be exposed to chemicals and pollutants that the average American doesn’t come in contact with. Review and follow standard health and safety practices within your department. Also, visit the American Lung Association at www.lungusa.org to learn more about your lung health. In addition to October being Healthy Lung Month, October 24 is designated as Lung Health Day by the American Association for Respiratory Care. More information is available at www.aarc.org/headlines/lung_health_day/.

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Did you know you can estimate your risk of having a heart attack within the next 10 years? An innovative risk assessment tool from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute uses information from the Framingham Heart Study to predict a person’s 10-year risk of heart-attack. The tool is designed for adults aged 20 and older who do not currently have heart disease or diabetes. 

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Tips: How to Eat a Variety of Fruits and Vegetables Every Day

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, substituting fruits and vegetables for high calorie snacks can be part of your weight loss strategy. Fruits and vegetables contain essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber that may help protect you from chronic diseases. Compared with people who consume a diet with only small amounts of fruits and vegetables, those who eat more generous amounts as part of a healthful diet are likely to have reduced risk of chronic diseases, including stroke, other cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers.  Below are some tips on how to include more fruits and vegetables into your daily diet.

Breakfast:

1. Stir low-fat or fat-free granola into a bowl of low-fat or fat-free yogurt. Top with sliced apples or berries.
2. Have fruit as a mid-morning snack.
3. Add strawberries, blueberries, or bananas to your waffles, pancakes, cereal, oatmeal, or toast.
4. Top toasted whole-grain bread with peanut butter and sliced bananas.
5. Add vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, spinach, mushrooms, or tomatoes to your egg or egg white omelet.

Lunch/Dinner

1. Ask for more vegetable toppings (like mushrooms, peppers, and onions) and less cheese on your pizza.
2. Canned, dried, and frozen fruits and vegetables are also good options. Look for fruit without added sugar or syrups and vegetables without added salt, butter, or cream sauces.
3. Add some cooked dry beans to your salad. Or, if you have a sweet tooth, add chopped apples, pears, or raisins.
4. Add lettuce, tomato, onion, and cucumber to sandwiches.
5. Choose beans, corn on the cob, or a side salad with low-calorie salad dressing instead of French fries.

Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control

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Every November, smokers across the country take the first step toward quitting smoking by participating in the Great American Smokeout. Do your part and commit to smoke less or to not smoke at all on November 15. Visit the American Cancer Society to learn more about quitting. Stay tuned to the next edition of the Heart-Health E-News for more information on smoking cessation. 

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Visit the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program booth at these upcoming events:

Fire Department Instructors Conference
Indianapolis, IN
April 7-12, 2008

Fire Expo
Harrisburg, PA
May, 2008

Firehouse Expo
Baltimore, MD
July 22-27, 2008

Fire-Rescue International
Denver, CO
August 14-16, 2008

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