In this issue:
- 2nd Annual National Firefighter Health Week is August 18-22
- NVFC Launches Health and Fitness Advocate Program
- Get Screened At the NVFC Booth During Fire Rescue International
- NVFC and EKHO Heart Rate Monitors Partner for Firefighter Wellness
- Heart-Healthy Tips: 13 Ways to Cool Down Your Summer Workout
- Recipe: Balsamic Chicken Simmer
- Calendar of Events
2nd Annual National Firefighter Health Week is August 18-22
Every day, you protect others. You handle situations and emergencies where you have to give your all. You face enough risks without adding heart disease and related health concerns to the list. It’s time to protect yourself so that you can protect those who depend on you: your family, your department, and your community.
August 18-22 is your opportunity to begin or re-energize a healthy lifestyle. The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), through its groundbreaking Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program, launched National Firefighter Health Week in August 2007 to create awareness about the health challenges that face you as a first responder. Now in its second year, National Firefighter Health Week is a week-long initiative to educate the fire and emergency services community and the public about heart-health as well as a variety of other health and wellness issues.
Each year, more firefighters die in the line of duty from heart attacks than any other cause. Many more are diagnosed with life-changing or life-threatening conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, lung cancer, or depression. Only you can prevent yourself from becoming a statistic.
Each day during National Firefighter Health Week is dedicated to a different health issue of particular concern to the fire and emergency services. The National Firefighter Health Week Resource Center features resources, daily activity suggestions, and other tools for each of the focus topics. The topics for the 2008 National Firefighter Health Week are:
- Monday, August 18: Behavioral Health
- Tuesday, August 19: Nutrition
- Wednesday, August 20: Heart-Health
- Thursday, August 21: Respiratory/Lung Health
- Friday, August 22: Diabetes
In addition, the Summer 2008 issue of The Pulse newsletter features a spotlight on each of the 5 focus areas, including recipes, fitness tips, daily activity ideas, and additional resources. The Pulse also features a pull-out motivational poster to display at the station to motivate your entire department to be healthy every day of the year. Find resources and information to help you adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle at www.healthy-firefighter.org.
NVFC Launches Health and Fitness Advocate Program
The NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program, in partnership with L&T Health and Fitness, is launching a new Health and Fitness Advocate initiative. This program is designed to combat the leading cause of line-of-duty firefighter deaths – heart attack – by creating health and fitness advocates within fire/EMS departments.
Fire and EMS personnel who are interested in health and fitness and have the ability to lead and motivate others are sought to take part in the Health and Fitness Advocate workshop on September 20-21. Participation is limited to no more than two individuals from each department and individuals should have the support of department leadership.
The two-day workshops are free of charge and will be held at the NVFC headquarters in Greenbelt, MD, just outside of Washington, DC. The workshops will focus on the basic principles behind developing a sound health and fitness program and train first responders to become advocates within their department. As Health and Fitness Advocates, they will encourage and motivate their fellow fire and emergency personnel to adopt heart-healthy behaviors.
To register, submit the registration form, available at www.healthy-firefighter.org. Space is limited, so register today!
Get Screened At the NVFC Booth During Fire-Rescue International
Following another successful show at Firehouse Expo in July, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is bringing its interactive exhibit to Fire Rescue International in Denver, CO, from August 15-16. Stop by the NVFC booth (#369) to receive your free health screenings and sample heart-healthy cooking, as well as learn more about the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program and other key NVFC initiatives.
The NVFC booth includes important components of the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program, the nation’s only heart attack awareness and prevention campaign targeted at all firefighters and emergency medical personnel, both volunteer and career. The NVFC has teamed up with L&T Health and Fitness, an award-winning fitness management and health promotion company, to offer free health screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol, and body composition. In just minutes, firefighters, EMS personnel, and their family members can find out if their numbers put them at risk for heart disease. Since the Program launched in 2003, over 14,000 people have been screened.
Chef Joe Bonanno Jr. will also be on hand to provide cooking demonstrations and samples of tasty, heart-healthy meals. Well-known as the Firehouse Chef, Bonanno is the author of The Healthy Firehouse Cookbook and The Firehouse Grilling Cookbook. He is a 21-year veteran of the New York City Fire Department and is a certified fitness trainer and nutritionist. Learn more about Chef Bonanno at www.chefbonanno.com.
In addition to the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program, stop by the NVFC booth to learn how to increase your department’s capacity through Fire Corps, find valuable resources for your department, and learn more about the National Junior Firefighter Program. This interactive booth has something for everyone and is a must-see at FRI. Find out more at www.nvfc.org.
NVFC and EKHO Heart Rate Monitors Partner for Firefighter Wellness
Everyday, firefighters push themselves to the limits. Whether responding to an incident, training, or working out, your body and heart experience major stress. To prepare yourself for this intensity, you must monitor your heart-health and strengthen it through targeted workouts. The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) and EKHO Heart Rate Monitors began a partnership in 2007 to alert firefighters to the importance of being heart-healthy.
Heart attack continues to be the leading cause of on-duty firefighter deaths. According to the USFA’s annual report, Firefighter Fatalities in the United States, heart attack caused 47% of all on-duty firefighter deaths in 2006. The NVFC, through its groundbreaking Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program, is working to combat this alarming statistic and reverse this largely preventable trend.
It has been said that “knowledge is power.” Knowing the signs, symptoms, and treatment of heart-related issues, along with being able to listen to what your body is telling you, gives you power over a potentially deadly situation. EKHO Heart Rate Monitors allows you to monitor your heart rate in “real-time,” alerting you immediately should your heart rate fall or rise beyond the set limits. Whether your heart rate is too slow or too fast, you’re instantly alerted by an auditable alarm. EKHO heart rate monitors will help you understand how to strengthen your heart during workouts to ensure you are at optimum heart-health when duty calls.
Visit www.ekho.us to place an order for your EKHO Heart Rate Monitor. Special “Fire Chiefs Packs” are also available for the entire Department. Contact Mike Gullickson at 612-922-3766 ext. 2 or mikegullickson@ekho.us. Please mention the NVFC when ordering. EKHO will donate a percentage of all profits from sales generated from NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program.
Heart-Healthy Tips: 13 Ways to Cool Down Your Summer Workout
By Leanne Beattie, Health Writer
Courtesy of SparkPeople.com
Danger Signs to Watch For
Normally, your body cools off as sweat evaporates from your skin. But when heat and humidity rise, that sweat can't evaporate as quickly. The combination of hot weather, high body temperature and exercise can be dangerous and even deadly.
Heat exhaustion can occur when your body gets too hot, resulting in physical symptoms like weakness, muscle cramps, dehydration, dizziness, confusion, rapid heart rate and headache. Staying hydrated and getting out of the heat can help prevent and treat heat exhaustion. If left untreated, heat illness can worsen, causing symptoms like confusion, unconsciousness, vomiting, troubling breathing, and skin that feels hot and dry (a sign that the body isn't sweating). These are signs of heat stroke, which is deadly and requires immediate medical attention.
But you don't have to give up exercise just because it's hot outside. These 13 tips will help you beat the heat.
1. Get your doctor’s okay. If you are new to fitness or taking any medications, check with your health care professional before exercising in the heat. Newcomers to exercise will be more sensitive to the heat, and some medications can impair your body’s ability to regulate temperature.
2. Wear "wicking" fabrics. While cotton is comfortable, it doesn’t wick away moisture very well. Choose a loose-fitting polyester/cotton blend instead, or synthetic fibers designed especially for wicking during exercise.
3. Protect your skin. Apply sunscreen with SPF 15 (or higher) to prevent sunburn—even on cloudy days. Use an oil-free formula that won’t interfere with your body’s ability to cool itself down and select a sweat-proof variety to prevent sunscreen from irritating your eyes. Clothing with tight weaves, sunglasses, and a lightweight hat with a brim can also help block the sun’s harmful rays.
4. Drink often. Hydrate your body before, during and after your workout by carrying cold water and drinking it often. Switch to a sports drink with electrolytes if you will be exercising for more than an hour.
5. Perfect your timing. Sun, humidity and pollution levels are most intense during the day, so you're at greater risk for dehydration, sunburn and heat exhaustion during this time. To minimize the effects of the weather, work out in the early morning (before 10 a.m.) or late evening (after 7 p.m.).
6. Check air quality. Before you head outside, get current reports online or on your local radio station. Lower your exertion (intensity) level during physical activity on days with extreme heat and high smog. This dangerous weather warrants easy walking, relaxed cycling or light gardening instead of vigorous exercise.
7. Acclimate to the heat. Even the fittest people can have trouble exercising when it's hot and humid. Start by exercising in the heat for only a few minutes each day and gradually increase the amount of time you can tolerate outdoors.
8. Seek shade. Parks, trails and other tree-lined areas can help you stay cooler than direct sunlight.
9. Monitor your heart rate. If your intensity level rises above your target range, slow down or stop to avoid further stress.
10. Listen to your body. If you notice any symptoms of heat illness (see "Danger Signs to Watch For" above), stop your workout. It's not a good idea to "push yourself" in extreme heat. If you feel bad, use common sense and discontinue your workout. 11. Know when to stay inside. If temperatures climb above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, take your exercise in an air-conditioned environment, such as the gym or shopping mall.
12. Avoid extreme temperate changes. Don’t go from blistering outdoor heat to a shockingly cold air-conditioned building. Try to cool yourself down gradually before exposing your body to cooler temperatures.
13. Take a dip. Water exercise is a great alternative in hot weather. Water keeps your body cool and reduces how difficult you perceive your workout to be. Be sure to drink plenty of water even while swimming to ensure that you are properly hydrated.
Hot weather isn't the time to take risks. Even healthy people should take it easy in extremely high temperatures and everyone should understand how to exercise safely and effectively at the height of the season. Summer brings many fun and exhilarating opportunities to get outside, so enjoy yourself!
SparkPeople.com is a free weight loss and fitness website that helps people transition from dieting to living a healthy lifestyle. This article has been reprinted with the permission of SparkPeople, Inc.
Recipe: Balsamic Chicken Simmer
Courtesy of Joe T. Bonanno Jr.
www.chefbonanno.com
This heart-healthy recipe will be featured during Chef Joe Bonnano’s cooking demonstrations at the NVFC booth (#369) at Fire Rescue International.
INGREDIENTS:
2 3/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
DIRECTIONS:
1. Spray a large non stick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium high heat.
2. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Cook for about 6 minutes, turning frequently, until the chicken is browned on all sides.
3. Cover; reduce heat to medium and cook for about 10 minutes until the juices run clear when pierced with a knife.
4. Add the shallots and cook for about 1 minute until they soften. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and cook for about 30 seconds, turning the chicken to coat thoroughly.
5. Serve immediately.
Serves 6
Calendar of Events
Visit the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program at the NVFC booth at these upcoming events:
Fire-Rescue International
Denver, CO
August 14-16, 2008
National Firefighter Health Week
August 18-22, 2008
National Cholesterol Education Month
September
Health and Fitness Advocate Workshop
September 20-21, 2008
World Heart Day
September 28, 2008
American Diabetes Month
November
November 20, 2008
If you have received this update from a friend and would like to be added to our e-mail list click here.
To be removed from the NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter E-News list click here.
*The content of this E-news is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for advice from your physician. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues; only your healthcare provider should diagnose a medical condition and prescribe treatment. You may also wish to consult with your health care professional or nutritionist before starting a new diet or fitness regimen.
