NVFC Heart-Healthy Program Featured on D.C's Fox 5 News Midday

Thursday, 15 November 2007
Allison Seymour interviews Chef Kevin Harris and Erron Kinney (l-r) about the NVFC's Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program on DC's Fox 5 News Midday.

The National Volunteer Fire Council’s (NVFC) Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program was featured on Washington, DC’s Fox 5 News Midday on November 12. Program spokesperson Erron Kinney and Chef Kevin Harris prepared two recipes and promoted firefighter health as part of the show’s “What’s Cooking” segment.

Kinney, a firefighter and former NFL player, and Harris, chef and owner of Food for Love, joined Fox 5 News Midday co-anchor Allison Seymour to demonstrate how to cook Georgia Pork and Peanut Chili and Chili Roasted Sweet Potato Salad. Both recipes, created by Harris, are featured in the newly released second edition of the NVFC’s Heart-Healthy Firefighter Cookbook. The recipes show that eating right can (and should) taste, smell, and look great, too. Harris also offered the following heart-healthy cooking tips:

  • extra virgin olive oil decreases bad (and increases good) cholesterol
  • chilies increase metabolism as well as reduce cholesterol and the risk of blood clots
  • peanuts are a source of energy and anti-oxidants
  • sweet potatoes prevent infection and reduce the risk of age-related diseases

Kinney shared information regarding the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program. About half of all line-of-duty firefighter deaths each year are due to heart attacks, making heart disease the leading cause of firefighter fatalities. The NVFC launched the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program in 2003 to reverse this alarming trend. The Program remains the nation’s only heart attack prevention and awareness campaign targeted at all firefighters, both volunteer and career.

To learn more about the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program and order the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Cookbook, visit the Heart-Healthy Firefighter web site. To view the What's Cooking segment, visit the Fox 5 web site.

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