Put It Out Today for a Healthier Tomorrow

New Web Site Offers Tools for Individuals, Departments, State Associations

Cigarette smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, accounting for approximately one out of every five deaths (440,000 people) each year. More deaths are caused by tobacco use than by HIV, illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries, suicides, and murder combined. First responders already face increased risks to their health, and yet many further increase their risk of disease and death by smoking or even breathing in second-hand smoke from fellow firefighters. Many firefighters may want to quit but simply don’t know where to start.

To answer this need, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), with support from Pfizer, has launched a new web site to help first responders quit smoking and stay quit. The Put It Out campaign web site is now available at www.healthy-firefighter.org/putitout. The site provides tools and resources for firefighters and emergency personnel who are ready to take the steps to stop smoking and lead a healthier, smoke-free lifestyle.

The Put It Out site contains sections to assist individuals in quitting smoking, family members in supporting first responders who are quitting, departments in establishing a no-smoking policy and smoking cessation program, and state associations in encouraging their members to adopt a smoke-free lifestyle. Tools and resources include a ‘quit calendar,’ steps for how to quit, statistics and facts about smoking, sample documents such as press releases and no-smoking policies, outreach letters, motivational tools, and more.

Make yourself, your department, and your state’s fire service healthier by taking the first step toward a smoke-free lifestyle. Visit www.healthy-firefighter.org/putitout today and find out what you can do to stop smoking or help your fellow first responders Put It Out.