National Firefighter Health Week is August 16-20

Tuesday, 03 August 2010

Only You Can Keep It Strong: Are You Up for the Challenge?

Firefighters run into situations when everyone else is running out. When you meet an obstacle, you face it head-on and make sure the job gets done right. When it comes to your health and wellness, you’re the only one who can keep yourself strong so that you can be there for those who depend on you: your family, your department, and your community. Are you up for the challenge?

The National Volunteer Fire Council’s (NVFC) 2010 National Firefighter Health Week is August 16-20. Launched in 2007, National Firefighter Health Week is held each August to create awareness around important health issues in the emergency services and encourage first responders to take action. Each day of National Firefighter Health Week is dedicated to a different health issue of particular concern to emergency service personnel. This year’s daily focus topics are:

  • Monday, August 16: Head Strong - (Behavioral Health)
  • Tuesday, August 17: Respond Strong (Put It On) - (Personal Protective Equipment)
  • Wednesday, August 18: Strong at Heart - (Heart-Health)
  • Thursday, August 19: Stand Strong Against Cancer - (Cancer)
  • Friday, August 20: Strength for Life - (Nutrition & Physical Fitness)
The Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program has released many resources to help you and your department participate in National Firefighter Health Week. These include:
  • The National Firefighter Health Week Resource Center on the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program web site features resources, daily activity suggestions, and other tools for each of the focus topics.
  • Watch your mailbox for a national fire department mailing of The Pulse printed newsletter, which contains more tips and ideas to use at your station as well as a pull-out poster you can hang in your department. Or get it now: click here to view an electronic copy of The Pulse.
  • Get the most out of National Firefighter Health Week by encouraging your whole department to visit the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program web site and learn more about health topics relevant to the fire and emergency services.
  • Make sure and take the Heart-Healthy Firefighter August Challenge. Use this week to give your health and wellness initiative a boost and your whole department will benefit.

Don’t have an established department health and wellness program? Make this the week that you start one, using the resources at www.healthy-firefighter.org/atp to help you get your program off the ground and secure funding. When you adopt the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program, you’ll get your own department page and your personnel can participate in the Fired Up For Fitness Challenge, post success stories and photos, access advice and guidance, find tools to make healthy living even easier, and connect with first responders from around the country.

Find more resources, activity ideas, and information to help you adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle during National Firefighter Health Week at www.healthy-firefighter.org/healthweek. Be head strong. Respond strong. Stay strong at heart. Stand strong against cancer. Have strength for life. And remember – Keep It Strong all year long.

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