Tools for Departments
Everyone agrees: Getting and staying healthy is a great idea. It is especially important for firefighters and EMS providers, whose intense jobs put their bodies under tremendous stress. But there's a gap between knowing that health is important and actually getting these first responders to change their attitudes and behaviors. The following tools can help you bridge that gap and get your department started on a healthier, stronger life. These tools are simple, periodically updated, and can start making a difference today.
- Cooking at the fire station doesn’t have to mean sacrificing good nutrition. Use the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Cookbook to find easy, delicious recipes that the whole station can enjoy.
- Get fit as a team by encouraging the department to take the Fired Up For Fitness Challenge.
- Teach your department members how to assess their risk of heart disease, how to reduce that risk, and how to get the help they need.
- Share inspirational stories of how others have succeeded in their heart-health goals.
- Give the food pyramid a permanent place in your department
- Review all the facts about on-the-job health risks.
- Establish a Fire Corps program in your department (or utilize your existing Fire Corps program) and task these non-emergency volunteers with establishing and implementing a fitness and health program for the department.