Articles | Page 7

How Do I Clean My Protective Coat and Trouser?

Protective gear is a critical line of defense for a firefighter’s safety and health. Keeping this gear clean is a necessity both to ensure proper performance and to protect firefighters from exposure to dangerous carcinogens. Yet many firefighters are unsure of the proper way to clean their turnout gear. As…

NVFC Awarded Grant to Address First Responder Health and Safety

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) a $786,580 Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) grant to conduct a series of health and safety initiatives over the next year. The grant will help the NVFC build on existing health and safety programs as well…

Firefighter beats cancer twice with big-time help from brotherhood

Three months ago, a disturbing video showed a Fresno (Calif.) fire captain falling through a roof while battling a house fire. Capt. Pete Dern, a 25-year fire service veteran, suffered second- and third-degree burns to about 65 percent of his body. The video went viral and, almost immediately, support came…

Mental Health Crisis: Have You Preplanned?

As firefighters, we recognize that preplanning a building is a necessity. We learn how it is laid out, what the pitfalls are, how to best attack the fire based on the building, and how to have a successful outcome. I know from experience that it’s not the premiere training like…

Just Washing Your Gear Is Not The Answer

By Robert Fling The topic of cancer and how it relates to the fire service is one that has been front page news for quite some time. It is no secret that we as firefighters are at a much higher risk to contract a host of cancers. Much time has…

Bringing Behavioral Health Out into the Open

By Janet Wilmoth, Wilmoth & Associates Can you pick out a person who has heart disease? No. For some people, the first sign of heart disease is a heart attack. Can you pick out a person with diabetes? Not unless they tell you. What about someone with mental illness? The…

Firefighter Fitness: 3 Scientific Findings

After 20-plus years in sports medicine, strength and conditioning, and tactical fitness there are not many times I walk away from a conference with a treasure trove of new and updated science. It's not often that I get to sit with those doing the research and pick their brains plus…

Do Something About It!

When we talk about firefighter wellness, there always seems to be the debate as to what constitutes health? I sometimes struggle with Safety and Health Week, as I do with Fire Prevention Week, as to how we become more sensitive to the issue by proclaiming a week in its honor…

4 Steps to Help a Mentally Distressed Firefighter

We work day after day with our fellow firefighters and know them better than anyone else. And we all know firefighters who may be struggling with personal issues. With 20 to 30 percent of firefighters battling addiction, PTSD, depression or other mental health issues, it's time we all look at…

Cancer & the Fire Service

Cancer. This simple six-letter word strikes fear into everyone who has been diagnosed with the dreaded disease, but too many members of the fire service are like the proverbial ostrich with their head buried in the sand: They act as though by ignoring the issue, they can make it go…