Whether you’re a firefighter, police officer, or paramedic, life as a first responder can be stressful and challenging. As a result of dangerous or hectic duties and long hours, many first responders are left with little time to care for themselves.
Does this sound familiar? If so, it’s important to start focusing on yourself a little more.
Tips for staying healthy and fit
It’s an admirable thing, to focus on the needs of others and care for strangers in challenging situations. However, there comes a point in time when you also need to think about yourself.
Try implementing any or all of the tips below into your daily routine to experience better overall health and improved fitness.
Get enough sleep. First responders often suffer from any number of sleep problems because of drastic irregularities in their schedules. If you believe you suffer from a sleeping disorder or condition, it’s critical that you see a doctor and get the situation under control. While it may be difficult, you should shoot for seven to eight hours of sleep per night. This allows your body to recover and keeps you mentally prepared.
Drink plenty of water. Your body thrives on hydration and needs adequate water intake to function properly. According to the Mayo Clinic, that means roughly 13 cups per day for men, and 9 cups a day for women. If you’re coming in under these marks, you’re probably not as energized or healthy as you could be.
Maintain a balanced diet.A healthy, balanced diet is key to staying healthy and in shape. For optimal results, eliminate as many processed foods as possible and focus on fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. You also want some lean protein in your diet, but too much can be a problem. Your muscles crave carbohydrates, and the more you can take in, the better prepared you’ll be for physically demanding situations.
Stop smoking. If you’re a smoker, you have to quit. Period. You understand the risks associated with smoking, and your cardiovascular health can’t handle this horrible habit. Smoking is one of the worst things you can subject your body to, and you won’t be able to perform well unless you curb this addiction.
Decrease alcohol intake.While you don’t necessarily have to give up alcohol altogether, you probably should decrease your intake. Avoid drinking alcohol right before bedtime, because this can disrupt your sleep cycles. If you enjoy alcoholic beverages, try to limit yourself to drinking only on off days … and doing so in moderation.
Exercise on a regular basis.While you probably get plenty of hands-on action on the job, you also need to set aside regular time each day for a targeted fitness regimen. Focus on both strength and cardio training with high-intensity workouts. Plan major workouts for your off days while making sure to include short fitness routines in your work schedule.
Discover ways to relieve stress.There’s no way around it: being a first responder is stressful. There will be days when it seems like it’s too much to handle. And while there’s no way to eliminate stress completely, you should work actively to reduce its effects on your life. Investigate constructive and safe ways to release stress, and learn to separate your duties from your personal life when possible.
Regular health screenings. Finally, it’s important to get regular health screenings a couple of times per year to ensure your body is functioning properly. High blood pressure is known as “the silent killer” and should be monitored on a regular basis.
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Jeff Bryan is a firefighter who doesn’t let adversity keep him down. Jeff returned to full time work in March 2015, just slightly less than a year after his right leg was amputated below the knee. Jeff severely injured that leg in a 1991 skiing accident in Colorado. He “limped by” in pain until doctors determined the leg had to be removed. Jeff, who is a firefighter and EMT Intermediate with the Ute Mountain Fire Department in southwest Colorado, refused to let the amputation keep him down. He was released from the hospital on his 50th birthday. He says there were two ways to go: give up and feel sorry for himself or push forward and beat it – he chose to move beyond and conquer it.
As soon as he was able, he started bicycling, ice climbing, paddle boarding, swimming and yoga. As far as anyone can determine, Jeff is the only firefighter in Colorado to return to full-time active duty after a leg amputation. Jeff does not want to be known as the firefighter who lost a leg, but the guy who works hard to stay in shape and be the best EMT/firefighter he can.
What’s his philosophy and how does he train? He spells it out here in his own words:
In 1991, I suffered a commuted fracture of my tibia while skiing in Breckenridge, CO. It was during this injury that I first trained to get my life back.
In 2011 I had an ankle replacement. I once again undertook the task of regaining my fitness; however, I never regained my top physical condition. For the next 3 years I worked in unbearable pain. I basically, worked, slept and trained in the gym. I developed high blood pressure. I was getting sick.
On March 20, 2013 I worked a 72. On the 23rd I clocked out and headed to Vail to meet my doctors. Four days later, I was told my best option was amputation. I spent the next three days lying in bed. During this time I made the decision that failure was not an option.
On April 22, 2014 I had a below the knee amputation. I went for an Ertl amputation since I qualified. The Ertl procedure is designed to build muscle and preserve bone that will support prosthetic devices for those who plan to be active. The surgery went well and I was released from the hospital 4/26, my 50th Birthday.
Now 30 pounds overweight, I had a huge undertaking. I needed to lose the 30 pounds and fulfill my goal of returning to active duty. 50 years old, overweight and now an amputee!
I started out just the way I did in 1991. At four weeks I started riding the bike with one leg. At six weeks I received my first prosthetic and was on my way to PT. I followed my instructions to a tee. I continued to bike and work on balance. At this time I also started yoga.
At my age I did not need to increase my calorie intake above 2000 calories a day. I eat a balanced diet, consisting of plenty of fruits and vegetables, chicken and grass fed beef, which I purchase by the half cow. Once a week I splurged and enjoy a bowl of Ice cream. I drink water, 10-12 glasses a day. I never drink soda.
Within a week of getting my first prosthetic I went out on my stand up paddle board. I spent a lot of time swimming, paddling, spinning and lifting. I am a firm believer in high reps, low weight.
We all hear the term crossfit. I do not do a crossfit program. I am a firm believer in cross training, consisting of cardio, core, flexibility and strength training. As I progressed, I started to add new activities. In July, I started rock climbing. In August, I started biking outside.
At 50 years old, avoiding injury is key. Yoga or a good stretching routine should be done daily. Cardio should be done a minimum of three days a week. I prefer four or five, but three will work. I do weight training four days a week. All my weight lifting is done either after cardio or after I ride my bike to the gym. I never lift heavy. I keep my reps at a minimum of 12. I usually do sets of 16-24. I lift for endurance, strength and elongated muscle. Heavy lifting will not only decrease flexibility, it will Increase your risk of injury.
The idea is to move fluidly between cardio and strength while resting as little as possible. As I progressed I added more activities. I started to climb ice, backcountry ski, bike hard and stick to my routine. The idea is to mix it up and have fun.
In January I started ice climbing again. I was climbing strong and climbed as much as I could. I started riding single track on my mountain bike in March. I mix it up as much as possible. Your workout should not be a chore, it should be fun. If you’re not having fun, try something different. Start slow and increase your intensity. I add weight very gradually. I make sure I can do a set of 24 before I up my weight. My bike rides started out at five miles. I am now averaging about 25 per ride on my road bike and 10 miles a day on single track. Just remember Cardio, Core, Flexibility and Strength.
As the seasons change, I take advantage of the weather. I cross country ski, climb, bike or paddle. I still do a minimum of four days lifting; once again, never with heavy weight. I am a true believer that flexibility, elongated muscle, core strength and endurance is the key, especially for firefighters and first responders (more on that in coming articles).
And, all this is working. At nine months I was cleared for full duty by my doctor. At 11 months, I had cleared my final physical. In March, I returned to full duty as a line firefighter and my first shift was 3/7/15.
*Note- Jeff completed the first 30 days of his 90 day probation on April 7 without any issues. He is committed to being the best first responder he can, serving the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe of Southwest Colorado.
Few jobs are more stressful on a daily basis than being a firefighter. Not only must you deal with dangerous situations, but you’re also required to stay healthy and fit.
Whether you’re facing hectic hours and demanding duties that leave you tired at the end of the day, or spending long hours doing little but wait for a fire or medical emergency call, it’s essential for you take care of your body so it can keep performing well.
Diet and nutrition
As a firefighter, it’s critical that you pay attention to what you’re putting into your body. Obviously, nutrition directly affects physical performance, and as a first responder it’s vital that you’re always in shape and ready to act.
Here’s some advice for eating right:
Get plenty of carbs. As someone who regularly engages in strenuous physical activity, it’s necessary for you to load up your body with complex carbohydrate-rich foods (such as fruits, veggies, whole-grain products, and cereals). These items fuel your muscles and enable you to enjoy better overall performance.
Cut back on sugars. If you have a sweet tooth, that may turn out to be your greatest weakness. That’s because foods that are high in sugar slow you down and zap your energy, which you need when responding to a demanding situation.
Start with a good breakfast. It’s wise to start off your day with a solid first meal. While breakfast is traditionally regarded as the first meal of the day, this could vary depending on your shift schedule. Whatever you first meal is, make it substantial and give yourself sufficient fuel to cover the duration of your shift.
Exercise and fitness
You might understand the importance of staying physically fit, but you likely lack a ton of spare time to work out. The good news is that it only requires a few minutes each day.
Try high-intensity. There are generally two schools of thought when it comes to workouts. You should either do long, low-intensity workouts, or quick, high-intensity routines. When you’re restricted by time, the latter is extremely valuable. When you commit to high-intensity workout regimens, you realistically need only 20 to 30 minutes. Even for a firefighter with long shifts, that’s reasonable.
Find a partner. There’s always power in numbers, and you can benefit substantially by having a workout partner. Ideally, this should be someone whoworks the same shifts and has the same fitness goals as you do. You can work with this individual to develop a detailed plan and stay accountable.
Master the ten-minute routine. Since you never know what’s coming on any given day, it’s smart to save your energy and be prepared. However, that can result in a lot of wasted time if you aren’t careful. That’s where ten-minute routines come in handy. When you’re hanging around the station, try to perform a quick 10-minute workout every hour. These routines will keep you fit without draining your energy all at one time.
Sleep and relaxation
You mustn’t forget about sleep and relaxation. The only way to prepare yourself properly for your next shift is to take advantage of your down time and refuel.
Find a schedule. If your shifts are sporadic, it can be challenging to establish any continuity — but a schedule is important. If you find yourself lying in bed without falling asleep, get up, do something, and then return to bed after 20 minutes. Agonizing over sleep will make it more difficult to nod off.
Watch your diet. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and excess fluids prior to going to sleep. Having too much in your system will affect your quality of sleep and may cause disruptions through the night.
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The life of a firefighter can be tough: long shifts, being awakened from a deep sleep with a pulse pounding alarm and having to deal with the aftermath of a terrible fire or crash.
This heart-healthy reminder is especially important for firefighters, many who think a heart attack can’t happen to them. Well, think again; working odd shifts, responding to fires and crashes and inhaling smoke takes its toll. Research by Harvard doctor Stefanos Kales found firefighters have one of the most stressful jobs in the United States and cardiovascular disease remains the primary on-duty and lifetime mortality risk. Kales found the risk of death from coronary heart disease significantly increased during the strenuous activity associated with fire suppression and during certain physical training activities. His conclusion: most fire departments lack fitness and health programs, putting firefighters at risk.
Warning Signs:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cites three major risk factors for heart disease:
High blood pressure
High LDL cholesterol
Smoking
These other medical conditions and lifestyle choices also put people at a higher risk:
Diabetes
Obesity and being over-weight
Poor Diet
Physical Inactivity
Excessive alcohol use
Work stress can also take a toll on your heart. Firefighting veteran Linda Willing wrote a great piece for FireRescue1.com identifying nine sources of stress that firefighters need to be aware of:
Upper body pain or discomfort in the arms, back, neck, jaw or upper stomach
Shortness of breath
Nausea, lightheadedness or cold sweats
And women are not immune to heart disease. While the incidence of heart related death rates have steadily declined for men, rates for women have fallen at a slower rate.
Fire departments should provide mandatory preplacement and annual medical exams for all firefighters
Fire departments should implement wellness and fitness programs to reduce risk factors from heart disease
All firefighters should have annual physical performance evaluations
Improved oxygen masks should be provided by fire departments
The National Volunteer Fire Council has created a Webpage dedicated to the healthy firefighter with information on healthy diet and exercise, lifestyle changes and training that can battle the incidence of heart related conditions. Here are some of the heart-healthy tips they recommend:
Don’t smoke, and if you already do, try to quit – smokers are up to six times more likely to suffer a heart attack than non-smokers
Aim for a healthy weight – overweight and obesity cause many preventable deaths
Get moving and commit to regular exercise
Eat for heart-health – a diet that is low in saturated fat, trans-fat, and cholesterol that includes whole grains, vegetables, and fruits
Loving your heart will help restore energy, vitality and could prolong your career and your life. It’s not difficult; just tackle one or two heart-healthy tips at a time.
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As the first people on the scene during accidents, emergencies, and crimes, first responders are susceptible to experiencing strong emotional and physical reactions to stress. From sadness and fear to anxiety and anger, stressful emotions experienced on the clock are easily taken home at the end of your shift. Without an ongoing commitment to living a healthy, stress-reducing lifestyle, debilitating disorders, like chronic depression and PTSD, can emerge. Whether you’re an EMT, firefighter or police officer it’s important to take proactive measures to protect yourself from the destruction stress can cause.
Stress Management Isn’t Just Important – It’s Urgent!
The combination of mental and physical effects of stress can become unbearable, particularly for first responders who need to remain focused and clear-headed at work. Compared to other professionals, first responders are often last to seek help for work-related stress. According to the International Journal of Emergency Mental Health, first responders experience extreme discrimination from peers, including derogatory remarks, labelling, and loss of social status, when attempting to seek help. To effectively manage stress as a first responder, the first step is to learn about the two basic forms of stress you are likely to experience: stress during an incident and stress after an incident
Underestimating the duration of stress and its effects on mental and physical health is one of the biggest mistakes made by emergency personnel. Before you can begin to manage stress, it’s necessary to understand what stress looks like during and after a traumatic event. Emergency medical professionals, firefighters and police officers experience the following:
Stress during an incident. Between denial, sorrow, fear, and numbness, many feelings can overwhelm you during an incident. Increased irritability, inability to concentrate, and irrational thoughts, are psychological signs of stress taking hold. Physically, stress may induce rapid heart rate, nausea, and shortness of breath.
Stress after an incident. After experiencing a traumatic event, many first responders report an inability to sleep well, recurring nightmares, distractibility, and an inability to regulate emotions. Family conflicts, isolation, and chronic mental or physical disorders can occur as a result of unmanaged stress.
Learning to recognize the symptoms and consequences of stress is the first step in stress management. The next step is to learn to reduce stress.
8 Tips to Help First Responders Reduce Stress
Both on and off the job, you have the power of choice. Choose to stay at the top of your game by engaging in these 8 stress-reducing activities:
Take time off when needed. Regardless of their role, first responders are an exceptional group of individuals committed to helping others and preserving safety. This dedication, while admirable, can quickly lead to a feeling of being overworked and highly stressed. After a particularly traumatic incident on the job, take time off to regroup and reinvest in yourself.
Find a hobby. Essential for personal development, hobbies are a safe, healthy, and fun way to shift focus away from stressors and toward relaxation. From gardening or playing cards to painting or joining a club, participating in activities outside the workplace adds balance and serenity to your life.
Exercise regularly. Keep up with the physical demands of your profession while maintaining a healthy weight by exercising regularly. Research indicates that exercise increases the body’s level of endorphins, resulting in improved mood, decreased irritability, and an enhanced ability to concentrate. Choose a fun fitness routine, like boxing or group classes, to remain motivated to exercise.
Eat healthy foods. Expecting an uninterrupted lunch break as a first responder may seem farfetched, but that isn’t an excuse to load up on carbs, fat, sugar, and salt. In addition to negatively affecting your overall health, consuming unhealthy, processed, or fast foods can lead to increased irritability, low energy, and poor concentration. Instead, drink plenty of water and eat balanced meals that include whole grains, lean protein, and vegetables.
Practice meditation or yoga. To battle the effects of stress, engage in meditation or stress-relieving exercises, like yoga. By combining stretches, breathing exercises, and bodily poses, yoga helps relieve anxiety, depression, and stress. Meditation alone is shown to help alleviate feelings of anxiety and depression, as well as reduce pain. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, meditation is a technique used by nearly 10% of adults in the U.S.
Start a journal. Communicating your thoughts and feelings is crucial to overcoming the experience of trauma. Even if you’re not ready to speak with a counselor, keeping a journal about your experiences allows self-expression without threat of discrimination. Simply writing to yourself will not only help get certain events off your mind, but will also enhance your communication skills.
Seek counseling. Individual counseling can work wonders for first responders, even if they have not recently experienced trauma. By actively participating in counseling, emergency professionals receive a source of ongoing emotional support while working to manage stress. Working with a therapist to establish and maintain a healthy lifestyle increases your ability to appropriately cope with stress.
Attend a support group. Participation in social events in a supportive setting is crucial for first responders, as it helps form bonds between those recovering from work-related trauma. Meeting with others who have experienced similar events is both an affirming and reassuring activity. After joining support groups, first responders are able to expand their social networks, focus on healthy relationships, and overcome work-related trauma.
Taking one or more of the above steps will help relieve stress now and in the future. With first responders considered high risk for PTSD and depression, investing in your physical and mental health now is important for ensuring you have an enjoyable future.
The biggest obstacle to getting help is feeling confident when asking for help that the help is confidential. Here is a list of resources. Some are specific to Fire/EMS; some are specific to Law Enforcement. All are resources for confidential help.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – This is a hotline for anyone in crisis or to get help form someone in crisis. You do not need to be suicidal to call this line. They are there to listen and provide resources without judging. Afraid to call? Use the chat function from a computer or mobile device. Either way, you can remain anonymous!
Sites Specific to Fire/EMS:
All Hands Working – Organization dedicated to providing help to firefighters on and off duty.
Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance – Non-profit organization developed to help educate firefighters and EMS about mental health on the job.
Helping Heroes – List of behavioral health resources specific to firefighters from National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.
Badge of Life – Site is specific to law enforcement and suicide prevention.
CopsAlive.com – Information, strategies and tools to help cops plan for happy, healthy and successful careers, relationships and lives.
Tears of a Cop – Site dedicated to stopping officer suicide and providing resources for PTSD.
Asking for help is the hardest thing to do! Sometimes even “heroes” need help. Please reach out if you or someone you know is struggling.
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This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters and nurses. Get a quote at 1.800.800.9410 or www.calcas.com.
