Crossfit has become very popular, and many of the firefighters have asked me what I think about it in terms of safety and effectiveness. So here’s my opinion: Crossfit is a great full-body workout and one that I think could be beneficial for firefighters since it is high intensity, it improves all the components of fitness, and it burns a lot of calories. However, I encourage people to use caution when doing Crossfit, or any extremely challenging exercise for that matter, since the potential for injury is obviously increased. Research illustrates that fatigue significantly compromises good technique, so that is concerning when the goal is to perform as many repetitions as possible in a given amount of time.
Crossfit encourages a very large range of motion for most joints in the body. This can be really helpful for some who need to improve their flexibility, but detrimental for others who don’t have (and never will have) the ligamentous support to keep their joints in a safe position when performing these moves. So, when performing this type of exercise, it becomes extremely important to listen to your body and back off if you feel any overuse injuries coming on.
The training to become a Crossfit instructor is not, in my opinion, too rigorous. So although I often hear that Crossfit instructors enforce that their clients start out slow and make sure they are doing things “right,” I wonder to myself “well do they know what right really is?” So make sure your Crossfit instructor has a strong background in strength and conditioning and a real appreciation for injury avoidance. A good site to follow if you want to be sure you’re getting correct information is https://www.mobilitywod.com/. Kelly Starrett, DPT, is a fellow doctor and a proponent of Crossfit.
Ultimately, I’m ecstatic that so many people have found a love of exercise through Crossfit. But I don’t think it’s right for everyone. Ultimately, there is no ONE right way to exercise for everyone; it depends on your body type/build and your strong and weak areas.
Dr. Karlie Moore holds a PhD in Exercise Science and Nutrition from Oregon State University. She has dedicated her research and work to helping firefighters improve their health so they can live long, happy lives. Dr. Moore conducts comprehensive fitness assessments for several fire departments in Oregon and speaks on all topics related to firefighter health. She is also a part-time professor at Oregon State University. More information about Dr. Moore’s services, along with free health tips for firefighters, can be found at www.fitfordutyconsulting.com
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Joe has been a volunteer firefighter, EMT, and reserve deputy for what some say seems like thousands of years. His passion has always been with helping people. Joe started as a charter member of the fire department in 1974. He is the only original member still active today.
Joe still actively participates in training, responding to alarms, as well as acting as a mentor to many new firefighters. He’s not satisfied with just being an important part of his local fired department, though. As a reserve deputy, Joe has had countless encounters with criminals, including one arrest linked to a string of incidents surrounding a local methamphetamine ring. Joe continues his day job, and dedicates his evenings and free time to volunteering at the Sheriff’s Department and Fire Department.
Joe is a true hero – selflessly protecting his community, taking care of his fellow firefighters, and making the news on occasion!
Friends and coworkers describe Jennifer as a knowledgeable and kind nurse, who treats all her patients like family. When she’s not saving lives as an ER Nurse, Jen is a volunteer firefighter and EMT. She spends a great deal of her time teaching firefighter training classes, even in the late hours of the night if needed. She is the first female Fire Chief in Calvert County and has run unopposed for the last 4 years. Her motto is “Pride is our Pay” – and much of her department’s pride comes from her training. Jen’s family often joins her at the fire station, where she sets an example of someone whose life revolves around helping others.
Loved ones describe Allen as a hardworking, selfless man. He is a full time firefighter, and spends his spare time volunteering and organizing hunting trips for disabled children. It’s Allen’s mission to help all children experience the outdoors, no matter what physical obstacles they may face. His dedication is what makes him such a great example for these kids.
Allen is constantly lending a helping hand throughout his community. Friends say Allen doesn’t wait for others to step forward – he is the first one to jump in and help. He believes we should use our time, money, and talents to serve others.
As we reflect on the horrific events of 9/11, it’s important we address the impact it still has on first responders and their families. In this guest post, Lori Mercer from FireFighterWife.com shares inspirational ideas on dealing with the fear that comes from loving someone with such a dangerous job.
So many women tell me that every time they kiss their husband goodbye on his way out the door they think to themselves “This could be the last time I see him.”
I wonder how many of the fire wives thought that on the morning of September 11, 2001?
But an even better question, is I wonder how many of those lost in the tower even thought that in the past week before 9.11? A rare few if they were lucky were able to give a sufficient final goodbye “just in case”.
Most people have a sense of the fickle fate that could take any of our lives at any moment. Car accidents. Heart Attacks. Natural Disasters. But most people don’t have a constant reminder of the fragility of life living in their house leaving their firefighter paraphernalia lying around. The navy blue shirts. The coffee mugs. The maltese cross decals on the cars. The Last Will and Testament and important details for a Line of Duty Death tucked away in the fire safe.
Every fire wife has thought about her husband dying on duty. She’s rehearsed the phone call or the knock on the door all the way thru the tears, the funeral and life without him. I’ve personally found myself lost in thought when I’m driving, waiting for him to call me back after that last interrupted call “Working fire. Gotta go! Love you.” Click. It’s been 3 hours. Surely they are back by now. Somewhere those thoughts of “I’m sure they are just busy cleaning up. Or maybe his cell phone isn’t on him” turn to thoughts of what if. What if something happened to him? And before you know it tears are streaming down your face as you’re visualizing his eulogy given by his partner while you hug the kids tightly in the front row.
It’s so real. Or I should say, we can make things so real in our minds. And for some women, those thoughts grip them in ferocious fears that paralyze them, unable to act. Unable to go cook dinner, remember the next task or fall asleep. Even if you aren’t paralyzed in fear you may still be carrying with you that worry, gnawing in your gut and taking up precious space in your thoughts.
She’s trapped by those nasty emotions waiting for a stinking return phone call that 9,999 out of 10,000 times is going assure her that mental trap was just a false alarm.
And now we approach another anniversary of September 11th and the reminders get more frequent, more graphic, more lump-forming-in-my-throat-inducing.
Now I’m not just referring to fire wives. I think every American growing up in this generation has a strong emotional reaction to the events of 9.11. How could you not? It’s such a display of pure evil and loss of innocent lives. Perhaps even some firefighters react more strongly as they think of friends, colleagues, brothers and sisters who were killed on that day. And remind themselves it’s a promise they made and it could happen to them as well.
How do you beat this mental battle? Because if you don’t, they might as well keep flying planes into buildings because you are still fearfully impacted and that’s exactly what they wanted to happen. A little strong for you? Don’t underestimate the impact of your thoughts. You change your thoughts you change your life.
A few tips to battle the mental monsters of fear and worry especially surrounding September 11th
#1 You shouldn’t be in denial that firefighting is a dangerous profession. Duh. De Nial is just De River in Egypt. Sorry if that offends you to make light of that but some fire families really need to get their head out of the sand and do some pre-planning. Just in case. Cross that off the list and stop worrying about it.
#2 September 11th is a time to remember. To never forget, right? Think about what parts you aren’t forgetting. We want to honor the lives lost and it evokes a whole lot of emotions, especially for those personally impacted. Too many widows and orphans were made on that day. Far too many. I sincerely from the bottom of my heart mourn right alongside them. But at the same time, it does bother me when there is too much focus on death and not enough focus on the life. The good. The miracles surrounding 9.11. And I am pretty certain that those angels watching up in heaven understand our pain but wouldn’t want us to linger and get stuck there in a bad mental pit. Never forget all the good. Never forget our nation pulling together in support. Never forget those stories of heroes. But go ahead and forget all those images that keep you locked to the TV paralyzed in grief and inaction. We didn’t recover from 9.11 by replaying that scene over and over again. We acted. Which leads me to #3.
#3 Take action. I mean physically do something. Even just standing up and walking across a room or drinking a glass of water can change the chemical make up in our brains and help dispel negative emotions. But for September 11th, I’d actually encourage you to do something bigger. Remember the outpouring of support after 9.11? All the people that went to help. All the charities. All the acts of service. With that tragic event corresponding with us living in a more connected world, the opportunities to find a way to help are endless. If 9.11 has you a little extra emotional, then you need to find a way to occupy your mind with other activities instead. Over at FirefighterWife.com we are participating in the National Day of Service having our first ever 9.11 24 Hours of Service event to do just that. Anyone can participate by signing up at FirefighterWife.com/9-11 It’s our way of honoring those lost while leaving the world a little better at the end of the day.
#4 Find some tools to help you work through these emotions. Whether they are stealing minutes or days from your life, we can all benefit from on-going learning and self-improvement. Journal your thoughts. Read books. Talk to a counselor or a friend. Eliminate bad influences, the Debbie Downers in your life. Find a way to change stressful situations. Join a group for support and friendship.
As the leader of the largest online community of fire wives, I see so many women just spend too much time losing out on life because they are living in the “what if?”. It’s time to live in the “What next?” and do more.
Lori Mercer is the Chief Fire Wife, writer and speaker at FirefighterWife.com. She is the mother of 4 and very blessed to be happily married to her firefighter after many challenging years where she hated the firehouse and all its influence on him. Now she is an advocate for firefighter marriages and encouraging the fire wife community to drop the girl drama and work together for support and friendship.
This Guest Blog post is from the National Volunteer Fire Council. It is the featured article in our Firefighter & EMT News Resource: Flashpoint. To sign up to receive Flashpoint in your inbox once a month, click here!
Prevent Tragedy by Focusing on Behavioral Health in the Fire Service
Behavioral health. It’s a subject not often talked about in the fire service, but it affects every department and emergency responder in some way or other. In a culture that frequently brushes aside how they are feeling, this is a hard subject to tackle. Yet behavioral health issues are just as serious as physical health and safety issues, and can be just as deadly if left unaddressed.
Behavioral health can cover a wide spectrum of health issues for firefighters and emergency responders. These can include stress or anxiety, sleep problems, depression, post traumatic stress disorder, and addiction, to name a few. If left untreated, many of these issues could result in serious or life-threatening physical health disorders, such as heart disease or high blood pressure. Some could also lead to safety concerns as firefighters are less prepared to do their jobs safely and to the best of their ability if they are battling one or more of these issues. In many instances, untreated psychological conditions could lead to firefighter suicide, a tragedy for the firefighter, their family, the department, and the entire fire service community.
Firefighters and EMTs respond to the worst crises – fires, traffic accidents, family abuse, shootings, and more. At the same time, they are balancing the needs of the fire department, their families, other outside interests, and in the case of volunteers, full time jobs. Add to the mix unpredictable sleep schedules, potential for unhealthy eating habits and lack of time for proper fitness, and a culture where talking about one’s feelings or difficulties may not be accepted, and it is no wonder that emergency responders have an increased risk for having one or more behavioral health concerns.
What Can Be Done
It is critically important that department leadership makes behavioral health as much of a priority in the department as physical health and safety. Having resources available to firefighters and EMTs who need help, creating a culture where talking about issues is encouraged, and breaking the stigma associated with behavioral health issues can provide the support a firefighter needs to seek treatment and prevent tragic outcomes such as suicide.
Mandatory behavioral health training is a critical first step in adopting a proactive approach within the department. Having effective retirement planning procedures in place is also important as many firefighters suffer from stress, depression, loss of identity, or other negative effects when faced with leaving the fire service after dedicating their lives to it.
Other proactive measures include having an Employee Assistance Program available to all department members, having workshops where counselors or other qualified entities (CISM teams, chaplains, training officers) address potential issues and how to recognize signs and symptoms of distress, and encouraging all fire academies to include at least four hours of behavioral health training for cadets.
Resources Available
In recent years, the fire service has started to become aware of how serious behavioral health is for emergency responders. The Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (www.ffbha.org/) has collected information on 334 firefighters and 18 EMTs/Paramedics that have committed suicide. Departments have also begun to notice the wide range of negative outcomes that can result from ignoring behavioral health.
Fortunately, many resources are available to help departments and individuals address these issues and prevent potential negative outcomes.
Check out some of these resources- and click on the blue title to link to them!
This toll-free hotline is available to all firefighters, EMS personnel, and their families who need immediate assistance with any problems affecting work or personal life, such as stress, depression, alcohol or drug addiction, financial management difficulties, critical incidents, relationship problems, work-related concerns, and more. Trained firefighters and counselors familiar with the fire and emergency services are available 24/7. Call 1-888-731-FIRE (3473) for help.
Initiative 13 of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s Life Safety Initiatives focuses on the psychological wellbeing of firefighters and their families. The new Initiative 13 web site contains important resources, training, and research, including the new model for exposure to potentially traumatic events and stress aid for fire and EMS personnel, which recognizes that not everyone responds the same to traumatic events.
This report from the National Volunteer Fire Council explores the various behavioral health concerns faced by first responders and identifies resources and best practices for mental wellness and suicide prevention.
The National Volunteer Fire Council, with support from the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), developed this online training course focusing on suicide awareness and prevention. The course contains three modules that examines the signs and symptoms preceding suicide, highlights available resources for departments and individuals, and discusses the healing process when coping with a firefighter suicide. New students must create an account before registering for the course.
The focus of the 2013 International Fire/EMS Safety and Health Week was behavioral health. This web site provides a lengthy resource and training listing to help firefighters and their departments focus on behavioral health and well-being.
