Good afternoon Team Firefighter, I just wanted to share some recently released information. “Rates of overweight and obese individuals in the fire service are higher than those found in the general public, ranging from 73 percent to 88 percent of firefighters.” This is from a recently released study that the National Volunteer Council conducted.
WOW! There is a shocker! NOT! This is not a shock to me at all. If you watch any youtube video’s of today’s fire scenes it is becoming the normal and same goes with the departments close to me. Now a disclaimer, I love my guys like the brothers that I never had, but they are getting bigger and bigger! I am blessed with a group of guys that are hard chargers on the fire ground that I would put against anyone in the country! I would also put my guys in contest with Emeril or the guy from man versus food. I Included we can flat cook it up and put it down! ( I may even win the eating part)
So the findings from this report are not a surprise to me, what is a surprise is the resistance to chance. A good friend of mine once said that only person that likes change is a cold, wet baby! How true is that! If you change the way the hallagian is stored on someone’s rig they will throw a fit!
With these brief points in mind how do we change it? I struggle with food and my weight on an hourly basis while trying to eat whole natural foods at home but find myself in a vortex of peer pressure while sitting at the table with my guys. “Oh come on, you exercise so much one waffle won’t hurt you”.” What do you mean you’re not eating with us” are common responses I get. Just like I said there is no doubt in my mind that my guys would drop everything and come to my rescue on or off the job on a moment’s notice. So how do we beat this epidemic where it starts, IN THE STATION? I want my crew to be together for another 15 years (Time till I can Hang it Up), but truly am concerned with this national trend.
Here’s my thinking lets use some peer pressure to reverse this trend. I believe that the people of the fire service are contest oriented so let’s choose a contest. 5K, 10K,biggest loser, combat challenge, Ironman or warrior dash and get them involved. Just like the people in our choir the preacher doesn’t need to preach to us but just like at any church the message shouldn’t stop at the DOOR!
Keep up the great work Team and let’s get them all involved to get this number down!
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Comments
I agree with you. Some
I agree with you. Some people you are just not going to change, but you cannot let that effect your ability to reach out to the ones that you can change. I offer to cook as much as the guys will let me. This is an excellent way to show them (after they eat it of course) that you can make a healthy dinner that tastes good too! As far as exercise, well this team is what I am doing! So far it is working, we are getting some people to signup for some 5k's or just pushing themselves a little harder at workout time. Lead from the front!
LODD in NJ
This information maybe the wake up call firefighters need. Today a firefighter from New Jersey died in the line of duty at a working fire due to a heart attack. He was a volunteer in a combo department. Exact details are still not released.. The combined weight of the four captains in my department is well over 1100 pounds.
How Sad
Sadden to hear of the passing of another brave member of our world. Thoughts and prayers go out to the family. We owe it to him to honor his sacrifice by helping the next person to NOT be a LODD. 1100 pounds of captains is a lot of trouble.
God Speed