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Does your department give annual physicals?
Our deptarment did our yearly physicals, hate but love them at the same time, do all departments offer physicals or is it up to you to do it. Our department offers them not all of our firefighters accept the offer but some do. Alot of the guys hate them because of the outcomes i dont mind them except the color blind test. I am not color blind but you cant see that well in a fire anyhow right??Whats the worse part for you?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by ashfire on
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In our county a volunteer recruit only gets a physical one time and thats when they join to meet the county's requirements.
Has for the career side that is a question? I have seen people on both sides after a few years you wonder how they can be operational in the condition they are. Some have gone from medium to large or large to XX large.
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Permalink Reply by Rusty Mancini on
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In our department it's mandatory once a year.We have a occupational health company that comes to our neighbor dept.along with three other departments and it works out well.We also have blood work done.Our Chief wont let any firefighter perform any duties until they have their physicals complete.It only makes seance for the firefighter and the brother or sister backing him up be physically fit to perform the strenuous job that it is.Also the Chief commented he can sleep better knowing each of his firefighters has had their physicals.I believe it's called cover your a##.(Our county is an all volunteer county, 21 departments in all.)
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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on
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We have MANDATED annual physicals...and MANDATED annual fit testing for SCBA's...its simple...you get it done or you can't go on ANY calls.....period...worst part of it...?? Well, it would be having to go get the EKG and the pulmonary function tests done before hand...another hurry up and wait.....LOL....Paul
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Permalink Reply by DUST on
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My vfd requires a yearly physical & fit test. My paid dept. requires a physical before your hired and then a yearly fit test.
p.s.-angela/jeremy, Why did you type in blue?
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Permalink Reply by blair4630 on
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We have annual (or bi-annual?) SCBA fit testing. I have been in my dept. for almost 3 years now and have not had any physical thus far. It would be nice, I'd love to have a free check up every year. Truth be told, I wish we did have a physical every year, and also physical fitness requirments as well, however we have neither, and in some of our active firefighters, it is very obvious. I'm not trying to be an ass, but there are a few that I don't think could pull me out of a bad situation, and there's a few that I know I couldn't pull out (and it's not me being out of shape, either). We have a background check when you join, then you're voted in. You can have emphysema and be 150 lb overweight, you're voted in, you're an active firefighter. Hopefully that never costs any of us our lives, it certainly has the potential to.
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Right now the biggest thing is money. We couldn't get new members in because there was no money for physicals but that changed to be sure volunteers were filling the ranks because of the furloughs and possible lay offs.
We have annual required mask fittings and for a while infectious control classes but now that has been put on hold because of money. We were getting TB test and now none
I am waiting to see if flu shots will be offered to the fire service and other agencies in the county.
Myself I use to have a doctor who made sure I had a yearly physical and regular check ups and since he retired I had to change doctors and a medical system who's attitude is "Call us when you feel the need for a routine check up" which almost feels like you don't need our help.
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Permalink Reply by Anita King on
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Every new volunteer is required to have a physical. Then,we are given physicals once every three years thru the local health dept.. This includes complete blood work and breathing test. Nobody much likes them, but they are part of it. Actually, there have been a few serious illnesses (including cancer) caught at these physicals, so they are well worth the inconvenience.
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Permalink Reply by Gregory R Bailey on
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I wish to expand on Chief Mancini reply. We back the manatory physical 100%. In fact we may lose someone because it is not failing the test it, plain refusal. Yeah it is free and gives you a good look at yourself. We also have Mandated SCBA fit testing, Blood borne Path, Haz com, CPR and several others each year. Yes It is for everyones protection. And it is time consuming but we got to do it. Helmet off to my guys for doing it.
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Permalink Reply by Angela on
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Yes also like us we have the physicals every year, haz mat, all of them, alot of people disagree with them but i think it gives me a good feeling when i know that the individual behind me has passed all his/her test at todays day and age you cannot be so sure. I guess alot of the people say since we are vollies it should be up to us, but it is also up to me who i want to go with in a fire and i want someone who is physically able to do the job.
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Amen to that!
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Permalink Reply by Cassie on
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We have required annual physicals including blood test, hearing test, vision, body composition, etc.
And I'm glad for it. I'd rather know of an underlying problem so I can fix it before it becomes a big problem. Firefighting puts the body under unusual stress and extremes that we're not really designed to handle. So we have to be very careful with our health.
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