Does your department provide you with the tools necessary to maintain appropriate physical conditioning? Do you have a gym at the fire station? What kind of equipment has worked the best?
Permalink Reply by T.J. on October 10, 2008 at 7:06am
Our department really does nothing for this and we;ve gone around and around about getting some equipment to do so or get a membership at our local gym, but here we are today in the same ohhhhhhhhhhhhh boat, its sad I'd say!!
No gyms here. Get our conditioning from mending fences and fixing tractors. God bless Arnie, remember he's old and also can't afford a gym membership on the $1.00 annual salary he takes from CA. TCSS
Our department has a workout area. the city initially converted our old tool shop into a work out area, but then we took over and got some additional equipment. We have fairly nice equipment, not as good as some but better than others. We aren't encouraged or discouraged by the administration to work out,but the guys on shift push each other because our lives depend on everyone being healthy. We are allowed to workout at any time without question. Some guys hit it in the AM before shift, some hit it during the shift, some hit it after the shift before they go home, and there are some who do not go into the gym at all. We are a hardworking undermanned department. What we lack in manpower we have to make up with manPOWER, if you know what I mean. Anyway, the equipment that gets used the most in our house is the treadmill, the eliptical, the bike, and the pull down(cable crossovers). The free wieghts are OK, but they don't get as much action as the other equipment in our house.
Yes we do have physical conditioning equipment available @ our fire station. And they use it, particularly during the winter when they aren't out playing ball or riding bikes or other recreational activities. We bought the equipment with a grant from DHS under FIRE FIGHTER HEALTH & SAFETY.
We have a full compliment of equipment in our gym inside the firehouse. We had a physical trainer that created a plan that would be beneficial to firefighters. It has worked well.
We have a universal and free weights, a rowing machine, and running machine. Several years ago we developed a request with the police department and a grant was funded by the city and local health system. The equipment only gets light use, primarily by the police.
We had equipment. Now we don't, it seems as though there is a thought that we could not justify if someone were to get hurt while exercising while on duty. Apparently the leading cause of firefighter deaths and and injuries does not carry as much wieght as you may think. Every time we do get some piece of equipment it is removed because no-one (meaning no-one that counts) uses it. You might think that this sounds bitter, oh wait it is nevermind.
Fire stations where I work take advantage of YMCA's, University's, Private Schools, Gyms and Health Clubs, dependent upon each different area. For my department, driving from a fire station in the foothills of Santa Barbara to our furthest station takes 2:45 driving time and about 15-minutes by one of our helicopters. Our most remote station even has access to the local high school pool.
Swimming seems to be the biggest thing guys and gals are into these days. It used to be running but now it's not just running and swimming but biking with most of the new hires getting involved in triathlons. I work at a very health conscious department...
it sucks to be you... your department needs to keep ALL of it's equipment maintained. we both know what happens to your equipment if you don't maintain it... it breaks down and ends up costing your jurisdiction money. of course I'm assuming here that we are talking about a paid department. for volunteer departments, I would think that it would be standard for the folks to put together some sort of fitness area with information on stretching, light weights, those damn large rubber balls that you use to stretch and strengthen your back and leg muscles, etc. It's not necessarily big bucks to put something together.
What I heard that was really cool was the Phoenix FD putting together a wellness center for just firefighters. They recreated machines that simulated things like removing a ladder and other exercises that help get firefighters back on the job after an injury.