Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jenny Holderby on November 5, 2008 at 2:04am

Some of your FFs may already have physicals from their place of employment. Some may be able to have a yearly physical that their personal insurance will pay for. Some peope do have a yearly physical anyway. There is no point in doing it again if that is the case. Your department needs to know that a physical was done & what physician to contact if there is a question which should be in your medical forms kept by your FD administration in case there is an accident. Some departments require a medical release form from a Dr stating that the member is healthy enough to be a firefighter.
One reason for physicals is preventative maintenance. Some people don't go to the dr unless they are sick. A physical can catch problems early, you know like having a pap smear or mammogram (ick).
A cardiac work up, cholesterol screening, chest x-ray and basic blood work should do it. Although I know I am forgetting something in that list. Check with your local clinic. Sometimes they will work with you to get this done and give you a "group" rate. You can also try your county health department.
My department applied for a FF Health & Safety grant through FEMA to get them done. Check with your insurance company if your department has private insurance like VFIS.

Permalink Reply by Donald on November 11, 2008 at 11:10pm

It is my understanding that the initial physical is about as basic as you can get. We send our people to a local doctor that charges the department $35, and sometimes he donates that back. The $1,200 physical you referred to sounds a great deal like those required to advance into Haz Mat Technician Levels.......and that is each year.........and I believe everytime the individual is exposed. Our county keeps trying to get a Haz Mat Tech Team but the cost, like many things will simply mean services will be provided outside compliance of the NFPA.

Seriously folks.............is there any department in the US actually in compliance with NFPA Guidelines???????

Permalink Reply by Huntington Township Fire Dept on November 13, 2008 at 8:55am

According to NFPA and firefighter involved in structural firefighting is required to have an annual physical. And the physical is describes is the $1200 one I referenced. This may be similar to the physical required for Haz Mat Techs, but is also required for structural firefighters. We have been getting a $45 physical but that does not include any blood work or respiratory tests. Also....are any of you doing drug testing?

Permalink Reply by Huntington Township Fire Dept on December 5, 2008 at 7:16am

The $1200.00 physical is not a haz mat but a NFPA structural firefighter physical. Additionally, Our insurance is now stressing annual fit testing for all structural firefighters. A requirement for fit testing is a physical with a respiratory test prior to fit testing. Soon the time will come when our insurance companies will not insure us if we do not meet annual requirements.

Permalink Reply by Timothy Crowell on October 10, 2009 at 6:49pm

The volunteer department I belong to (Ballville Twp.) does the full NFPA 1582 physical every year. We do it on a sat. usually in january. It is a little costly, but I think we get a discount for the number of people that go through it, and I want to say we get grant money too (don't quote me on that though!). These physicals are important, and many at this department have found they are not as in good shape as they thought, and one (my mother) found that she had breast cancer (would never have known if not for that exam).

Good luck to all, and be safe!