Don Zimmerman
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Don Zimmerman's Discussions

What vacations did everyone take in 2008?

Started this discussion. Last reply by Denise Co 29 Jan 15, 2009. 19 Replies

Joint Replacement for Firefighters

Started this discussion. Last reply by Don Zimmerman Aug 11, 2022. 99 Replies

 

Hi! Enjoy the pics of what I love to do!!

Latest Nation Member Activity

Don Zimmerman replied to Don Zimmerman's discussion Joint Replacement for Firefighters
"Well, it's mid-August and it's about time to update. May 9th, 2022 I had right leg hip replacement. Could not be happier since surgery. Get a surgeon that does a lot of hip replacements, you don't want one that does 5 per year. You…"
Aug 11, 2022
Don Zimmerman replied to Don Zimmerman's discussion Joint Replacement for Firefighters
"WOW!!!! It's been a long time since I posted into Firefighter Nation!!! I think it's time for an update! Update: In about 2-3 weeks I will be getting a right hip replacement to go with the mentioned above right knee replacement, back when…"
Apr 19, 2022
Don Zimmerman's discussion was featured

Joint Replacement for Firefighters

Well it is T- 6 days until I get my knee replaced with the latest and greatest. I am nervous about it for sure. Yesterday was the pits, my head was for the first time in 27 yrs not in the game at all. Glad it was a quiet shift. The game was at the knee and thinking about how things were going to turn out in the next 6 months.How many of you FFs out there have had this or other joints replaced and are still on the job. How are you doing, how did it turn out?See More
Oct 2, 2019
Don Zimmerman's discussion was featured

Joint Replacement for Firefighters

Well it is T- 6 days until I get my knee replaced with the latest and greatest. I am nervous about it for sure. Yesterday was the pits, my head was for the first time in 27 yrs not in the game at all. Glad it was a quiet shift. The game was at the knee and thinking about how things were going to turn out in the next 6 months.How many of you FFs out there have had this or other joints replaced and are still on the job. How are you doing, how did it turn out?See More
Aug 26, 2019

Profile Information

Type of Organization
Fire/Rescue Department - Paid
Job Function
Battalion Chief / Division Chief
Years in Fire/EMS:
29
Primary Fire/EMS Department:
Department of Energy Hanford Nuclear Site, Richland, WA
Years With Department/Agency
29 11 w/ Hanford Patrol and 18 w/ Hanford Fire
Other Past or Current Departments and Organizations
Benton County Fire District for 21 years
My Training:
Hanford Fire HazMat Team Coordinator, PSC on T III IMT; SITL on T II IMT, EMTB. Started off at the bottom with the volunteer department. Came into Hanford Fire as a Lieutenant and then have moved up.
About Me:
29 yrs, last 6 as BC Operations, main focus today is to run a shift of 4 stations for 24 hrs, be the IC on most incidents; make sure we all go home at end of shift with all our fingers & toes. Hanford may not have high call volume but it does have potential for exterme high risk.
Day Job:
Cleaning the house, doing the yard; in the winter steelhead fishing.
Relationship Status:
Married
Why I Joined Fire/EMS
At first for the rush, later as a desire to serve, later yet became a job I loved.
Why I Love Fire/EMS
Getting to help people in need of us at their worst moment in time.
Top Issues Facing Responders:
Safety needs to be taken as the top priority each and everytime the apparatus pulls off the ramp, way to many of us are dieing before we get to the scene, to many are dieing before we get to retire; to many of us think we can do it all, when it fact sometimes we need to run away instead.

Comment Wall (5 comments)

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At 12:43pm on March 1, 2010, Scott Luedtke said…
Hi Don, glad to see you had such a good outcome with your TKR. I had a bi-lateral TKR in Dec 09 and am looking froward to returning to duty being much better than before. I wanted to know if you had any problems with NFPA 1582 and its classification of a joint replacement as a category 1 medical condition thereby de-certifying a person from active firefighting. My chief found out about this when one of our Captains had a stent put in (post heart attack) and it was classified as such and he was (forced) medically retired. Also, was there any restrictions placed on your performance by the doctors and what did you have to do to overcome them. Thank you, Scott Luedtke
At 7:59pm on January 20, 2010, lisa said…
hey don.
been along time everything ok?
At 10:00am on October 8, 2009, TamThompson said…
Hi Don, thanks for the response, I understand you're busy! I'm at Week 12 in Fire Academy, and will graduate Certified Basic Structural for the Texas Commission on Fire Protection on November 17th, God willing and the creek don't rise!

The good news on TKA's is that if we work out zealously every week and keep up rock-hard quads (and hamstrings), and stretch, we should be able to lessen the pain (according to a whole buncha forum posts I've seen, plus what the orthopedics say.)

The downside is that TKA's are known to be less "effective" on us younger, more active folks (and by younger, they mean under 65.)

So let's keep after it, and I hope you're having a great month!

Best regards,
Tam
At 9:27am on August 22, 2009, lisa said…
hey don
how to ya get past a fire that goes bad from the start? had that happen a week ago thursday i was ic on it.no one was hurt but we lost 6 cats and a bird. tanker would not presser up and a few more things happened. saved the house as much as could be saved . well off to do a burn for the town today. just me and 1 more are doing it . we are down to 3 on my department that will respond to a fire or med call
lisa
At 3:41pm on July 30, 2009, lisa said…
Hi ,Don
How is the knee doing? whats new ? my Arm is better since i broke it on one of our calls. was released just in time we have been having fires right and left. not much more going on here....

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