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Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on February 16, 2008 at 9:39pm

Anne, I would love to read some of the info you have, Perhaps you could add small segments to read via your blog. As far as returning to duty, it will take a doctor and you to determine when that will be allowed and to what scope your participation will be.

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Permalink Reply by ANNE ROCKWOOD on February 17, 2008 at 4:26pm

Attached are two documents I found on the web. I don't really have the time to pre-digest the info for a blog right now.

If there is some specific information you would like, please let me know.....I've been researching on and off for over a year.

I am looking for policies that other departments may have set up for such circumstances. So far I have had no success.

Attachments:

• Firefighter%20Health[1].pdf, 811 KB
• NEJM%20Heart%20Disease[1].pdf, 168 KB

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Permalink Reply by ANNE ROCKWOOD on February 17, 2008 at 7:00pm

I can give you some easy to follow advice on changing your diet and exercise if you are interested. Are you a paid FF? I am a volunteer and had a major heart attack (100% blockage of LAD).

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Permalink Reply by Mary Ellen Shea on February 18, 2008 at 11:06pm

I'm of the opinion that volunteer firefighters should start ascribing to the same physical fitness standards as the paid departments.
I see and hear a lot of ranting and raving how vollies are just as able and trained as paid, and that may indeed be true, but there's one area where I see alot of balls getting dropped, and that's fitness standards.
How many heart attacks, how many strokes, how many firefighters having their ability to do the job being compromised because of their physical limitations is it going to take before mandates are set?

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Permalink Reply by ANNE ROCKWOOD on February 19, 2008 at 6:01am

The physical fitness standards are an important part of the picture. However, my heart attack was unrelated to this possible cause, as I did exercise regularly before it occured, and would likely have passed any fitness tests. I exercise more now, as my research has improved my knowledge on this.

I still am looking for department standards and policies on returning to duty after a cardiac event, and I find it difficult to believe that NO department has addressed this issue to date.

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Permalink Reply by Mary Ellen Shea on February 19, 2008 at 7:09am

I realize that not all cardiac episodes are due to poor fitness levels or diet; simply stating that there's a higher risk level among those who don't adhere to some form of physical fitness program.

I'm not surprised that there are few to no SOP's or SOG's on this; if there is a policy in place regarding return to service after a cardiac event or stroke, then it would stand to reason that there should also be some policy regarding physical fitness standards as well, and you'd have to look long and hard to find anything about that.

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Permalink Reply by ANNE ROCKWOOD on February 19, 2008 at 7:28am

There must be paid departments with SOPs, SOGs.

My cardiologist discovered that I have a clot in my heart at my last visit, and still recommended my return to light duty (fire police and fire ground support). I don't think my cardiologist is cognizant of the risks inherent in just responding to a call. This tells me that having SOGs and SOPs is very important - because we are the ones who know what the risks are. I have read the NFPA guidelines and the NEJA report, and chose to stay on leave until the clot is gone.

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Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on February 24, 2008 at 1:25pm

Hey Anne. I want to thank you for the links to the information on heart health. I forwarded the information to our Training Officer and he readily reviewed the material, and used it in his presentation on Cardio health and a Fitness class. Well done, and again thank you for the help :)

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Permalink Reply by ANNE ROCKWOOD on February 24, 2008 at 5:50pm

Thank you. I will continue to post additional information as I am still researching this, and would appreciate others doing the same.

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Permalink Reply by Ed Curran on May 2, 2008 at 9:32pm

we had a person who had 2 MI's while on duty after the first he had 2 stents placed and 2 years later had another and had a quadruple bypass he came bace after 2 months said he hadn't felt this good in 10 years he was in the drop and had to retire after 26 more months of work this was also considered workman's comp even if he hadn't been on duty he was released by his cardiologist for full duty

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