National Firefighter Health Week is August 17-21

Aug. 12, 2009
If you’re a firefighter, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) wants to know: What have you done for your health this year? Have you joined a gym, eaten a well-rounded diet, talked to your physician about regular health screenings? Are you dealing well with the stress that comes with putting your life on the line to protect others?

Whether you are just considering adopting better health habits or already maintain a healthy lifestyle, National Firefighter Health Week, August 17-21, is your opportunity to focus on your total health – heart, mind, and body – so that you can keep it strong all year long for those who depend on you: your family, your department and your community.

Each day during National Firefighter Health Week is dedicated to a different part of an overall healthy lifestyle, tailored specifically for fire and emergency service personnel. The topics for the 2009 National Firefighter Health Week are:

  • Monday, Aug. 17: Know Your Risks
  • Tuesday, Aug. 18: Keep Your Head in the Game
  • Wednesday, Aug. 19: Matters of the Heart
  • Thursday, Aug. 20: Focus on Fitness and Nutrition
  • Friday, Aug. 21: Keep it Strong All Year Long: Adopt the Program

The National Firefighter Health Week Resource Center on the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program Web site features resources, daily activity suggestions and other tools for each of the focus topics. Get the most out of National Firefighter Health Week by encouraging your whole department to visit www.healthy-firefighter.org and learn more about health topics relevant to the fire and emergency services. Print out the Health Week poster and hang it up at your department to motivate you and the other members of your department. Listen to daily podcasts to learn more about each of the focus topics. Forward the daily Heart-Healthy Firefighter E-blasts to your department members, family and friends.

Make this the week that you begin a permanent department health and wellness program, using the resources at http://www.healthy-firefighter.org/atp to help you get your program off the ground and secure funding. When you adopt the program, you’ll get your own page to allow your personnel to participate in the Fired Up For Fitness Challenge, post success stories and photos, access advice and guidance, find tools to make healthy living even easier and connect with first responders from around the country.

Find even more resources, activity ideas and information to help you adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle during National Firefighter Health Week at http://www.healthy-firefighter.org.

About the Author

Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is the former content director of EHS Today, and is currently the EHSQ content & community lead at Intelex Technologies Inc. She has written about occupational safety and health and environmental issues since 1990.

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