Fitness

Repeatedly, research has shown the need for high levels of aerobic fitness, muscular endurance, and muscular strength to perform safely and effectively in the fire service. Physical fitness is critical to maintaining the wellness of our members. Fitness must be incorporated into the overall fire service philosophy.

Components of a successful physical fitness program include:

• Medical clearance
• On duty time for exercise
• Equipment and facilities
• Exercise specialists and peer trainers
• Incorporating fitness into the Fire Department philosophy and Mission and Values
• Fitness self assessments
• Exercise prescriptions

Medical Clearance

The fire department physician and or personal physician provide medical clearance to our members through physical evaluation.

Dedicated Time to Exercise

The Tempe Fire Department currently dedicates 60 minutes per shift for members to exercise. Scheduling may vary due to emergency calls, training, and other duties. Company officers should adjust the schedule each shift to accommodate exercise; including after 5 p.m. Staff members on a 48-hour workweek can use time when on shift or use personal time to exercise. All other staff are encouraged to use personal time to exercise.

Equipment/Facilities

To efficiently utilize dedicated exercise time, all fire stations currently have or will have the following equipment in inventory as a minimum.

1. Treadmill
2. Exercise Bike
3. Smith Machine
4. Lat/Row Machine
5. Leg Ext/Curl Machine
6. Leg Press
7. Preacher Curl
8. Flat/Incline Bench
9. Tricep Seat
10. Decline/Situp Bench
11. Bench Press
12. Dumbell Set/Rack
13. Olympic Plates 2.5-45 lbs.
14. Olympic Bar
15. Olympic EZ Curl Bar / Spring Collars

Exercise Specialist

Strength Training currently provides specialist services to our department in rehabilitation, work capacity evaluations, and consulting. They have a thorough knowledge of firefighting, participate in ride-alongs, and have conducted job analysis for fire departments. They are active in ongoing research in the area of personal fitness and have an outstanding relationship with valley fire departments.

Peer Fitness Trainers

The role of the Peer Fitness Trainer is to encourage safety and participation in fitness through guidance and supervision of personal exercise. Peer Fitness Trainers are available to all members of the Department.

Peer Fitness Trainers have been trained and educated in a state certified training course. Upon completing and certification, the peer trainers are educated in the following areas:

• Science of exercise
• Development of exercise programs
• Exercise safety
• Proper exercise techniques
• Nutritional and wellness consultation

Peer Fitness Trainers will also be used to:

• Educate company officers
• Educate incumbent and new hires
• Design and test fitness equipment
• Design and support personalized fitness programs for all members

The Tempe Fire Department has 6 Peer Fitness Trainers available to all members. Each trainer will be assigned a group of department members for consultation, exercise program design, follow up, and wellness information. Check the Wellness/Fitness Web Site for the Peer Trainer assigned to your group.

Incorporating Fitness into the Department

Administration/Staff

The commitment to wellness serves both personal and professional interests to administrators and staff. It is the administration’s responsibility to ensure healthy and capable members provide excellent customer service to the community. It is also a commitment to the health and quality of life of our members when they work, respond, go home, and retire.

Wellness facilitates compliance with workplace regulations and standards, and improves our responsiveness to directives from political bodies.

Emergency response staff is subject to the same stresses of heat, dehydration, exposures, and other hazards.

Company Officers

The company officer is the formal leader of the crew and is responsible for the health, safety, and training of the crew. Company officers are expected to be wellness agents for the department.

Engineers/Firefighters

Wellness is a personal commitment that all members must make to survive and to sustain a career in the fire service. When members are ill or injured, overweight, over stressed or out of balance, it affects their ability to effectively do the job.

Firefighter Recruits

Phoenix Fire Department Peer Trainers are assigned to each recruit class to incorporate fitness into their culture. They design programs based on the physical and workload demands of firefighting. Tempe Fire Department Peer Fitness Trainers will design post-academy programs for our new firefighters.

Union

The union assumes a leadership role in the wellness program for their members. The most important component in emergency response is the responder. The union works to ensure that each member has the opportunity to attain and maintain a healthy body and mind so they can perform their work duties.

In conjunction with each member’s medical exam, a fitness assessment is done to provide feedback to the member and the fire department physician. The fitness evaluation will consist of:

1. Aerobic Capacity
2. Flexibility
3. Strength
4. Endurance

Personalized exercise prescription is a major component of the wellness program. It should be a progressive plan that accounts for the members current level of fitness, capabilities, nutrition status, and self improvement efforts.