Medical Screening Program

[neiowa]

I'm working on putting together a medical screening program for our dept. At present the only major test (any dept in the area) is presence of a pulse. We are not in the position to be particularily picky on who joins but we don't want to kill them when can take previtive measures. What I'm coming up with for med testing/eval on advice from Dr.

Physical exam
Chest xray
Read xray
SMAC blood draw
Comp Metabolic/Triglicerid
CBC
UA Dip
Pulmonary Function
PPD (Tuberculosis)
Audiogram - Basic
EKG
Treadmill/Stress test
Immunizations tD-Tetanus

Perhaps Immunization 3x doses Hepatitis B

Physical/test when join and then periodic after. Likely ever 3 years until reach 40 then annually. Likely to use results of the physical for categorizing who will be allowed to do Interior/Exterior/Support tasks. Expensive at around $1000ea which is a big issue unless we receive grant $.

Additional component needs to be cardio exercise equipment/gym.

Anyone recently gotten a med screening program underway? Other tests that you recommend? What are others doing? NFPA have guidance on the subject?

[gefd901]

>>>
Physical exam
Chest xray
Read xray
SMAC blood draw
Comp Metabolic/Triglicerid
CBC
UA Dip
Pulmonary Function
PPD (Tuberculosis)
Audiogram - Basic
EKG
Treadmill/Stress test
Immunizations tD-Tetanus <<<

NFPA 1582 - Standard on Comprehensive Occupational Medical Program for Fire Departments covers this. I recently ordered a copy of this to use as a guide. My thoughts were to make entrance and annual exams a part of our policy. I was going to incorporate this into a program for our next grant application.
There are a few other things but, the tests you mentioned pretty much covers the requirements of NFPA 1582 with the exception that they are required annually for everyone regardless of age and the treadmill / stress test is required only if "clinically indicated by history or symptoms".
Your cost estimate of $1000 each is about what I estimated also. If we got started on this program with a grant, we are committing ourselves to do this annually. We are a small department with 17 members. Figure 3 new applicants every year and we will be spending $20,000 annually to meet NFPA 1582 requirements. Our current annual operating budget is $26,000.
As important as I feel it is to do these annual tests, I have yet to come up with a source of money to fund the program after the initial grant funding.

[neiowa]

Your dept is larger than we are and about twice the budget.

My planning concept is to obtain equipment required thru DOD surplus (no cost and large qty new/good quality stuff available). Concurrent/associated project I'm working with county hospital is to set up a local medical clinic. We supply the space/equipment, they supply the personnel/supplies. Intent is to reduce the $1000 screening cost (and bring confient med service to town). Med. clinic 20-30 hrs per week for public and then process med screening for depts in the area. Clinic personnel are also on fire dept and counted as manned station time for ISO. Thats the concept anyhow. Hoping to work SAFER grant into the thing.

[gefd901]

I love that kind of thinking. Definitely outside of the box. Good luck to you and keep us posted on how it works out.

[npfd801]

We did the grant thing two or three years ago and everyone on the department had to do physicals, stress tests and such. We caught a few problems on some folks early and thankfully, everything worked out.

If you're looking for specific program details, give me a private message and I'll give you contact info for my chief. The grant funded health and wellness, a workout room and equipment at the station, and new training equipment, software, computer projector, etc.