Firehouse Fit: Fit for Duty Equals Fit for Life

April 21, 2015
During Firehouse Expo the Firehouse “Fit for Duty” initiative is designed to emphasize the importance of firefighter health and fitness.

The national trend is focused on eating healthy and becoming fit. Overall a good plan, but how do you go about achieving that goal?

For firefighters, this topic has been prevalent for years. Did you know that in 2013, 32 firefighters died in the line of duty as the result of a medical emergency, 29 of which were classified as cardiac-related events? Fire service trade shows are actively tackling this issue.

For example, at Firehouse Expo the Firehouse “Fit for Duty” initiative is designed to emphasize the importance of firefighter health and fitness. The program will also provide attendees with creative fitness ideas for company-level workouts, provide an opportunity to build camaraderie, burn calories and focus on transitioning the fire service into a more health-conscious service.

This initiative will be brought into practice when attendees can begin their day with a circuit workout on Thursday, July 16, the first day of the show. The workout will feature a 35-minute circuit with a large group led by firefighter/fitness instructors. Following the warmup, participants will split into 6 different stations to complete the rapid-paced circuit workout.

Another way Firehouse is supporting fitness education is at the Fitness Showcase. Every hour on the hour, firefighters/fitness instructors will provide an 8-minute fitness demonstration focusing on the sports science of firefighter maneuver areas, which will include the incorporation of tools and equipment. Examples of the fire-service focus maneuvers include forcible entry, hose-handling techniques, search maneuvers and much more.

So, if you are asking "How do I get started?" stop by Firehouse Expo and learn how. Now is the time to forgo the usual excuses—career demands, injuries, stress, bad experiences at the gym and lack of knowledge or awareness—and start writing down your fitness goals.

Visit Firehouse Expo.com for more fitness information.

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