Fit to Fight
Fitness is defined as, “the body's ability to perform physical activity without distress or injury.” Although most people rarely engage in arduous physical activity as part of their daily jobs, wildland firefighters know that physical fitness plays an important role in their personal wellness and job performance. Incorporating a balanced fitness program into daily work schedules enhances health and safety, while mitigating risk of injury and illness and increasing the ability to do work safely.
Fitness continues to be one of the most important components of a well-balanced wellness program. Like it's counterparts including nutrition and stress management, fitness has a life of its own — especially when if comes to the job performance of wildland firefighters. In his book, Fitness and Work Capacity, Dr. Brian Sharkey writes, “for prolonged arduous work, fitness is the most important determinant of work capacity (the ability to accomplish production goals without undue fatigue, and without becoming a hazard to oneself or co-workers).”
FireFit was created to provide the interagency wildland fire community with a comprehensive, easy-to-follow fitness program with the ultimate goal of improving firefighter safety and health and reducing injuries. This program provides a basic format for a well-balanced fitness program that can be augmented as local agencies see fit. Program success will rely on management support and the individual's motivation and participation.
In 2005, the Federal Fire and Aviation Safety Team endorsed a task group to develop a strategy and guidelines to address the growing concerns for wildland firefighter fitness. This came on the heels of several efforts including research and publications developed by Sharkey in conjunction with Missoula Technology and Development Center. The newly assigned task group includes representation from the major federal wildland agencies, as well as each primary wildland firefighting resource: hot shots, smoke jumpers, helitacks and engines. The task group was funding by FFAST and was able to develop a successful program and launch the Web site, www.nifc.gov/FireFit/index.htm.
FireFit incorporates three specific modules that address pre-season, fire-season and post-season fitness. Each module provides a basic fitness program framework specific for each season that will enable the wildland firefighter to develop a balanced and consistent fitness program while incorporating all the essential components of fitness. The modules can augment existing fitness programs easily to encourage consistency and safety and promote year-round fitness, injury mitigation and better wellness.
FireFit addresses other issues, including mental fitness, team-building, injury prevention, core stability and developing a mental checklist. The FireFit task group corresponds regularly to provide updates to the Web site that has current and relevant information for the wildland fire community.
Bequi Livingston is the regional fire operations health and safety specialist for the U.S. Forest Service, Southwestern Regional Office. She also is a certified personal fitness trainer, fitness specialist and fitness instructor. Livingston currently is completing her college education in exercise science and athletic training. She owns a fitness consulting business and developed Fireline Fitness in 1984 to provide a balanced fitness program for wildland firefighters. Livingston, along with a team of other interagency fire experts, recently developed the national FireFit program endorsed by the Federal Fire and Aviation Safety Team.
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