Our Personal Health - Who is Really In Charge

We're living in a time when we seem to be fighting about the rights we are accorded by our Constitution. Some argue that our Founding Fathers knew all they needed to in order to create a constitution which would forcefully and clearly demonstrate that we had thrown off the mantle of Colonial rule and that our citizens would be free and equal. OK, maybe free. OK, maybe mostly free.

Two hundred forty one years later, it appears that we're using the amendments as weapons of war - against each other, more than we use them to actually secure the rights and freedoms I believe our Founding Fathers intended. There are the arguments about the First Amendment that is supposed to guarantee our freedom to speak...about any topic we choose, other than outright treason, and even then, to just talk about it, might be protected too!

Then there is the constant bickering over the Second Amendment - the right to bear arms. Some argue that we have the right to bear any arms we want, because the Constitution did not outlaw any weapons. Still others want to forbid anyone except for the police and military to have arms. And we are no closer to working on a solution that we are for a manned expedition to Saturn's sixth moon, Enceladus.

Now I come to the crux of the matter - who is in charge of our health? Since we all agree that we use the possessive pronoun, "our," the answer should be perfectly clear, each person is in charge of their own health! But ask yourself, "Is that really true?" Let's say you are an accountant. Would your employer have any need to assure that you are in peak physical condition? Other than wanting you healthy so that you may do your work, we would probably agree, "No."

What if you are a teacher in a middle or junior high school, teaching math? Would you agree that what applied for the accountant, applies here? What about an attorney? A mayor? A refuse collector? A computer programmer...and so on?

But what about a firefighter, a LEO and/or an EMT/Paramedic? Forget what you feel; would you still claim that you are in charge of your personal health? If you, then I believe you are in the wrong profession. Because these three professions need you to be at your very best physical condition to perform your assigned tasks. And there is the very real risk of a domino effect if you aren't!

In any of these three professions, besides all else, you have taken an oath to protect the lives of others. We all know the saying, "A chain is only as strong as its weakest link." So what happens in the middle of an emergency situation in which not only a citizen's life is depending on you, but your partner and/or colleagues are depending on you, and you give out? Now the dominoes begin to fall.

The victim is in more trouble, your colleagues have to stop what they were doing to cover for you. And now, either instead of or besides the initial victim, your colleagues have to start taking care of you. You mumble beneath the oxygen mask, "Oh, I'm OK, I'm just a little tired" as you try to sit up, but find you have less strength than a piece on linguine. You're not OK. 

Now, one team is rushing you to the nearest ER. To hell with the scene of the emergency, they are focused on you, taking your vitals, administering medications, driving quickly, but carefully to the hospital. You realize for the first time that the siren you hear is not getting you to the emergency, you're the emergency it is screaming for.

When the initial emergency is over, instead of going back to patrol, the firehouse or the rescue base, most of your coworkers make their way to the hospital. They are going there, because of you. They are waiting for news about you. And as they wait, slowly at first, then more quickly as the info gets passed around, they realize that  your emergency was not due to an accident, fall, burn, collision at the location, it was because  you were ill! As they realize this, they pause for a moment and look inwardly at themselves. 
"Geez, could that happen to me?"
"Wow! We're about the same size - we switch clothes all the time. Am I like that, too?"
"Damn, I can't remember the last time I really looked at myself in the mirror!"
"I've been meaning to stop smoking, really I have!"

And then silence. Everyone stands a bit taller, but looking down. No one knows how to look directly at your spouse as he/she quickly walks up to the sliding doors of the ER, carrying one child in his/her arms and hold the hand, almost dragging a second one. The doors close. All is quiet.

And then, the scream.

The rules and regulations of your job will tell you what your physical requirements are. And when you signed up, you met most, if not all of them. But today is now - not then! You don't meet those  requirements any more. You've stopped trying. Or you say, "I'll start doing some exercises next week!" Yet, strictly interpreted, you do not meet the departments qualifications any longer.

Could you be threatened with being docked a couple of days? Sure, but what difference will that make. You'll stay home, do a few chores, then do exactly what you've been doing for ages, that got you written up in the first place!

YOU...AND ONLY YOU CAN BE IN CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH! IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A CHANGE TO IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH, THE DEPARTMENT ISN'T GOING TO DO IT FOR YOU, YOUR DOCTOR ISN'T GOING TO DO IT FOR YOU,  YOU have to be in charge of your health. End of story.

We're At It Again - A New Episode of "5-Alarm Task Force" on Firefighter Fitness!

We're  happy to let you know that we've completed and posted our third episode of "5-Alarm Task Force." On this podcast our guest are Dan Kerrigan and Jim Moss, authors of "Firefighter Functional Fitness." You've seen them on Twitter at @firefighterffit. 

These two firefighters were hurt by and tired of reading so many LODD notices and seeing that 40%-60% of those deaths were caused by preventable health issues! How could any firefighter who realizes he/she has a health problem, ignore it, just so they do not lose their firefighting privileges? However,  none of us are ever alone when we're on the job. If something was to happen to any one of us, we become the first, in a long line of dominoes, that begin to fall.

If you get sick on the fireground, it will effect your colleagues, as they will have to pick up your tasks that you cannot complete. They graduates up to your line officers and your chief officers. You are an important part of their plan to control and conquer this fire or rescue. Worse of all, the next domino to fall is your own family! Who will tell them what happened to you? Maybe you told your spouse or significant other about your health problem, but again, failed to do anything about it as you didn't want to appear as though you were "wussing" out on your duty!

Well Dan & Jim have written this book, not just to provide you with a few regular exercises, as if you were watching a Richard Simmons or Jane Fonda video! They provide you with a complete lifestyle change and include all the information you need, from working and eating at home to working and eating on the job.

Medical conditions such as hypertension (HTN - High Blood Pressure), cardiac arrhythmia, or diabetes, can be either overcome and/or controlled. I know of what I speak. For although I've been off the job for thirty years due to my injury, I went through over five years with HTN. Yet, with specific meds and exercise, I kicked its ass and have been off all blood pressure medication for over 7 years! Add this - a retired line officer from a department here in the South Florida area, has read Dan's & Jim's book and has lost over EIGHTY POUNDS!

You have no excuse other than continued denial . Give them a listen on our podcast at 5-Alarm Task Force , and see for yourself. If you're interested, their book is available through their website or on Amazon, both as a paperback and as a Kindle book.

Our podcast is brought to you by The Firehouse Tribune. Find them on twitter at @FHTribune or their webisite The Firehouse Tribune!

Coming up...we are proud to announce that our next guest will be Chief Dennis Rubin. Make you you tune in for that one!

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Stay Safe and Let's Make Sure That Everyone Goes Home!