Physical Fitness at the Firehouse

Physical fitness in the fire service is a vital part of the job. To be successful in your work and to be as healthy as possible there needs to be some sort of fitness on and off the job. Whether this involves scheduled time to workout while at the firehouse or getting a group of firefighters together outside the station to workout; it needs to be done for everyone's well being. Today, we will take a look at physical fitness at the firehouse and how it can be incorporated into everyday activities.

First and foremost, a lot of firehouses have space designated for a gym for their members. Not all stations will have a ton of equipment, especially since this is a big price tag. With that being said, the firehouses that do boast gyms should allow their members workout time during their shifts. Many will have rules in place that have firefighters working and doing chores from the start of their shift in the morning to a set time in the afternoon. Once that time hits the crew can do just about anything they want, including hit the gym.

If your firehouse doesn't have a gym, or even gym equipment, you can come up with different activities to use as a workout while on shift. These can involve your gear, hose lines, obstacle courses and plenty of other items found throughout the station. For starters, you can have the entire crew don their gear and play street hockey in the parking lot or in the engine bay after you clear the floor of the trucks. This has become a very popular fitness program for fire departments across the country.

Another great idea for a workout program is utilize equipment on the engine bay floor. The rack that holds the extra air packs can be used by firefighters for pull ups. If the trucks are moved out of the engine bay the firefighters can use the floor for push ups, sit ups, and other exercises. If it's raining, the engine bay can be used for sprints, laps, and other running or walking exercises.

Try to get your entire crew to buy into the fitness program you create at your firehouse. It will go a long way towards promoting health and wellness. Aside from physical fitness, you need to get your crew to buy into eating healthy at the same time. These workouts need to be judgment free, especially when some firefighters are more fit than others. This is the time to come together as a team, bond, and push each other to better themselves.

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