# Obesity Winning Out Against Firefighters, Paramedics



## Sasha (Jul 21, 2009)

Found this while looking up something for the "What Shape Should EMT/Paramedics be in?" thread.

*Obesity Winning Out Against Firefighters, Paramedics*
Full Article Here: http://www.medpagetoday.com/EmergencyMedicine/EmergencyMedicine/13336


> BOSTON, March 19 -- The obesity epidemic has reached even into the once elite ranks of fire and emergency responders, researchers found.
> 
> More than 75% of young firefighter and paramedic recruits in Massachusetts were overweight or obese, Stefanos N. Kales, M.D., M.P.H., of the Harvard School of Public Health, and colleagues reported online in the journal Obesity.
> 
> ...


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## Kookaburra (Jul 28, 2009)

I wonder what they're counting as "recruits"? Paid or both volunteer and paid?


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## fortsmithman (Jul 28, 2009)

Kookaburra said:


> I wonder what they're counting as "recruits"? Paid or both volunteer and paid?



This better not turn into another volly vs paid debate.  If it does than this thread will get locked.


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## Kookaburra (Jul 28, 2009)

Hey, just wondering. I'm a volunteer myself, though I do hope to become a paid ff in the future.

At our local pro departments, fitness seems to be taken very seriously. At the volunteer service I'm in... not so much. <_<


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## abckidsmom (Jul 28, 2009)

Kookaburra said:


> Hey, just wondering. I'm a volunteer myself, though I do hope to become a paid ff in the future.
> 
> At our local pro departments, fitness seems to be taken very seriously. At the volunteer service I'm in... not so much. <_<



In our local departments the bosses talk fitness, but the people are just as fit as the general population for the most part.  Maybe the average would put them slightly more fit, but there are still several guys whose bellies give them trouble reaching the cot.  They also can suck down a tank of air in no time.  We'll see...they recently implemented an actual PT program, so maybe there's hope.


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## Fireguy (Jul 28, 2009)

It would be hard to start that kind of thing in the volunteer service without losing volunteers.   My volunteer FD has a policy on being fit enough to "pack up" but other than that...nothing.


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## el Murpharino (Jul 28, 2009)

I would like to see the stats further broken down into Fire, Fire-based EMS, and private EMS.  I'm only speculating, but I think you would see the lion's share of obese individuals in the private EMS, and a bit more in Fire-based EMS....not so much in firefighting.  

Firefighters have the luxury of going back to a central building, working out between calls, being able to work out in shorts and getting sweaty...it's not like they need to impress anyone in turnout gear and getting sweaty in a building.  EMS providers cannot afford the luxury of working on the job, and combined with already overtaxed work hours, makes for little time to work out.  In the long term, EMS is not a very healthy job...


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## dmc2007 (Jul 28, 2009)

My service is all volunteer but has paid ALS coverage 24/7 as well as paid EMT/Driver coverage during the day.  I've noticed that obesity doesn't seem to prevail more in either group.


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## Shishkabob (Jul 29, 2009)

6'1" 155lbs.  I screw up the curve!


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## MendoEMT (Jul 29, 2009)

el Murpharino said:


> I would like to see the stats further broken down into Fire, Fire-based EMS, and private EMS.  I'm only speculating, but I think you would see the lion's share of obese individuals in the private EMS, and a bit more in Fire-based EMS....not so much in firefighting.
> 
> Firefighters have the luxury of going back to a central building, working out between calls, being able to work out in shorts and getting sweaty...it's not like they need to impress anyone in turnout gear and getting sweaty in a building.  EMS providers cannot afford the luxury of working on the job, and combined with already overtaxed work hours, makes for little time to work out.  In the long term, EMS is not a very healthy job...



You're probably right, but I'm sure that obesity rates range from region to region.  The southern states are some of the most obese, so naturally they end up drawing more obese employees and this may be a source of some of those numbers.


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## BLSBoy (Jul 30, 2009)

el Murpharino said:


> Firefighters have the luxury of going back to a central building, working out between calls, being able to work out in shorts and getting sweaty...it's not like they need to impress anyone in turnout gear and getting sweaty in a building.  EMS providers cannot afford the luxury of working on the job, and combined with already overtaxed work hours, makes for little time to work out.  In the long term, EMS is not a very healthy job...



Bingo. I like my fulltime job. I make decent money, I have gained a HUGE amount of experience seeing only ALS calls, but it has taxed me mentally and physically. 
I am assigned to nights, and sleeping is forbidden. Trying to sleep during the day is next to impossible. There are no kitchens, or appliences to use to cook a healthy meal, so it is whatever is open (usually fast food, or something you can pack, and quickly reheat, and usually not so healthy). 

I have raised my systolic by 20mmHg, my resting HR by 10-15BPM, and increased my BMI. My cardio shape has fallen to pieces, and I am suffering from seasonal affective disorder from the lack of sunlight. 

At my parttime gig as a FF/EMT, we all sit down together to eat meals, try to eat healthy, and sleeping is generally from 2100-0700, with naps allowed for those who get their butts handed to them at a previous job, or the tour before. 
Although working out on duty is not allowed, that could change.


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## fma08 (Jul 30, 2009)

Linuss said:


> 6'1" 155lbs.  I screw up the curve!



6'8", 170, join the club ^_^


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## willbeflight (Jul 31, 2009)

Linuss said:


> 6'1" 155lbs.  I screw up the curve!



You lost 5 lbs?  Dang boy!!  Ain't going to be able to see you soon if you keep that up!!!


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## Cory (Jul 31, 2009)

Dang, well I'm pretty scrawny and I'mworried about being underwieght(okay, not underwight, just not "built" enough) for the job to be honest. Wouldn't it be so ideal if FD's and EMS companies got reduced memeberships to a gym or something


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## triemal04 (Jul 31, 2009)

Cory said:


> Dang, well I'm pretty scrawny and I'mworried about being underwieght(okay, not underwight, just not "built" enough) for the job to be honest. Wouldn't it be so ideal if FD's and EMS companies got reduced memeberships to a gym or something


Once again, as with so many of the questions you ask (that have been covered ad nauseum before) the answer is: *IT WILL DEPEND ON WHERE YOU END UP WORKING.*  There are many services I know of that do get reduced/free membership at local gyms.  So once again: *IT WILL DEPEND ON WHERE YOU END UP WORKING.*

Not to forget that you are a whopping 15 years old; the time when you will actually need to worry about what shape you are in for this line of work is far, far in the future.


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## Cory (Jul 31, 2009)

triemal04 said:


> Once again, as with so many of the questions you ask (that have been covered ad nauseum before) the answer is: *IT WILL DEPEND ON WHERE YOU END UP WORKING.*  There are many services I know of that do get reduced/free membership at local gyms.  So once again: *IT WILL DEPEND ON WHERE YOU END UP WORKING.*
> 
> Not to forget that you are a whopping 15 years old; the time when you will actually need to worry about what shape you are in for this line of work is far, far in the future.



Dude, chill. I have evry right to ask questions. Just because you know the answers doesn't mean I do. I am sorry if I annoy you, but I just want to make this clear: I will keep asking questions, and they will probably have the same answer.


And fyi: I never asked if companies gave reduced memberships to gyms. And don't forget you are not obligated to answer my questions.


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## triemal04 (Aug 1, 2009)

Cory said:


> Dude, chill. I have evry right to ask questions. Just because you know the answers doesn't mean I do. I am sorry if I annoy you, but I just want to make this clear: I will keep asking questions, and they will probably have the same answer.
> 
> 
> And fyi: I never asked if companies gave reduced memberships to gyms. And don't forget you are not obligated to answer my questions.


You do have every right to ask questions.  But, you have every right to try and find the answers on your own by doing a simple search of previous threads as well.  Might help show that you have a bit of personal initiative and aren't simply looking for free handouts due to your age.

And you did ask if it would be nice if people in this line of work got free gym memberships...which, as I said, it is nice because in many places they do.


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## AZFF/EMT (Aug 1, 2009)

Another thing to look at is how they measure obesity. It is usually the BMI and man that is retarded, A guy I work with is 6' and is around 245lbs and obese by BMI standards, but has a body fat % of less than 5. I am 5'11 and 230lbs and cosidered obese as well, but I do not look 240, I run consistently, bench press over 400 lbs,ect. But my BMI is over 30. It's all relative.


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## JesseM515 (Aug 1, 2009)

AZFF/EMT said:


> Another thing to look at is how they measure obesity. It is usually the BMI and man that is retarded, A guy I work with is 6' and is around 245lbs and obese by BMI standards, but has a body fat % of less than 5. I am 5'11 and 230lbs and cosidered obese as well, but I do not look 240, I run consistently, bench press over 400 lbs,ect. But my BMI is over 30. It's all relative.



Its the same way where I work. They measure our physical fitness several different ways that are in favor of smaller body types. They do a waist circumference test and if you do not have under a 32 inch waist then you cant max out your points. Im 6'1'', 205 and im great shape but guys that are extremely thin score high because of waist circumference and BMI. There are a few flaws in the system. 

Obesity has been a national epidemic for awhile now. It is affecting every job including EMS, law enforcement, and the military. If only there were free public gyms on every corner instead of a McDonalds or Burger King! = )


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## EMTinNEPA (Aug 1, 2009)

6'0", 205lbs. here.  According to a quick google search for a BMI calculator, my BMI is 27.8 (i.e., I'm overweight).  The BMI is a flawed method of measurement and I really wish people would stop using it.  It fails to take things like muscle vs. fat, % body fat, etc. into the equation.

For some people, obesity might be a medical problem (hypothyroidism, hormonal imbalance, etc.) or genetics, but I'm willing to bet dollars to donuts that most obesity is caused by eating crap.  Baring any medical condition, these people have nobody but themselves to blame.  Maybe if they choked down a salad once in a while or went for a walk at night, they could make progress.


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## daedalus (Aug 2, 2009)

BLSBoy said:


> Bingo. I like my fulltime job. I make decent money, I have gained a HUGE amount of experience seeing only ALS calls, but it has taxed me mentally and physically.
> I am assigned to nights, and sleeping is forbidden. Trying to sleep during the day is next to impossible. There are no kitchens, or appliences to use to cook a healthy meal, so it is whatever is open (usually fast food, or something you can pack, and quickly reheat, and usually not so healthy).
> 
> I have raised my systolic by 20mmHg, my resting HR by 10-15BPM, and increased my BMI. My cardio shape has fallen to pieces, and I am suffering from seasonal affective disorder from the lack of sunlight.
> ...


Wow that sucks. On our night cars, we are allowed to sleep, and have access to a kitchen at our station. However, exercising is forbidden at my work because management thinks that if we hurt ourselves it would be a liability. What about the liability of heart disease, DM, and obesity I ask.


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## Sasha (Aug 2, 2009)

daedalus said:


> Wow that sucks. On our night cars, we are allowed to sleep, and have access to a kitchen at our station. However, exercising is forbidden at my work because management thinks that if we hurt ourselves it would be a liability. What about the liability of heart disease, DM, and obesity I ask.



You can't hold your employer liable for your obesity. You can hold McDonalds liable, apparently, but not your employer, unless the strictly forbode eating healthy foods and exercising.

Funnily enough, all patients coming into the ERs at Florida Hospital not recieve a pamphlet on heart disease and the importance of being well. This is a new thing they just implemented and all patients must sign that they recieved one. I think educating patients is a great step in the right direction to reduce obesity. Many people are ignorant about how to be healthy.


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