(34) A DESCRIPTIVE PHYSIOLOGICAL PROFILE OF RURAL, VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES

A majority of United States fire departments fail to provide employees with the resources to maintain basic health. Volunteer fire departments face unique challenges (e.g., lack of funding) that may place them at an even larger disadvantage. PURPOSE: To evaluate the health and fitness of rural firefighters (FF) from a mostly-volunteer department. METHODS: FF (n=15; males=12, females=3) from a mostly-volunteer department in a rural region of the United States participated in this study. Health data (i.e., anthropometrics, body composition, blood pressure, heart rate, lung function) were obtained in accordance with the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) guidelines. Fitness (i.e., power, strength, endurance, aerobic fitness) was evaluated with the criteria set forth by the fire service’s Wellness Fitness Initiative. Descriptive data were interpreted using ACSM guidelines and compared against normative data when available. RESULTS: Health and fitness data are reported in Table 1. Using body mass index, only two FF were considered as normal, the remainder were classified as overweight (27%), obese I (27%), obese II (27%), or obese III (20%). Fourteen FF (93%) were considered to have “very poor” levels of body fat. Furthermore, a majority of FF were considered to be prehypertensive (67%) based on systolic blood pressure (normal: 27%, stage I hypertensive: 7%) and stage I hypertensive (53%) based on diastolic (normal: 33%, stage II hypertensive: 13%). The summed value for handgrip strength was considered “excellent” (40%), “very good” (13%), “good” (13%), “fair” (13%), or “poor” (20%). Sit-and-Reach scores were considered “poor” (27%), “fair” (27%), “very good” (27%), and “excellent” (27%). Similarly, upper-body muscular endurance was considered “poor” (40%), “fair” (20%), “good” (7%), “very good” (13%), and “excellent” (20%). Most FF demonstrated below average (53%) aerobic fitness, although two were considered “fair”, and five as “good”. Moreover, only three FF met the aerobic fitness level recommended by the fire service (i.e., 42 mL/kg/min). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that volunteer firefighters demonstrate alarmingly poor health and fitness outcomes, which appear greater in magnitude than what has been observed in many career departments. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Inadequate levels of preparedness may compromise FF safety, thereby increasing the risk of overexertion-related injuries. The volunteer fire service should promote wellness initiatives focused on improving overall health and fitness. Specifically, interventions centered around weight reduction are an apparent need among this group.  
 


Acknowledgements: None