A BIG FAT Excuse!

 The last few weeks the national media has jumped on the Obesity in the Fire Service, Being Physically Fit Wagon. I personally think its great and should be published more often until the people that can enforce "THE CHANGE" within the service get on board! One of the main problems with this is that most of the folks that can enforce a CHANGE within the departments across the country are "old school", where Physical Fitness was playing a game or two of Pool while enjoying a few smokes and even a beer in the fire house.

I have personally have done a lot of reading and research on this topic due to the fact that when I first got into the fire service eight years ago I was fat, out of shape , no cardiovascular endurance, no muscle endurance period. I was a walking RISK to myself, family, department and community I was suppose to be serving at any moments notice without any excuses.  No one will make a change in their own life until one of two things happens, 1. they decide its time to stop being selfish and make a change to live a healthy and fit lifestyle that the career/calling REQUIRES. or 2. They are forced by upper management to do #1. or they are OUT.

 Well everyone, including myself at times sits and ask, why don't they just make it that way? Either you step up and do it or go find something else to do for a living. Why? Cause no one wants to be the bad guy!
Everything starts at the top. If the top doesn't support it the bottom is not going to support it. I already touched on the "tops" issues with this subject.
Everyone can agree that the fire service has changed as a whole from the times of playing pool and smoking and drinking in the fire house. So everyone can agree that being in top physical condition should not be that hard to implement and change with the times. Right?

 The fire service as a whole is losing well over fifty plus brothers and sisters to cardiovascular issues every year. WHY ? "Nothing but EXCUSES!" When is the service going to look in the mirror and say hey dummies we can change and prevent this from happening! Why is it that a department will turn the cheek to obesity,out of shape, lazy, selfish members within their department until one of those same people collapses and DIES due to overexertion/cardiovascular issues. Then its time to step up and make a change.
NFPA make recommends for fitness, just like it does R.I.T,Ventilation, Search, Water Supply Standards, etc. But we will drill and pound those into every firefighters head day in day out and we will follow those to a tee. But most departments don't even know the NFPA number that covers physical fitness and health.

More than 70% of domestic firefighters are overweight or obese, a rate slightly higher than the general population, according to a recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Read that AGAIN

 More than 70% of domestic firefighters are overweight or obese, a rate slightly higher than the general population, according to a recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

One more Time
 More than 70% of domestic firefighters are overweight or obese, a rate slightly higher than the general population, according to a recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

WOW! And we are the ones that the public is looking to help them and their families when in need no matter what the case or cause maybe at anytime??

Sounds to me that we the fire service needs help themselves. But we wont deal with this issue until you know what happens. Right?

In the latest article is talks about 70% of firefighters in the county are volunteers. Yes I understand and I was a volunteer before I became paid. It nothing but an EXCUSE! You signed up to be a volunteer, no one is making you do this! If you don't believe of feel you should be in top physical shape you signed up for the wrong thing! This is not about getting a set of bunker gear and flashy lights and a pager and responding to calls and calling yourself a firefighter. Its alot deeper then this! But even as the article states

"Some are worried that if they enforce physical standards they’d lose half their firefighters,”

So my question is, lose them cause you hold them accountable and to a higher standard of health and fitness for their own good as well as the fellow brother/sisters life they fight fire with or their personal family, spouse, children?? Or lose them when they fall out and die or better yet a whole crew passes on your watch on the fire ground cause no one wanted to be the bad guy and implement a change!

I challenge anyone reading this to ask a chief or member of a department that lost a fellow brother or sister due to Obesity, Heart Attack, Cardiovascular Issues , Stress Related they all mean the same in my eyes. If this LODD could have been prevented?
NO EXCUSE!

And for the paid folks, you have NO EXCUSES! most work a 24 hour shift, ok the city guys maybe on 12's. That just shows how much time off you have every week to get into shape. What? Did I just say to be getting in shape when we are off from the fire department?  YES I DID! You can not expect to get into shape and maintain a high level of muscle and cardiovascular endurance and strength by doing a workout once every three days!

You state you are a Professional? You carry yourself as one? You know your job, whats expected of you? Well then be a true professional and step up and make sure your body, mind, heart are ready for the unexpected and anytime.  NO EXCUSES. Cause the guy or gal working next to you your next shift that may have to pull you out doesn't care about your excuses. Nor does that taxpayer that called for help and you never maid it to the call cause of your actions or their lack of, cares about your excuse.

If you feel or think you don't need to be in top physical condition and always improving that state then you made the wrong career choice! PLAN AND SIMPLE! You are an occupational athlete , times have changed, its time you step up and start training and caring for yourself like one.

 I know I need to continue on my own physical condition myself and I work on that 5 to 6 days a week. I have come a long way and no its not easy. Its hard work. Nothing is easy, if it is step it up a notch.
If you really understand the meaning behind all of this, its for a BETTER YOU, and in return it will feed into every other part of your life, Career, family, friends. 

This is not rocket science folks, start doing more then you did yesterday, be active, eat healthy and step up and make a change not an EXCUSE.

If any chief happens to read this, PLEASE it starts with YOU!! Take pride in your men and women and make sure they are becoming physically fit to do this!Does it really matter that the engines are checked off 1st thing in the morning? What if the most important piece of equipment (the firefighters themselves) is not ready, what good is any of the equipment on the engines?  Its not for everyone! It start with YOU! And if you don't start to change it, you are just as at fault!

Now its time to go TRAIN myself to be ready for the unexpected.

J.Brahm
1stduefit.com


***Photo by: Paul Combs***

New Year - Fresh Start!

How many of us have said this year I am going to………

The list could be the same as last year’s list, or maybe this is the first time you have made a list of things that you want to do, change, start or whatever it maybe.  So everyone wants self-improvement, or at least the desire for it. It's why so many of us—some estimates say more than 40% of Americans—make New Year's resolutions.

But for all the good intentions, only a tiny fraction of us keep our resolutions; University of Scranton research suggests that just 8% of people achieve their New Year's goals.

Most people believe that habits are formed by completing a task for 21 days in a row. Twenty-one days of putting in the work on a certain task, then boom, a new habit is formed... Sorry, this is far from the truth of making something a habit. The 21-day myth began as a misinterpretation of Dr. Maxwell Maltz’s work on self-image. Dr. Maltz did not find that 21 days of task completion forms a habit. Everyone that followed him and his self-direction for success wanted to believe that so badly and did so that it suck and spread.

Even though the 21-day habit myth is out, let just use that in the case of making a change within your lifestyle to obtain a new healthy habit.  I ask you do you feel the best athletes in the world today started with the concept of, if I work hard for 21 straight days I will be a great athlete.  Do you think the most successful business people in the world started the journey with just a 21 day process in mind?

How does a sedentary person make the change into an active person? 

Does that just take 21 days? 

 Come on folks... I am not saying not to set yourself a time frame. Or even a personal goal of doing something consecutively to help you make a change or achieve that goal.

But let’s be real, 21 days? I will say that after 21 days of doing something day in and out for that 21 day period it will have an effect on you mentally and physically, but to state that you have formed a lasting habit that is a little stretched.

Where I am going with this, is that "It has to come from the Inside". We should all have goals within life that we are working towards obtaining. But to make a change within yourself it has to come from an internal drive that pushes you.

The best athletes in every sport are not the best because of habit. They have not obtained the success that they have off of mediocre work or goals. The internal drive has to come from within. It could be that you decided to make a change to become fit and healthy due to medical reasons, family medical history, wanting to feel better, or just looking for a change in your life.

Whatever your "Inside", drive is, use that to be the driving force when the days come that you don't feel like training, working out or eating healthy. The days when you are tired or your body is sore. Use that "inside" drive and get up and make it happen. 

All of us within fire service need to make a change and reduce the number of brothers and sister dying in the line of duty every year to cardiovascular issues.

                             

We have to change the mindset of the fire service and make the health/fitness levels of firefighters the main priority. How many more years do we need to continue to lose 50 plus brothers and sisters to these preventable issues? The firefighter’s needs to step up and not expect the fact that it continues to swept under the rug as part of the job.

The days of just being average won’t cut it any longer in the fire service. Firefighters are "occupational athletes", if you have taken the oath to be a firefighter this is your

"Job title" Firefighter = Occupational Athlete

The majority of the fire service does not promote healthy active lifestyles or work environments unless one of the following has affected them personally or the department they are a part of:

1. LODD from a preventable cardiovascular event

2. A "New Generation Fire Chief/ Admin Staff"

3. A personal medical condition

4. Or truly understands that being physically, mentally and tactfully trained and ready at any time is what is expected of you as a firefighter.

This is a huge battle that the fire service has to face and change. I am sure this will happen over time. We have to educate our brothers and sisters on the importance of being fit and healthy for the unexpected. We have to all understand that so many our counting on each and every one of you regardless of rank. 

If you work on a crew that has a member that is a "risk" to your personal safety of going home at the end of the shift due to that members fitness/health level. It’s your duty to inform them that something needs to change. I know this can be difficult with the "old school guys" or the officer in charge.

 This is no different than being on a scene and observing something that is unsafe, it’s YOUR job to stop it so no one gets injured. Help that brother or sister make the change for the better.

In closing, if this shoe fits put it on and make a change.  Don’t get upset about it. Use this as your "inside drive" that will push you to make a change. Do it for your family, crew, fellow brothers and sister, citizens, department and YOURSELF. 

 If you need to start with the mind set of making a change for 21 days to make it a habit in your mind then DO IT! If you work with someone that is in the mindset that physical understand and make the change that could save their life and yours one day.

Highly successful people have learned to develop good habits, and it takes discipline and hard work every day to keep those habits in place. It makes perfect sense to adopt habits that will facilitate success, yet, why are some so difficult to adopt? We know that living an unhealthy/sedentary lifestyle has been linked to all types of medical conditions ultimately resulting in death. Make a change. You’re being counted on by so many.

If you need any help or assistance with taking that next step and making a change for a healthier lifestyle  CLICK HERE 

It's GO Time.
J.Brahm 
#noexcuses

Are you Dehydrated?

 Are you dehydrated? 

As a firefighter you could be asked to perform for long periods of time on an emergency scene with little to no rest.  Most firefighters are dehydrated before they ever get the call. Being dehydrated has many different effects on the body that most people don’t understand that those signs and symptoms are a side effect of being dehydrated.

How much water should you be consuming EVERYDAY? 

For a good starting point, you should drink half your body weight in ounces per day, where 1 ounce equals 29.5 ml. For a 200 pound male, this would be 100 ounces or 3 liters (0.5 x 200 = 100).

Important: THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE WATER CONSUMED DURING EMERGENCY CALLS, TRAINING, PHYSICAL FITNESS TRAINING. It’s recommend adding another (17 oz.) of water per hour when partaking in these types of activities.

As an occupational athlete, you need to consider the following key facts when it comes to hydration: At just 1% dehydration, you are looking at a performance decrements of up to 10 - 12%.

If you are unaware, this is HUGE!

Being dehydrated before ever coming into work unless on a call could be a contributing factor in the outcome of the type of emergency scene you are working at. Dehydration could be a factor in you being a patient instead of a provider.

Now, most people will use thirst as a regulator for hydration, but when thirst kicks in, it means we’re already dehydrated and losing performance. Don’t lose performance on an emergency scene for something so easy to fix! We are required to perform at the highest levels of our trained skill sets. Being dehydrated is just an excuse and we shouldn’t have excuses in the fire service.

 The environment you have to work and train in can also impact your needs regarding water intake. At higher temperatures, in full PPE the amount of sweat loss is extreme. The amount consumed per hour must increase due to elevated sweat loss and increased body heat/cooling rates. Intake per hour can increase to upwards of (27 oz.) extra per hour of higher temperatures under exertion.

 Water is essential to performance, but it is also essential to recovery. By remaining hydrated we will replace lost fluids, and we will also remove metabolic waste byproducts.

 Dehydration is harmful both physically and mentally. Decreased performance is a sign of dehydration, but dehydration can also cause mood swings, decreased mental focus, and lethargy.

  As occupational athletes we must stay on top of the things we can control. Making sure you are hydrated before coming into the start of your shift is just as important as checking out your SCBA that you will use.

One way to make sure you are getting enough water consumed throughout the day, always have a water bottle with you. This will help you track how much you are consuming as well as always having the means to hydrate. Water is cheap, don’t let the excuse of you not being hydrated play a factor in you not being able to perform like you are expected too.

J.Brahm

1^st Due Fit

 www.1stduefit.com

 

“Highest Expectations Are The Minimum Requirements”

Make it your Lifestyle not an Excuse!

Most people believe that habits are formed by completing a task for 21 days in a row. Twenty-one days of putting in the work on a certain task, then boom, a new habit is formed... Sorry, this is far from the truth of making something a habit. The 21-day myth began as a misinterpretation of Dr. Maxwell Maltz’s work on self-image. Dr. Maltz did not find that 21 days of task completion forms a habit. Everyone that followed him and his self-direction for success, wanted to believe that so badly and did so that it suck and spread.

Even though the 21-day habit myth is out, let just use that in the case of making a change within your lifestyle to obtain a new healthy habit. 

I ask you do you feel the best athletes in the world today started with the concept of, if I work hard for 21 straight days I will be a great athlete. 

Do you think the most successful business people in the world started the journey with just a 21 day process in mind? 

How does a sedentary person make the change into an active person?  
Does that just take 21 days?  

Come on folks...
I am not saying not to set yourself a time frame. Or even a personal goal of doing something consecutively to help you make a change or achieve that goal. 
But let’s be real, 21 days? I will say that after 21 days of doing something day in and out for that 21 day period it will have an effect on you mentally and physically, but to state that you have formed a lasting habit that is a little stretched.

Where I am going with this, is that "It has to come from the Inside". Something deeper than a small goal or task. We all should have goals within life, we all should work hard to obtain those goals. But to make a change within yourself it has to come from an internal drive that pushes you.

The best athletes in every sport are not the best because of habit. They have not obtained the success that they have off of mediocre work or goals. The internal drive has to come from within. It could be that you decided to make a change to become fit and healthy due to medical reasons, family medical history, wanting to feel better, or just looking for a change in your life.
Whatever your "Inside" drive is use that to be the driving force when the days come that you don't feel like training. The days that you don't feel like keeping on track with your nutrition. The days when you are tired or your body is sore. Use that "inside" drive and get up and make it happen.  

All of us within fire service need to make a change and reduce the number of brothers and sister dying in the line of duty every year to cardiovascular issues. 
We have to change the mindset of the fire service and make the health/fitness levels of firefighters the main priority. How many more years do we need to continue to lose 50 plus brothers and sisters to these preventable issues? The firefighter’s needs to step up and not expect the fact that it continues to swept under the rug as part of the job.

I have seen firsthand how the older generation that are still active members on the job state “I don't have to be in good shape to be a firefighter". These are the same group off of age, weight, and fitness level that are dying to these same issues every year. 

The days of just being average won’t cut it any longer in the fire service. Firefighters are "occupational athletes", if you have taken the oath to be a firefighter this is your 
"Job title". Firefighter = Occupational Athlete

The majority of the fire service disagrees with me unless one of the following has effected them personally or the department they are a part of:
1. LODD from a preventable cardiovascular event
2. A "New Generation Fire Chief/ Admin Staff"
3. A personal medical condition 
4. Or truly understands that being physically, mentally and tactfully trained and ready at any time is what is expected of you as a firefighter.

This is a huge battle that the fire service has to face and change. I am sure this will happen over time. We have to educate our brothers and sisters on the importance of being fit for the unexpected. We have to all understand that so many our counting on each and every one of you regardless of rank. 
If you work on a crew that has a member that is a "risk" to your personal safety of going home at the end of the shift due to that members fitness/health level. It’s your duty to inform them that something needs to change. I know this can be difficult with the "old school guys" or the officer in charge. 
This is no different than being on a scene and observing something that is unsafe, it’s YOUR job to stop it so no one gets injured. Help that brother or sister make the change for the better. 

In closing, if this shoe fits your foot, take it and don’t get upset about it. Use this as your "inside drive" that will push you to make a change. Do it for your family, crew, fellow brothers and sister, citizens, department and YOURSELF.  If you need to start with the mind set of making a change for 21 days to make it a habit in your mind then DO IT! If you work with someone that is in the mindset that physical fitness and proper nutrition through a healthy lifestyle is not important, it's YOUR job to help them understand and make the change that could save their life and yours one day.

Highly successful people have learned to develop good habits, and it takes discipline and hard work every day to keep those habits in place. It makes perfect sense to adopt habits that will facilitate success, yet, why are some so difficult to adopt? We know that living an unhealthy/sedentary lifestyle has been linked to all types of medical conditions ultimately resulting in death. Make a change. You’re being counted on by so many. 

If you have any questions or need help getting started please contact me through my website. 

J.Brahm
1stduefit.com 
#getsome 
#noexcuses