The Importance of a Strong Core for Firefighters, EMTs and Paramedics

Each year, tens of thousands of Firefighters, EMTs and Paramedics are injured while fighting fires, responding to incidents, transporting patients and training for the job. While a majority of the injuries are minor, a significant number are debilitating and career-ending.  Of these debilitating injuries almost 50% have to do with low back pain and a recent survey by the International Association of Fire Fighters determined that about half of all injury retirements were due to back injuries.  The high rate of low back injuries can be attributed to the high-risk activities that we are expected to perform, such as operating charged hoselines, climbing ladders, breaking windows, ventilating structures, performing overhaul and lifting objects greater than 40 lbs.  As you know, these tasks are often accomplished while the body’s posture is ergonomically unsound or on unstable ground.

I know I’m not telling you something you don’t already know, but I do want to emphasize the fact that over 50% of all injury retirements are due to low back pain.  Like you, I love my job and would hate to lose it because of injury.  Unlike other professions, we as Firefighters, EMTs and Paramedics don’t always have the luxury or the time to take precautions beforehand to minimize workplace injuries.  Let’s face it; we don't have the luxury of warming up at three in the morning when we go out on a scene. 

With that in mind you MUST keep your back and your core strong.  Take a look at the video below; here are 4 exercises that you should incorporate into your current fitness program.  Don’t have a fitness program, try them anyways…your career may depend on it.  (And, stay tuned for the Ultimate Workout Program for Firefighters, EMTs and Paramedics…coming soon)

 

Try to incorporate these 4 exercises (1 or 2 circuits 10 to 20 reps)

1.  4-count crunch

2.  Plank

3.  Bicycle crunch

4.  Swimmers (opposite arm/leg raise)

Firefighters...the ultimate athlete?

As a firefighter (paramedic and emt included), you train to mitigate the risks that you are sure to face on the job.  Your fitness cannot be a liability, it must be on par with the skills you have spent so much time learning.  Like an athlete, you must be game ready at all times. What does it mean to be game ready as a firefighter?  To be ready, you must be training like a firefighter. I see too many firefighters training like bodybuilders or like the athletes that they may have been in high school or college. You can't train like a triathlete to play football nor train like a football player to play hockey.  Training like a firefighter requires that you train in a way to specifically address the physical requirements of the job.  That means working to acquire extreme levels of cardio vascular, muscular and metabolic endurance. You need the ability to go full throttle for 30, 40 or 60 minutes. You need to be able to recover quickly so that you can get back in the game. Some water, a new bottle of air and you are good to go.  You also MUST have as strong core and good flexibility.  With all this in mind let me ask you:  "Are you training like a firefighter?"
This website is dedicated to helping you not only train like a firefighter,  get you Fit for Duty, stay Fit for Duty, and become a fire athlete.

Get fit for duty, stay fit for duty.

Train like your life depends on it...because it does.  I'm sure you've heard that slogan before either at a seminar or around the firehouse.  What exactly does it mean?  In the context of this website we (I) mean that every fireifghter, emt, and paramedic should look at their level of fitness as another tool like an axe, ladder or IV for that matter.  Your level of fitness can have a huge impact on the outcome of an accident or scene (fireground or other). 
The fire rescue business is not based on individual efforts, its the controlled and coordinated effort of a crew.  Each person of the crew has a specific task that must be completed.  In most of these cases failure of a task could lead to injury or possibly death.  Your level of fitness determines of efficiently and effectively that task is carried out.

Now I ask you...are you fit for duty?

Coming Janaury 2012...The Ultimate Workout Program for Firefighters, EMTs and Paramedics

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