Why Do Firefighters Die

Many trauma deaths occur from causes partly beyond our control — wall collapses, vehicles. We should establish collapse zones and use apparatus to protect ourselves on scene. But some deaths stem from what might be called the Macho Firefighter Syndrome: the firefighter who won't take a break after two bottles of air, who sees rehabilitation as weakness, who died from 100% preventable dehydration.

The solution is one word: training. Train on the mandatory need for rehabilitation. Incorporate rehab into drills. Strengthen the Safety Officer's role. Learn and practice safe driving techniques. Resurrect the post-incident review — as a fact-finding exercise, not fault-finding. A well-run review can save lives.

There are seven basic risk factors for heart disease. Three you cannot control: sex, heredity, and age. Four you have complete control over: smoking, diet, weight, and exercise.

High-fat diets, being overweight, and lack of exercise all lead to elevated total cholesterol and poor HDL/LDL ratios. Modifying your lifestyle with proper diet and a regular exercise program will change your cholesterol levels for the better and reduce your risk. Start with walking — one mile walked exerts the same effort as one mile jogged, with 80-90% of the cardio-protective benefit and far less stress on your joints.

Set a goal of one pound per week of weight loss. Measure your weight once a week, same time of day. Expect plateaus — your body builds muscle while losing fat, and muscle adds weight. The only way you fail is to stop trying.

All firefighters are at increased risk for cancer from occupational exposure. For firefighters who smoke, that risk increases exponentially. Think about why you wear an SCBA — because there are dangerous products of combustion in the air. Then ask yourself why you take off the mask during overhaul, right when those products are at their thickest.

The American Cancer Society's Fresh Start program is an excellent, free resource for smoking cessation. Smoking is an extremely addictive habit with both physical and psychological components. Nicotine patches and gum only address the physical component — a complete cessation program addresses both. The encouraging fact: every time you try to quit and fail, your chance of succeeding on the next attempt actually increases.

We know why our brother and sister firefighters die. Now it is our duty to prevent it. The recommended steps: training in safe operations and mandatory rehab; smoking cessation; improved diet, weight management, and exercise; and for firefighters 35 and older, a daily baby aspirin (consult your physician if you have a clotting disorder).

The first step in solving any problem is admitting the problem exists. We've done that. Now let's get on with the work.