First Responder Health and Fitness: Who’s The Patient Now?

EDITOR'S NOTE: Special thanks to Wes Gilbert for writing today's blog post. You can connect with him on LinkedIn.

I have been honored and privileged to spend 10 years of my life as a Firefighter and Paramedic. The risks and sacrifices were vast, but the reward was oftentimes overwhelming. From the carnage of twisted steel from entangled vehicles on a rainy interstate highway to seeing a patient who experienced a major stroke walk out of the hospital with little to no lasting deficiencies, I never ceased to be amazed at what the human body was capable of overcoming.

And while seeing our patients get healthy again never stops being one of the best feelings in the world, a bleak juxtoposition became apparent to me when looking at the health of the first responders caring for these patients. I began to notice that we had a serious epidemic on our hands. It appeared that more and more first responders were in poor health, and it was getting worse all the time. Perhaps one of the biggest reasons that I began to pay more attention to this was because I was right there in the mix: I was 35 pounds overweight, had stage 1 hypertension, lipid panel values that were terrible, and nutrition habits that would make even the best competitive eater shake his finger at me. And to make matters worse, I was only 30 years old! Something had to change and fast, or I was going to find myself riding backwards on a bed in the back of a big box that my law enforcement brethren referred to as “The Bus.” I could hear myself screaming internally “Who’s the patient NOW, buddy?”

Through my personal experiences and many conversations with my brother firefighters and EMS professionals I have found that this is not something that we are unaware of. It’s a very personal issue that cuts us to the bone. Our local governments spend tons of tax money providing workout equipment in the stations, providing time on duty to exercise and many other avenues for being healthy and fit. But what good is it if we aren’t provided a clear pathway for success? While I’m not a health and fitness professional, I have managed to turn my own health around and gained a lot of knowledge in the process. Below are some of my thoughts and tips for ways to remain healthy and fit in the challenging arena of shift work.

Nutrition

One of the greatest challenges in remaining healthy as a first responder is nutrition. We’ve all heard the phrase “You are what you eat.” While this may be best said with tongue-in-cheek, there is a lot of truth in those five words. I know, I know. I can already hear the excuses. And valid ones, at that. But I can tell you where there is a will there is always a way. For starters, eat at the station and not at the local burger dive. Food that you prepare on your own with clean ingredients is always best! You actually know what ingredients are going into the meal (Remember, you are what you eat??). If you find that you’re spending more time posting in your ambulance at some roadside park in the middle of nowhere USA, pack a lunch! Prepare your food in advance at your home and pack it into a soft-sided cooler to stay fresh during your shift. An hour spent on a Sunday afternoon can have 2-3 shifts worth of healthy meals prepped and ready to go with little effort.

HYDRATE HYDRATE HYDRATE! Most people simply do not drink enough water. Dehydration in the first responder is a very real threat! I’m sure we could all share personal anecdotes of this fact. I vividly remember riding back to the station after a residential structure fire in the back of my own ambulance with a 18 ga. catheter and a liter of NS hanging out of my arm. NOT FUN! Our bodies are comprised of a little more than 60% water. If you want to be alert, have organs that function properly and remain ready to respond to that multi-car MVA with entrapment in the middle of July, you have to drink more water.

How much water, you ask? That's an answer that is relative to the person and based on body weight, kidney function, climate and several other factors. Personally, I have a rule-of-thumb that I try to follow: I take my body weight in pounds and cut that number in half. That gives me the number of ounces that I strive to drink daily. You may be thinking that sounds like an insurmountable task. But try this: You know that Bubba Keg of soda you keep in the cup holder of your ambulance? Case closed. Swap it for good ol’ H2O. You'll not only be better hydrated, but you'll cut down dramatically on your sugar and calorie intake as well (or nasty chemicals if you're a fan of diet soda)! If you're still unsure about how much water you should be drinking, consult your nearest healthcare professional. 

Bonus: try making drinking water fun with an app such as Plant Nanny, which reminds you to drink water throughout the day and allows you to "grow" plants based on your water consumption!

Exercise

Get up and move your body! As first responders, when we’re busy, we’re BUSY. But every Firefighter, EMT, or Paramedic loves a little down time in the day room recliner, right? Let’s face it. Exercise is hard. It hurts. But in the famous words of almost every high school football coach in America, “NO PAIN, NO GAIN.” One of the great things is that it is no longer necessary to hire a personal trainer to get fit. Don’t misunderstand me, here. Personal trainers are typically worth every penny and can be a tremendous resource for finding the right workout plan to meet your fitness goals. But, in my own experience, I never had a first responder’s salary that would allow for me to hire a personal trainer to work out with me every week.

Fortunately there are now lots of at-home total workout programs available on video that can be done on your own time either at your home or the station. These programs are also typically very affordable! It is truly amazing just how much you can better yourself and your level of fitness just by working out 30 minutes per day, 5-6 days per week. Another great option is to just grab a pullup bar at a local sporting goods store (or make your own) and get to work. I’m completely confident that anyone can stay fit with pull-ups, pushups and some core exercises, alone. No need for fancy cardio machines and weight sets. While those are beneficial and do have added value, they are not exclusively necessary to reach and maintain a high level of fitness.

We have a lot of work to do in order to turn this trend around. But with better knowledge, better tools and strong support systems in place we have begun to make huge strides in the right direction. Possibly the most important thing to understand out of all of this is that living healthy is a lifestyle. It is not simply something you “do” a few times per month and expect to get results. It’s about commitment and consistency. So go ahead! Give it a solid 30-days and see how your body thanks you.

Remember, we have lives to save but first we must start with our own.