National Firefighter Health Week

The week of 14-20 August is National Firefighter Health Week. This year’s theme is "When it comes to your health, you're always on duty."

National Firefighter Health Week is sponsored nationally by the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) and supported by a network of fire service and health-related organizations. To proactively combat the alarming instances of fatal heart disease among firefighters, the NVFC launched the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program in 2003 to educate firefighters and emergency responders about heart health and to provide them with the tools and resources to get and stay healthy. National Firefighter Health Week participants are asked to learn their risk factors, commit to making healthy lifestyle changes, and keep the momentum going all year.

Each day of the week has been designated to focus on a different topic to help first responders take the steps towards a healthy lifestyle. These topics include:

• Monday - CRISIS: Understanding the Risk (increasing awareness and understanding of health risks to firefighters and EMS personnel)
• Tuesday - DISPATCH: Getting Support (soliciting buy-in from the community, department overhead, and family to improve first responder health),
• Wednesday - SIZE-UP: Making a Plan (setting goals and developing a plan of action to improve first responder health and wellness),
• Thursday - ATTACK: Taking Action (working with department and community partners to implement change in health behaviors), and
• Friday - OVERHAUL: Living Life (continuing to practice healthy behaviors at the department and at home in the long-term).

For more information related to National Firefighter Health Week, please visit:

NVFC: National Firefighter Health Week 2011

NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program

FDNNTV: National Firefighter Health Week: Matters of the Heart