Back to the Heart of the Matter - Michael Wilgus

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Recent events have me writing my annual piece about firefighter heart health while guiding our members through their annual physicals. First, you probably saw the reports last month where four Bethany Beach Volunteer Fire Company members resuscitated a comrade who suffered a heart attack at a fire scene. Firefighter Walter Brittingham visited our most recent company meeting to personally thank those involved. Thinking about how this very active, longtime firefighter almost died was a stark reminder of how stressful our volunteer avocation can be at times. Second, as Justin Norman wrote in February, the U.S. Fire Administration recently reported that 47 percent of line-of-duty deaths last year resulted from heart attacks and strokes attributed to stress and overexertion. These and other events bring me back to a 2007 study in which researchers found that the relative risk of dying from a heart attack while putting out fires is 100 times higher than that accompanying non-emergency duties. The report stated succinctly what many firefighters experience regularly. “The emergencies come up in an unexpected and unpredictable way, maybe even when they’re asleep. So there’s no warm-up period—they have to respond right away. Past studies have shown that when the alarm sounds, firefighters’ heart rates and blood pressures start going up markedly. Then, they put on up to 50 pounds of gear, so that starts putting an extra strain on the heart. And if they’re going into the fire, they’re going to wear a self-contained breathing apparatus, which adds extra weight and heat. So you have the heat of the fire along with the various toxic gases and particles they’re exposed to, which can have adverse effects on the heart. "With all this equipment on, plus the heat, they may be going up stairs, may be breaking down a door, taking someone out of the building—all of these activities are very stressful for the heart.” The doctor noted that regular exercise is a good way to prepare the heart for such work, but thinks many firefighters, particularly volunteers, are not getting it because of jobs, family obligations and the usual excuses. He is also concerned that many individuals may have cardiac conditions and not know about them, something noted in an earlier study. While he stated that most departments require a medical exam to qualify for duty initially, he is concerned that many do not test thereafter. Researchers suggested that all firefighters have a physical fitness program in place throughout their careers and that they receive regular medical checks to identify and to treat risk factors before they become a major problem. The BBVFC was making solid progress in this area well before this study was published. In addition to a physical examination at the time of application, each member desiring to respond to calls must have a company-paid physical and get a sign-off from the doctor every year. Every member that will actually wear breathing apparatus and possibly enter a fire must also pass a demanding test involving running, carrying, crawling and dealing with obstacles in full gear while breathing off the pack. Lastly, to encourage members to achieve and maintain physical fitness, our headquarters includes an exercise room with a treadmill and other equipment that can be used at any time. We are committed to these efforts and to the health of our members. ----------------------------------- Michael Wilgus is an active life member with the BBVFC, which he joined in 1982. He has previously served as assistant chief, captain, lieutenant, president and vice president, oversees the annual physical exam program and chairs the ambulance committee. Michael co-owns Wilgus Associates, a full service real estate and insurance firm with offices in Bethany Beach, Georgetown and Lewes, and lives in Bethany Beach with his wife, Sandy, and their three daughters. He can be reached at [email protected].