Citation

Garver JN, Jankovitz KZ, Danks JM, Fittz AA, Smith HS, Davis SC. J. Strength Cond. Res. 2005; 19(2): 310-317.

Affiliation

Kinesiology Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California 93407, USA. jne1@pge.com

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, National Strength and Conditioning Association)

DOI

10.1519/R-14934.1

PMID

15903368

Abstract

Both industrial and municipal firefighters need to maintain high levels of physical fitness and minimize cardiovascular risk factors. The nature of firefighter responsibilities in industrial and municipal settings may vary, affecting the ability to sustain high levels of physical fitness. We compared the working conditions, physical fitness, and exercise training practices of an industrial fire department (n = 17) to those of a nearby municipal fire department (n = 55). After informed consent, aerobic capacity, muscular strength, muscular endurance, body composition, flexibility, blood lipid concentrations, and blood pressure levels were measured. Exercise training practices and related factors were assessed using a questionnaire. Despite programmatic differences, these departments demonstrated similar, relatively high degrees of physical fitness and similar blood lipid concentrations, blood pressure levels, and cardiac risk factors. It is recommended that fire departments involve appropriately trained staff, schedule on-duty times for exercise, offer well-equipped exercise facilities, and follow National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) guidelines for exercise conditioning in order to maintain a high degree of physical fitness.