Pumping water, pumping iron:Fireman use weight room to get in shape
|
My, how things have changed.
Once easily fatigued and slightly out of shape, according to some firefighters who shared an honest assessment of their initial fitness levels, members of today’s fire department are able to — and now want to — push themselves physically every day.
A department-wide fitness program started in 2003 was met with initial resistance by some, while others embraced working out at the Civic Center’s weight room, shift Lt. Trevor Gribble said.
“It was about half-and-half received very well,” he said of initial reactions to the idea. “We have to do one hour per shift each week. It’s required on every shift, except Saturdays and Sundays.”
Today, with some of them logging two years in the gym doing a combination of aerobic exercises and resistance training, the firemen say working out is one of the best things they do for themselves — physically and mentally.
Aerobic activity is stressed, Gribble said, noting most firemen die from heart attacks in the line of duty rather than accidents related to fire fighting, as one would assume.
“Your heart rate goes from 80 to 200 when the alarm goes off in the middle of the night,” added firefighter Joey Sweat. “You’re called to go into an unknown situation, a hazardous environment.”
Some have lost weight, but since working out, engineer Josh Brock has gained 20 pounds of muscle. Fire fighter Stacey Swann has increased his stamina on the treadmill.
All on the McMinnville Fire Department’s “A” shift seemed to have positive attitudes about working out, with some adding some firemen are so encouraged about becoming healthier, they work out on their days off.
“It helps,” fire fighter David Milstead said of the routine. “It helps build your stamina and gives you more ability to do the job. It’s less stress. It gets you prepared for when the alarm goes off. If you’re not used to the alarm going off and you’re not prepared, you’re in trouble.”
Fire fighter Tracey Bryant said he knows that drill all too well.
After a three-year leave from the department working in an insurance office, Bryant returned to the fire department last year and said getting back into the swing of things was difficult.
“It was hard, but that’s one of the things I was happy to hear, was that they had started this workout program,” he said.
The men said firemen are also better prepared to endure the rigors of training at the state fire academy and said during in a recent course, McMinnville firemen fared much better than others who showed up and fell out of a mile-long trek in full gear.
Some firemen are still working on their fitness goals, but said for the most part, they are much better off than they were two years ago. And there is always the life-saving component of being fit enough to respond to fires, where the difference between life and death can be seconds. They said they are better prepared there, too, due to their work in the weight room.
“The bottom line is, a lot of people think we’re just having a good time, but if we have to come to your house at 2 a.m. you’ll be glad we were here,” Gribble added.