Fitness within the Fire Service - Literature review Example

Student’s name Code+ course name Professor’s name University name City, State Date Fitness within the Fire Service Literature Review In the United Kingdom, the fire service department has the role of taking care of fire incidents in the UK. The UK fire service values fitness for fire fighters to a very large extent. During recruitment, fitness is considered a very important factor and those seeking to join the fire department must pass the set tests for fitness (Carter & Rausch 2008). Those who fight fires and handle the incidents related to fire must be fit in terms of health and their physical state as well. For example, the UK fire service looks for physical, intellectual and biological qualifications in individuals desiring to work in the fire serviced department. Fire service personnel must be highly skilled and fit in all areas because the role of a fire fighter and a person working in the rescue team is very demanding. Due to the highly demanding nature of the role of a fire fighter, the individuals seeking positions in the fire and rescue department must be intelligent, physically strong and fit, dedicated and willing to work with little or no supervision at all (Bryon, 2011). In all the professional fields, there exist standards that should be met by those people with a desire to work in those particular fields. In the fire department, people with a willingness to serve in the department must posses certain intellectual, physical and biological qualities that render them fit to serve in that department. Studies show that people working in the fire department should be fit and highly skilled (Protection Association 2004, p. 167). These people are also required to have many other characteristics that contribute to their general fitness. These characteristics include; intelligence, dedication and physical strength. An individual with the above characteristics is believed to be able to provide the much needed services in cases of fire emergencies. Mental, physical and emotional fitness requires that new recruits in the fire department should have a comprehensive wellness program. Fire fighters already performing their duties should also not be exempted from the program since they need to keep fit as they continue with their career. Fire fighters should go on responding to fire incidents that need them to spend themselves physically and suffer psychologically and physiologically as well. These activities reduce the wellness of the fire fighter. To match the demands of their duties, fire fighters must keep fit all the time (Cote 2008). Physical Fitness People with the intention to work in the fire and rescue service should be physically fit. Physical fitness is defined as the state in which the body of a person functions with strength and alertness. It should have enough energy, no fatigue and the ability to participate in leisure activities as well as attend to the stressful physical activities. A physically fit individual should display endurance and muscular strength, be alert and show high cardio vascular ability. Physical fitness for any fire fighter demands that he utilizes exercises for aerobics, strength or have these two combined. According to (Trotman 2001, p. 143) the risk factors for heart diseases are obesity, high cholesterol in the blood, tobacco smoking and hypertension. Physical fitness is necessary to help cut down the above health risks. York University in Ontario conducted a study about which revealed that fire fighting has heavy physical demands (Barton, 2003.p347-357).It showed that fire fighters encounter endurance and strength demands more often when they carry and lift objects, when they pull objects and work with different objects placed on the front part of the body. Fire fighters should be ready to take up any task. They must lift loads of between 50 and 100 pounds, pull heavy objects, hold firmly, stabilize and hoist the hose lines they use, climb ladders and even stairs and swing heavy weight axes and mallets. Fire fighters should also be able to go through quick recovery from such tasks and be able to do these activities for prolonged time periods (Cullingworth 2004).When fire fighters are performing these tasks, they do it is very awkward positions and in other cases they stand on very unstable places. For one to meet the above demands, cardiovascular conditioning should be a priority followed by recovery. Endurance and core strength are also necessary in order to lift the heavy objects while standing in awkward positions. Overall strength of the muscles and endurance of the muscles, recovery and flexibility should be acquired as well Great Britain: Department for Communities and Local Government, Chief Fire & Rescue Adviser (2009, p. 29). Fire fighters should adopt a fitness program that is functional and one that puts much emphasis on circuit training, flexibility of the joints, core training, overall strength, balance and agility. In acquiring physical fitness, fire fighters should be able to build aerobic capacity, increase their strength, increase their flexibility, reduce body fat and increase their muscles and have the ability to work at a high intensity without putting stress on the heart. Walter, Rutledge & Edgar (2002, p. 72) observe that physical fitness is a very important requirement and asset in the life of a fire fighter. The job is physically demanding and lack of physical fitness may mean the individual will fail the team when at work and he or she may suffer from lack of strength, exhaustion and other physical attacks which may interfere with the performance of the individual. For along time, athletes and even coaches have stressed the importance of physical exercises in preventing injury. However, the power that physical exercise carries can also be exercised elsewhere away from playing fields and gyms. The benefits of physical exercise are also required in fire fighting. According to Great Britain: H.M. Fire Service Inspectorate (2007, p. 33) the energy that fire fighters use in a single big emergency can be compared to that which players expend on the field when playing a football game. In other cases fire fighters may even use more energy. This shows that as much as football players are physically fit, fire fighters should strive to be equally fit or even more. Many studies have shown that physical fitness is very necessary in the fire service Iafc (2011, p. 20). The times that fire fighters spend with no physical activity in the fire stations can be as dangerous as fighting a fire incident. Fire fighters suffer from heart attacks mainly because they do not get enough exercise at work and they do very little while away from duty. When tackling an emergency, fire fighters experience sudden energy demands and this places the physically unfit fire fighter in a very risky situation. Failure to be physically fit could mean the affected fire fighter compromises his or her health as well as the safety of the public. Fire fighters must be properly skilled, well equipped and fit for what they are doing. Optimal fitness demands that a fire fighter combines habits, nutrition and lifestyle (Cote 2003, p. 111). Aerobic training and cardiovascular health are two important things that enhance the overall health of a fire fighter. Cardiovascular exercise makes it possible for the lungs to supply oxygen to the body and for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body. This form of fitness gives the fire fighter the ability to take part in energy demanding rescue fire fighting activities for longer time periods (Great Britain: Department for Communities and Local Government, Chief Fire & Rescue Adviser 2009, p. 24). Hensler (2011, p. 123) argues that fire fighting is an exercise that puts heavy physical demands on the fire fighter because he has to participate in heavy labor in extreme environmental conditions. Fire fighters are required to act under environmental conditions that keep changing for long times. According to Carter & Rausch (2008, p. 67) studies have shown that fire fighter relies very much on aerobic performance. Aerobic performance shows how physically fit and ready a fire fighter is to do the important tasks in their career. Balance Balance is an important factor for fire fighters. In order to be fit, fire fighters must have balance in all the areas of their lives. Fire fighters must have physical balance because they balance their bodies and equipment when they climb stairs in burning buildings. During rescue attempts, fire fighters have to balance their body weights on a ladder for them to get to the victims. Balance also plays an important part in behavioral health. When a fire fighter lacks the balance of behavior, emotions, thoughts and moods there is always a very high risk for the job of the fire fighter as well as his own health. Bryon (2011, p. 90) argues that unhealthy behavior or aggressive reactions, negative emotions, thoughts and moods often disrupt the balance of proper functioning of the fire fighter at home and at work. A fire fighter cannot contemplate walking off balance while on the ladder trying to rescue a victim. The maintenance of balance in a person’s behavior is also important to fire fighting. The body and the mind are inter-woven and the two of them make up the entire person. Research has continuously shown that those fire fighters who strike a balance between their physical, emotional and behavioral fitness get the best results (Great Britain: Department for Communities and Local Government, Chief Fire & Rescue Adviser 2012, p.21). Importance of physical fitness According to Ward & the National Fire Protection Association (2005, p. 33) the effects of exercise on the physical body are many. A person who is well conditioned has lower blood pressure and resting heart rate. In conditions of much stress, the capacity and general efficiency of the heart goes up significantly. The implication is that the heart rate shows no immediate high increase in increased physical demands. The heart rate goes back to normal rapidly at the end of such physical demands. People who are used to physical exercise have increased power in their respiratory muscles. Those without good physical activity increase their respiratory rates in order to compensate for the increased demands for oxygen (Powell, Thorne & National Fire Protection Association 2003, p. 21). Regular physical exercise as well as proper conditioning has good psychological effects. For the fire fighter, regular exercise produces a lot of feelings of mental and psychological wellbeing. Well conditioned people have high self esteem. It looks that exercise improves the positive feeling. Studies have clearly indicated that emergency responders and fire fighters have a continuous battle with stress. Research has shown that fire fighters engaging in regular exercise have a chance to lower depression levels, reduce anxiety and lessen tension. Regular exercise affects depression to a certain level and it also alleviates it. Physical fitness produces psychological fitness that have a direct positive impact on performance. Regular conditioning makes fire fighters to become clear minded (Great Britain: H.M. Fire Service Inspectorate 2007, p. 19). Actual research touching on the psychological benefits fire fighters get from physical conditioning is rare. However research on emergency responders in the police force shows that there are psychological benefits to be obtained. While on duty, fire fighters are normally exposed to a lot of stress. This amount of emotional and physical stress experienced by fire fighters makes it very easy for them to fall. Stress results in tunnel vision which makes fire fighters to concentrate on the location and the fire that they need to extinguish very quickly. Physical fitness for the fire fighter means that he or she will have more capacity to do physical work. The cardiovascular reserve is also high. General body fitness Malley & Spierer, (2008, p. 45) show that apart from physical fitness fire fighters should also be fit in other areas which contribute to the fitness of the entire person. A career in the fire department demands that one should be an effective communicator in written and oral forms. Communication in any career is important and the fire service is not an exception. Fire men and women should know how to communicate so that they can be able to report on the activities in fire incidents (Protection Association 2004, p. 17). Communication also helps them to work in coordination with understanding so that every responsibility is accomplished. Fire fighting and recue activities need a lot of team work and communication for the individual fire fighter is a valuable requirement. The person should have composure and be composed and a manner that gives reassurance. Being composed is a fitness requirement that a fire fighter should have because it works a lot for them in times of emergency and risky situations. Fire fighting is a risky and dangerous affair. It often causes panic especially if the fire is so huge and the situation looks hopeless. In such situations the fire fighter should be in a position to maintain composure, avoid panic and be able to assure other team members and the public about the possibility of putting out the fire or successfully managing to rescue people in fire situations. The fire fighter should be confident enough to give hope to people in time when everything looks gloomy (Hensler, 2011, p. 88). The fire men and women should have the ability to follow instructions. Following instructions enables the fire fighter to act in an accurate and orderly manner. It creates harmony in the team so that the various tasks assigned to each individual are carried out smoothly. The fire fighter should also have team working skills whereby he or she can freely work with other team members in the fire service as well as in the surrounding communities. Fire and rescue personnel should be fit in the area of problem solving meaning they should possess good problem solving skills. Problem solving skills can enable them to work out solutions to issues and problems arising while tackling an emergency. In such cases quick solutions are required for problems in order to rescue people in danger or facilitate fire fighting activities (Cote, 2003, p. 88). Fitness within the fire and rescue service requires that one be patient and understanding. Patience can help the fire fighter not to give up in very demanding times and to have time to understand those people who are in distress. They should also be resilient and confident in order to be declared fit. Given the difficult nature of the tasks they perform resilience is necessary so that fire fighters do not give up or lose hope while trying to put out a raging fire or trying to rescue people in dangerous situations. Confidence is also required because many of the emergencies fire fighters attend to need people who are courageous and confident. Fearful people may easily get scared by the fierce flames of a raging inferno. A fire fighter should have in built confidence in his own mental and physical abilities of fighting fires of different magnitudes. Fire fighters should be flexible and able to adapt to different situations. Different emergencies and fire incidents present totally different settings from one another which the fire and rescue personnel should be able to adapt to in the shortest time possible to avoid delays which may translate into unnecessary losses. Adaptability and flexibility helps one to save as many lives as possible and as much property as possible. They also need to have integrity to be declared fit to serve in the service. Integrity allows the fire fighter to be honest to other team members and be consistent in his value and actions. The fire fighter who is fit should have sound judgment, be very courageous, be decisive, have quick reactions and be able to maintain calm even when the circumstances are very difficult (Ward, National Fire Protection Association 2005, p. 11). Emergencies and bad accidents can cause deaths and the fire and rescue team member should be ready to handle such situations. The fire fighter should also be willing and able to learn continually. He should also have the interest to promote the safety of the community, risk prevention and education. In addition to all the above attributes, fire fighters should be dependable, learn quickly, and can recall and put past lessons into practice. They should be team players, and hard workers who care and respect team members and the people in the community. A fire fighter should have and use common sense, be stable in his emotions and have the ability to deal with stress in an appropriate manner. He should have a sense of humor, be open minded and ready to try new activities all together. These qualities make the fire fighter able to come up with new methods of tackling difficult situations and finding answers to problems (Iafc 2011, p. 66). In order for fire fighters to display the best performance, they must be fit in all the necessary areas. As has been clearly shown in this literature review, various studies agree on this fact. Physical, mental and emotional fitness and balance must be achieved since the job of a fire fighter is so demanding. Researchers have shown that various countries such as the UK have their own standards for fire and rescue service recruitment but all of them require that the candidate have physical fitness as well as general body wellness. If any one of these is not fully achieved then the fire fighter compromises his health and that of the public (Malley & Spierer 2008, p. 60). Bibliography Bryon, M 2011, How to Pass the UK’s National Fire fighter Selection Process, By Now from Kogan Page. Barton, H. "Understanding occupational (sub) culture – a precursor for reform: The case of the police service in England and Wales." International Journal of Public Sector Management , Vol16 (5) (2003): 347-357. Carter H, Rausch E 2008, Management in the Fire Service, Jones & Bartlett. Cote, A 2003, Organizing for Fire and Rescue services. A special Edition of the Fire Protection Hand book, Jones & Bartlett. P. 88. Cullingworth, N, 2004, BTEC National Public Services Textbook, Second Edition, Nelson Thornes.   Great Britain: Department for Communities and Local Government, Chief Fire & Rescue Adviser 2009, Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare: Guidance for Fire Services, TSO Shop.  Great Britain: Department for Communities and Local Government, Chief Fire & Rescue Adviser 2012, Fire and Rescue Service Operational Guidance – Incidents in Tunnels, TSO. Great Britain: H.M. Fire Service Inspectorate 2007, Fire and Rescue Service Manual: Vol 2: Fire Service Operations, TSO Shop. Hensler, B 2011, Crucible Fire: Nineteenth Century Urban Fires and the Making of the Modern Fire Service, Potomac Books. Iafc 2011, Fire Service Instructor: Principles and Practice, Iafc p. 66. Malley K, Spierer, K 2008, Get Firefighter Fit: The Complete Workout from the former director of the New York City Fire Department Physical Training Program, Ulysses Press. p. 60.  Michael Ward, National Fire Protection Association 2005, Fire Officer: Principles and Practice, Jones & Bartlett. Powell M, Thorne K, National Fire Protection Association 2003, Human Behavior in Fire Emergencies, National Fire Protection Association. Protection Association 2004, Fundamentals of Fire Fighter Skills. Jones & Bartlett Learning. Trotman 2001, Careers in the Fire Service: Your Questions and Answers, Trotman Publishing.  Walter A, Rutledge M, Edgar, C 2002. First Responder Handbook: Fire Service Edition, Cengage Brain. Read More