Fire-Police-EMS Fitness

The purpose of the Fit Responder program, which we will tailor specifically to the needs and organizational structure of your Agency is to:

 1) Reduce on the job injury and workers compensations claims.

 2) Establish a safe patient handling and ergonomics guideline which will eventually become a policy for patient and equipment handling.

 3) Train key staff on the core components of the Fit Responder program.

            1) Muscular stabilization and the 5 steps of patient handling.

            2) Injury prevention through tissue flexibility and mobility.

            3) Patient handling and equipment handling; a hands on training system.

            4) Safe and effective exercise to improve fitness while reducing injury.

  5) Utilize existing command structure to establish a system of oversight for proper

    ergonomics.

            6) Clearly defined training modules for retraining, new employee orientation &

                 FTO training.

 4) Change the culture and behaviors of field employees through biomechanical behavior modification, nutritional education, fitness, wellness and self care.

Step 1: Train the Trainer

A 6 hour class for Training Officers, HR, Risk, FTO’s, Peer Fitness Trainers and Supervisors.  This class will teach these key personnel to become ‘trainers’ following the key principles of risk reduction and behavior modification in the Fit Responder program.  These ‘trainers’ upon completing the class will understand, re-enforce, audit and be able to teach employees the following core components of the program.

 a) Why injury occurs in public safety.

b) Posture and its effects on injury potential.

            1) Upper Crossed Syndrome.

            2) Lower Crossed Syndrome.

c) A system of behavior modification.

d) Static & Active Stretching.

e) Tissue mobility.

f) The 5 steps of patient handling.

g) Spine Stiffening Technique for dangerous lift situations.

h) Patient handling techniques; common errors and proper technique.

            1) Lifting, pulling, pushing, transferring, carrying and stabilizing (hands on)

I) Equipment use and patient handling; common errors and proper technique.

            1) Spine Board, Stretcher, Stair Chair, slide sheets, scoop stretchers etc. (hands on)

j) Ergonomics guidelines; acceptable/safe & unacceptable/unsafe movements.

k) Command structure and training / reinforcement responsibilities.

l) Introduction to the gym; safe vs. unsafe exercise and how specific exercises translate into injury reduction.

m) The Functional Movement Analysis an introduction to safe movement screening and corrective exercise.

 *A manual for each participant is included.

A 2.5 hour class for ALL employees during their scheduled CME/In-service.  This class is 10% didactic lecture and 90% hands on behavior modification training.  During this training we will introduce employees to the principles of injury reduction and acceptable ergonomics.  This class will cover a very specific training curriculum: (a post test is given at completion of this class)

1) Tissue flexibility and mobility for injury reduction.

2) The 5 steps of patient handling.

3) Spine Stiffening Technique for dangerous lift situations.

4) Patient handling techniques; common errors and proper technique.

            1) Lifting, pulling, pushing, transferring, carrying and stabilizing (hands on)

5) Equipment use and patient handling; common errors and proper technique.

            1) Spine Board, Stretcher, Stair Chair, slide sheets, scoop stretchers etc. (hands on)

6) Ergonomics guidelines; acceptable/safe & unacceptable/unsafe movements.

7) Nutrition for the real world, eating on the street.

Police Officers, Fire Fighters, EMT’s,  Paramedics and Nurses will over the course of their career be exposed to countless situations where there will be no proper way to lift or move.  Sometimes we just have to get the job done, and get it done fast.  Police, Fire and EMS injury rates continue to rise despite better gear and equipment, so what is an organization or Responder to do?   Read on........

Working in EMS part time and having a career in Clinical Sports Medicine / Athletic Training full time has allowed me a unique look at our profession from both the inside out and the outside in.

The decision to write the Fit Responder book and enter the world of Public Safety Fitness, Wellness and Injury Prevention Consulting has been and continues to be fueled by the friends I made over my 8 years as a Paramedic.

The 'Fit Responder' Program came about because I could no longer sit quietly aside while watching co-workers bodies deteriorate and fail from lack of care, improper exercise and over / under use.

Throughout my career I have had countless Officers, Fire Fighters, Nurses and Medics come to me  for advice and guidance.  Unfortunately by the time many of them contacted me their bodies were already injured.  Make no mistake about it ...your chosen profession is hard on your body. But there are simple things that can be done, on duty and off, to fight injury and be fit. 

The FIT RESPONDER program was designed to help you be healthy, stay healthy and perform better. 

Utilizing simple but very effective tests and 'corrective exercises' we can keep you healthy, on the job while reducing your health care costs.

There are numerous 'programs, books, peer trainers and experts' out there that simply reinforce exercises and concepts that are dangerous. The biomechanical imbalances that a career in Public Safety and Health Care causes and years of 'dangerous bodybuilding type' exercise will take it's toll on your body.

You owe it to yourself and the community you serve to integrate Injury Prevention Techniques and ‘corrective exercises’ into your fitness routine.