Fire Fit: An Intensive Focus on Firefighter Wellness

About the Program

Category: Personnel Management, Employment and Training (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

The physical demands on firefighters are intense and non-negotiable. At a moment’s notice, these first responders need to be able to exert significant physical strength and display substantial cardiorespiratory stamina in order to do their jobs effectively. In October 2013, the Division of Fire (DOF) implemented a Work Performance Evaluation (WPE) to evaluate sworn personnel’s ability to physically perform firefighter duties, and to clearly define a standard for firefighter fitness. Sworn personnel were told that passing the WPE was crucial to their ability to perform their jobs safely and effectively, and that doing so would be an annual expectation. In October 2014, while the majority of sworn personnel passed the WPE, there were still some who were unable to meet this expectation. The DOF collaborated with the Department of Human Resources (HR) to create and implement an intensive initiative to support and train these employees, providing them with the resources they needed to meet this benchmark the following year. After attending this program, the 2015 WPE results showed a 15% increase in completion, an 81% reduction in those who completed the Over the Benchmark (OBM) and a 75% reduction in the number of firefighters who Did Not Finish (DNF).