Success Stories > Grande Prairie Fire Department: Fit to Survive
It didn’t take Todd Russell long to learn about the physical demands of being a firefighter. On his very first shift on his very first night as a firefighter, he battled a blaze in the basement of a Grande Prairie home.
When they arrived on the scene, Todd and a fellow firefighter—each wearing or carrying more than 30 pounds of equipment and between them lugging a water-filled fire hose that weighed more than 200 pounds—made their way down a smoke-filled staircase.
While his training had prepared him to some degree, Todd was shocked by the physical demands of the incident. He recalls, “We were only down there for ten minutes, but when we came out I was absolutely exhausted. The adrenaline, the fire, the smoke, the weight of the hose and my equipment; I couldn’t believe how spent I was. When I was down there, I realized that if something had happened to my partner, there was no way I would have been able to help him.”
Motivated by this experience, Todd committed himself to becoming more fit and to encouraging his fellow firefighters to do the same. He often shares the story of his first day on the job with new recruits and emphasizes the important link between fitness and survival in the profession.
“Ninety-five per cent of our work as firefighters is not physically demanding—but when we get to the other five per cent, I want to make sure that my level of fitness doesn’t stop me from doing what I need to do.”
Grande Prairie Fire Department in Brief
Size: 75 uniformed personnel
Challenges: Getting “buy-in” from firefighters who are not typically interested in fitness
Mission Statement: Through professionalism, dedication, integrity and training, the Grande Prairie Fire Department works to safeguard lives and property to enhance the quality of life of the people of the region. This is accomplished by providing a wide range of emergency services, strong fire safety education and public relations. We seek to protect and preserve the health and safety of our employees and to return our personnel safely to their families.
It comes as no surprise, then, that Todd eagerly stepped forward when fire chief Dan Lemieux was looking for volunteers to help develop and implement a fitness and wellness program for the Grande Prairie Fire Department (GPDF) in 2007. Along with fellow firefighters from each of the GPFD’s four platoons, Todd became part of a committee responsible for the department’s Wellness-Fitness Initiative (WFI).
When recruiting WFI committee members, Chief Lemieux tried to be as inclusive as possible. In order to get buy-in from all personnel, he invited firefighters from a variety of backgrounds and with a variety of interests to take part. Todd says, “I like to use the gym; I’m in there a lot. But Chief Lemieux wanted to recruit people who weren’t typically interested in fitness. He knew this would be the best way to cast the program in a positive light.”
To guide the development of the WFI, the committee used a program template, developed by the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF). The program aims to “ensure that uniformed personnel are healthy enough to work safely and effectively during their careers and maintain good health during their retirement.”
Steph Garand, another member of the Grande Prairie WFI committee, has high hopes for the program. He says, “We’re one of only a few cities in Canada that have this program. Chief Lemieux is very forward thinking when it comes to the health and wellness of his employees. He thought it would be a great asset to offer this type of support to the department.”
In June 2010, the WFI program kicked off in Grande Prairie, and personnel were invited to participate in a variety of activities—all of them available during work hours. These activities include:
- one hour a day in the gym (each fire department in Grande Prairie has a fully-equipped gym on site)
- annual medical exam
- annual fitness/ability test
- exercise and nutrition awareness programs
- fitness training programs
- health and wellness training
- injury prevention training
- injury rehabilitation programs
The WFI program is optional, so participants don’t sign in or keep records of their participation. But Steph says use of the on-site gyms is increasing and momentum is growing. “We’re a pretty young and active department. The program may be voluntary, but we think we’ll get about 90 per cent of the personnel involved.”
Todd agrees with this assessment. “Now that fitness is being encouraged and supported, more of us are getting involved. The gym is definitely getting used more, and friendly competitions are developing between platoons. It’s almost like it’s become play instead of work.” The challenge, he admits, will be to get as many people as possible involved and to keep them committed to the program.
Today, Todd Russell is a nine-year veteran with the GPFD. He’s also a top-ranked regional competitor in western Canadian Firefit competitions—an event that challenges firefighters to meet the physical demands of their profession head-on.
Still, his first day on the job remains fresh in his memory, and his years with the GPFD have reinforced his belief that, as “occupational athletes” firefighters need to be fit to survive.
Relevant websites