In this issue:

1. May is American Stroke Month
2. Get Screened At the NVFC Booth During Fire Expo
3. National Firefighter Health Week Resource Center Now Available
4. NVFC and USFA Release Report on Emerging Health and Safety Issues in the Volunteer Fire Service
5. American Lung Association of Vermont to Hold Strongman Competition for Fire Departments
6. Tips: Mental Health Month
7. Recipe: Black Bean, Corn and Mango Salad
8. Calendar of Events

May is American Stroke Month

May is American Stroke Month, and the NVFC’s Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program has partnered with the American Stroke Association (ASA) to educate first responders about the risk factors and warning signs of stroke. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, and many survivors are left with permanent disabilities. According to the ASA, a stroke occurs every 40 seconds. Cardiovascular disease, which includes stroke and heart attacks, is the number one cause of line-of-duty firefighter deaths. You can help lower your chance of a fatal or debilitating stroke by knowing the warning signs and adopting a healthy lifestyle.

The Give Me 5 for Stroke campaign of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, the American Academy of Neurology, and the American College of Emergency Physicians highlights the five key signs that someone is suffering from a stroke. If you or someone you know experiences any of the following symptoms, call 911 and go to the emergency room immediately, even if the symptoms seem to go away. Signs to watch for include:

• Walk – is their balance off?
• Talk – is their speech slurred or face droopy?
• Reach – is one side weak or numb?
• See – is their vision all or partly lost?
• Feel – is their headache severe?

The ASA reports that stroke kills two million brain cells per minute, which leaves survivors with physical and emotional disabilities. However, stroke is highly treatable in the first three hours. Volunteer firefighter Erik Oppermann of Charles City, VA, knows the importance of recognizing the signs of a stroke and receiving treatment as soon as possible. He was a smoker and had high cholesterol, but he was only 38 and had never struggled with his weight; he worked out regularly and had low blood pressure. So when he began feeling dizzy and having spotty vision while on a call, he thought he had just inhaled too much smoke. He got home, collapsed on his front porch, and spent his 39th birthday in the hospital after suffering an embolic stroke.

“This taught me a lesson that being young doesn’t mean you aren’t at risk for stroke and heart disease,” Oppermann said. “I’m encouraging everyone in my department, no matter how young or how old, to get regular check ups and adopt a healthy lifestyle. And if you think you might be having a stroke or heart attack, get to the hospital as soon as you can.”

Because he received early treatment, the damage to Opperman’s body was not as severe as it could have been. He lost use of his left side, but with the help of rehabilitation he is slowly regaining its use and will continue being a volunteer first responder, which he has done for almost two decades.

Find out more about American Stroke Month and stroke at www.strokeassociation.org. Learn more about heart-health and maintaining a healthy lifestyle with the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program at www.healthy-firefighter.org.

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Get Screened At the NVFC Booth During Fire Expo

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is bringing its interactive exhibit to Fire Expo in Harrisburg, PA, from May 16-18. Stop by the booth to get free health screenings as well as learn about programs and resources that can benefit you and your department.

The NVFC booth includes important components of the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program, the nation’s only heart attack awareness and prevention campaign targeted at all firefighters and emergency medical personnel, both volunteer and career. The NVFC has teamed up with L&T Health and Fitness, an award-winning fitness management and health promotion company, to offer free health screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol, and body composition. In just minutes, firefighters, EMS personnel, and their family members can find out if their numbers put them at risk for heart disease. Since the Program launched in 2003, over 14,000 people have been screened.

“Heart attack is the number one cause of line-of-duty firefighter deaths,” said Maggie Wilson, Director of Health and Safety for the NVFC. “The Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program is designed to reverse this alarming trend and provide firefighters, EMS personnel, and their families with the tools and knowledge to keep their hearts strong.”

“Fire Expo provides us with an excellent opportunity to meet with the grassroots fire service,” Wilson continued. “We always get such an enthusiastic response to the booth and the free health screenings."

For more information about these and other NVFC initiatives and to receive your free health screenings, remember to stop by the NVFC booth at Fire Expo. Visit the NVFC online at www.nvfc.org.

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National Firefighter Health Week Resource Center Now Available

National Firefighter Health Week 2008 will be observed August 18-22. The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has released an online Resource Center to help you learn about important health topics that affect first responders and give you ideas to start planning your National Firefighter Health Week activities now.

In order to create awareness around health issues in the emergency services and encourage first responders to take action, the NVFC, through its groundbreaking Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program, launched National Firefighter Health Week in August 2007. Now in its second year, National Firefighter Health Week is a week-long initiative to educate the fire and emergency services community and the public about heart-health as well as a variety of other health and wellness issues.

Each day during National Firefighter Health Week is dedicated to a different health issue of particular concern to the fire and emergency services. The Resource Center features resources, daily activity suggestions, and other tools for each of the focus topics. The topics for the 2008 National Firefighter Health Week are:

• Monday, August 18: Behavioral Health
• Tuesday, August 19: Nutrition
• Wednesday, August 20: Heart-Health
• Thursday, August 21: Respiratory/Lung Health
• Friday, August 22: Diabetes

Each day of the year is a new opportunity to be healthy. Find resources and information to help you adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle at www.healthy-firefighter.org.

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NVFC and USFA Release Report on Emerging Health and Safety Issues in the Volunteer Fire Service

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) in partnership with the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) has completed a study of emerging occupational health and safety issues in the volunteer fire and emergency services. The report, Emerging Health and Safety Issues in the Volunteer Fire Service, provides information on initiatives, programs, and strategies for reducing fatalities among volunteer firefighters.

"The volunteer fire service is an integral part of our nation's Homeland Security," said U.S. Fire Administrator Greg Cade. "The USFA was pleased to work in partnership with the NVFC to develop focused initiatives to support the health and safety of America's volunteer firefighters."

There are an estimated 823,950 volunteer firefighters in the United States, according to the National Fire Protection Association report U.S. Fire Department Profile through 2006. Over 70 percent of the fire departments in the U.S. are all-volunteer and 17 percent are mostly volunteer combination departments. With the vast majority of fire departments and their communities dependent on volunteer firefighters, there is a critical need for effective health and safety programs to protect these volunteers from preventable injury, illness, and death.

"The volunteer fire service has distinct issues related to health and safety that need to be specifically addressed," said Philip C. Stittleburg, NVFC Chairman. "We lose too many volunteer firefighters in line-of-duty deaths."

Download Emerging Health and Safety Issues in the Volunteer Fire Service. Printed copies of this publication will be available in the near future; please check the USFA Publications Catalog for a notice of availability.

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American Lung Association of Vermont to Hold Strongman Competition for Fire Departments

The American Lung Association of Vermont is inviting firefighters and EMS personnel from stations across Vermont to compete in their annual Fire Truck Pull. Show your strongman talents by pulling a fire engine 75 feet in the fastest time using a rope. The Green Mountain Strongman Competition will take place on July 26 at the Champlain Valley Fairgrounds in Essex Junction. The winner will receive a trophy and bragging rights. All participants will receive a t-shirt. Same day registration begins at 9 a.m., or register in advance at www.lungvt.org.

The American Lung Association of Vermont’s mission is to prevent lung disease and promote lung health. Learn more about the Association at www.lungvt.org.

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Tips: May is Mental Health Month

Sponsored by Mental Health America, Mental Health Month was created more than 50 years ago to raise awareness about mental health conditions and the importance of mental wellness for all. This year’s theme is “Get Connected,” which focuses on an essential component of maintaining mental health and wellness: social connectedness. There are many ways to create connections that support mental health:

• Get connected to family and friends to feel close and supported.
• Get connected to your community to feel a sense of belonging and purpose.
• Get connected to professional help to feel better when you’re stressed and having trouble coping.

As emergency responders you face stressful events on a daily basis. Stress can contribute to heart disease and may effect your immune system, in addition to the emotional effects it can have. It is important to learn constructive ways to handle stress so you can continue to help others and lead an emotionally healthy life. Consider some of these tips from Mental Health America for managing your on-the-job stress. 

• Connect with others. You don’t have to cope with stress or other issues on your own. Talking to a trusted friend, family member, support group, or counselor can make you feel better. Spending time with positive, loving people you care about and trust can ease stress and improve your mood.

• Relax your mind. Each person has his or her own ways to relax. Maybe you relax by listening to soothing music, reading a book, or doing a quiet activity. Also think about deep breathing, yoga, meditation, or massage therapy.

• Exercise. Exercising relieves your tense muscles, improves your mood and sleep, and increases your energy and strength. In fact, researchers say that exercise eases symptoms of anxiety and depression. You may not even need to exercise intensely to get the benefits of activity. Try taking a brisk walk or use a stationary bike. See what it takes for you to feel better.

• Get Enough Rest. Getting enough sleep helps you recover from the stresses of the day. Try to get seven to nine hours of sleep every night. Visit the Sleep Foundation web site at www.sleepfoundation.org for tips on getting a better night’s sleep.

• Know your limits. Let others know them, too. If you’re overwhelmed at home, at work, or with friends, learn how to say “no.” It may feel uncomfortable at first, so practice saying “no” with the people you trust most.

• Watch your negative self-talk. Try not to put yourself down. For example, if you don’t make it to the gym this week, don’t call yourself lazy. Instead think about the specific factor that may have kept you from going to the gym. “I wasn’t able to work out because I had to work late hours this week. But next week, I’ll make it a priority to go.” The problem is temporary and can be overcome.

For more tips and tools on managing your mental and emotional health, visit Mental Health America at www.nmha.org/go/may.

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Recipe: Black Bean, Corn, and Mango Salad

Courtesy of Erron and Julie Kinney and family

Ingredients:

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 ½ cup frozen corn
1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
¼ cup diced red onion
¼ cup diced red bell pepper
3 tbsp lime juice
1 ½ tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
¼ tsp ground cumin
salt to taste (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in skillet on medium to high heat
2. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant
3. Add corn and sauté for several minutes until coated with oil
4. Add corn and garlic to all other ingredients in a bowl and mix

*This dish is excellent chilled or as a topping over a green salad or grilled chicken.

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Calendar of Events

Below is a list of events the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program will be attending as well as nationally recognized dates the Program would like to acknowledge.

American Stroke Month
May

National High Blood Pressure Education Month
May

National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
May

Fire Expo
Harrisburg, PA
May 16-18, 2008

Firehouse Expo
Baltimore, MD
July 22-27, 2008

Fire-Rescue International
Denver, CO
August 14-16, 2008

National Firefighter Health Week
August 18-22, 2008

National Cholesterol Education Month
September

World Heart Day
September 30

American Diabetes Month
November

Great American Smokeout
November 20