Why do fire fighters need a wellness Plan
- To decrease your risk of injury on the job AND off the job.
- To enjoy your family life by being healthy for as long as possible.
- To enjoy the pension you have been paying into for years instead of your family getting short changed.
- To keep records of your health so if a problem occurs you will be compensated and treatment is easily accessible.
- To enjoy life to the fullest i.e. golf one more hole, hunt one more season, paddle one more lake and build that dream cottage.
- As you may already know, heart attacks are 10 to 100 times the average while fire fighting. Cancer rates in fire fighters are presently known to be much higher than normal You need to be protected by this program as it is proven to work.
So how do you keep yourself alive and healthy?
You need to convince your city to implement a wellness program and this website is designed to inform you about a model that already exists through the International Association of Firefighters to help accomplish this goal. It is based on five areas that are outlined in this website. If your city does not have a Wellness Program and refuses to support one then you need to at least start one for yourself. Choosing one or all of the 5 areas to work on, you need to start getting the care you deserve.
The IAFF (International Association of Fire Fighters) and the IAFC (International Association of Fire Chiefs) have already got together and realized that this kind of program not only saves lives but also saves the city money. They have taken it on and endorsed it together as a joint labor and management initiative. That is the reason the program is NON PUNATIVE meaning you choose to take part in it without fear of loosing your job. It is to keep you safe for your family and it is strictly confidential.