Are you in Canada? Click here to proceed to the HK Canada website.

For all other locations, click here to continue to the HK US website.

Human Kinetics Logo

Purchase Courses or Access Digital Products

If you are looking to purchase online videos, online courses or to access previously purchased digital products please press continue.

Mare Nostrum Logo

Purchase Print Products or eBooks

Human Kinetics print books and eBooks are now distributed by Mare Nostrum, throughout the UK, Europe, Africa and Middle East, delivered to you from their warehouse. Please visit our new UK website to purchase Human Kinetics printed or eBooks.

Feedback Icon Feedback Get $15 Off

FREE SHIPPING!

Free shipping for orders over $99

Need to access your Online Course or Ebook?

Fitness programs to reduce firefighter fatality rates

This is an excerpt from Hard Work:Defining Physical Work Performance Requirements by Brian Sharkey & Paul Davis.

The latest findings in the ongoing study of American firefighter fatalities, reported in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (April 28, 2006), from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire), were that sudden cardiac death remains the leading cause of death in the line of duty. Half of all deaths for volunteer firefighters were cardiac related, and 39 percent of deaths for career firefighters were from heart attacks. As in past years, the deaths were attributed to stress and overexertion. According to Dr. Ridenour, epidemiologist with the CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), “The leading cause of death is sudden cardiac death, and we can reduce these risks by having fitness programs and annual physicals. Fire departments should consider mandatory annual fitness exams for firefighters.”

More Excerpts From Hard Work:Defining Physical Work Performance Requirements