We begin the month of February by observing Groundhog Day and hope that Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, signaling there’s only six weeks left of winter. This is a special month when we honor the birthdays of Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, and we celebrate Valentine’s Day, Black History Month and, perhaps less well known, American Heart Month.
The American fire service needs to get serious about playing a bigger role in celebrating American Heart Month. On Jan. 10, 2006, the U.S. Fire Administration announced that 106 on-duty firefighter fatalities occurred in 2005. No fewer than 48 of these deaths were from heart attacks.
Example: An Illinois volunteer firefighter died early in the morning on Saturday, Jan. 21, after complaining of not feeling well while operating at a fire. The firefighter was pronounced dead at 0135 HRS by the McLean County Coroner. Fire chief Rick Cheek stated the firefighter had been on the hose line, which involves directly spraying water on the fire. “When his bell rang that he had five minutes of air left on his SCBA, he came over and sat down, and said he wasn’t feeling well,” Cheek said. After the firefighter started to feel worse, the chief directed him to EMS for treatment. “I checked on him 10 minutes later, and he was still alert… but things went downhill quickly.” The firefighter was taken to BroMenn Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
In proclaiming American Hearth Month 2005, President George W. Bush said: “The miracles of modern medicine offer hope to those affected by heart disease, yet there are also simple measures that Americans can take to help prevent the disease. During American Heart Month, I encourage all Americans to take action to help reduce their risk and increase awareness of heart disease.”
By the time you read this, the president will have proclaimed American Heart Month 2006. As he had before, he’ll tell us that the steps to a healthy heart include preventing and controlling factors that can lead to heart disease-smoking, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, physical inactivity, obesity and diabetes. By avoiding tobacco, limiting consumption of alcohol, exercising regularly, eating a nutritious diet and maintaining a healthy weight, Americans can substantially reduce their risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Last year, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (part of the National Institutes of Health at the Department of Health and Human Services) and other national organizations launched a national campaign called “The Heart Truth” to educate women about heart disease and to encourage them to make their health a priority. The symbol of “The Heart Truth” campaign is a red dress, which reminds women to talk with their doctors about heart disease and to make healthy choices. In addition, the American Heart Association has launched the “Go Red for Women” campaign to reach out to more women across our country. By continuing to raise public awareness about this deadly disease, we can help all our citizens-including the men and women of the fire service- lead healthier lives.
Let’s emulate the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute with “The Heart Truth for Firefighters.” Rather than a red dress, let’s use a red helmet to remind firefighters and emergency response personnel to talk with their doctors about heart disease and to make healthy choices. We can make a difference and reduce firefighter deaths due to heart disease. Be “big hearted,” and during American Heart Month, join millions of Americans in becoming “heart healthy.”
