Contributed by Nicholas E. Blonien, D.O. February is American Hearth Month – a time when people are encouraged to focus on their cardiovascular health. While we can celebrate continued advancements in cardiovascular disease (CVD) care and research, this largely preventable disease remains the leading cause of on-duty deaths in the fire service. A recent national...Read More
Cancer is unfortunately now the leading cause of death among firefighters nationwide. Although this subject is certainly crucial year-round, January is Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month, a chance to highlight the potentially life-saving protocols for cancer prevention, while supporting our fire service family members now living with a cancer diagnosis. Beyond personal risk factors like age...Read More
While nutrition alone can’t solve the complexities of a mental health condition, a growing body of research is showing how diets that support brain health can benefit mental health and well-being, and also help reduce stress and improve focus. How nutrients support you Your brain and body need a variety of nutrients to support your...Read More
When you’re going through something stressful or feeling anxious, negative thoughts can make difficult situations and feelings even harder. That’s because how we think affects how we feel, and how we feel affects how we behave. Learning how to get ahead of unhelpful thoughts and reframing them to be more positive can help you get...Read More
Mental health conditions affect people of all ages, backgrounds and lifestyles in all kinds of ways. In fact, about one in five people globally live with a mental health condition. For firefighters, the rates are even higher than the general population – particularly in the areas of sleep disorders, depression, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress injury...Read More
Contributed by Paul J. Anderson, M.D. Getting quality sleep is tough. Anticipation of a call at night is like watching the alarm clock when you know you need to get up early. Your sleep quality suffers. Then a call comes in, and your sympathetic “fight-or-flight” response is activated. This sharpens your focus and primes your...Read More
The entire Minnesota fire service mourns the loss of St. Paul Fire Captain Chris Parsons, who passed away on June 15, 2023. As president of the Minnesota Professional Fire Fighters, principal officer of IAFF Local 21 and a founding board member of MnFIRE, Chris was a fervent champion for firefighter well-being, which will forever be...Read More
Contributed by Paul J. Anderson, M.D. There is no way around it, firefighting is a stressful job. Physically, you must be able to handle the stress of the station alarm or an emergency call, the truck sirens blaring, gearing up and working hard until the fire is out, keeping at it until overhaul is done,...Read More
Once again on Sunday, September 24, we gathered on the grounds of the Minnesota State Capitol for the annual Minnesota Fallen Firefighter Memorial Service. This year, the importance of MnFIRE’s mission hit especially hard. The service honored two beloved members of the state’s fire service, both of whom died in the line of duty in...Read More
