Contributed by Nicholas E. Blonien, D.O.

Hitting a hot sauna may be a daunting thought after fighting a fire for hours, but it could help clear toxicants from the body and boost cardiovascular health.

While utilizing sauna therapy for enhancing the clearance of toxic chemicals and cancer-causing compounds is still being studied, the cardiovascular benefits of routine sauna use are much clearer. And remember, cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of firefighter illness and death.

The sauna environment (that is, extreme heat with or without humidity) triggers a physiologic response in the body that is quite similar to aerobic exercise. Core temperature rises, heart rate increases, peripheral blood vessels in the skin dilate and sweating ensues. Repeating this practice causes the body to adapt and can result in the following health benefits:

• Lower blood pressure
• Improved circulation
• Reduced inflammation
• Improved cholesterol levels
• Improved mental well-being
• Improved tolerance to heat exposure (acclimatization)

Many of these results are similar to the benefits of exercise.

Overall, routine sauna bathing multiple times per week appears to profoundly improve heart health and decrease risk of all-cause mortality. For firefighters without serious health conditions, sauna use is a simple practice that may lead to boosting performance and heart health.

Practice points

• Aim for 20-30 minute sauna sessions, at least twice per week, at or near the temperature of 170 degrees Fahrenheit. More frequent use (four to seven times per week) has been shown to be more beneficial, yet shorter and cooler sessions can still be somewhat helpful.
• Stay hydrated in the sauna. Bring a water bottle to drink from while inside.
• Ease into it. The high-heat environment may be unsettling at first. You can certainly start with shorter and/or cooler sessions, advancing to goal temperature and duration over time.
• Confirm you’re healthy enough for sauna therapy. For most firefighters, this shouldn’t be an issue, but sauna is intended to place stress on the body (like exercise). Make sure to talk with your doctor about sauna use before starting. For men, sauna use can decrease fertility. So if you’re trying to start a family, you may want to hold off.

For a deeper dive into how sauna therapy works and why it’s beneficial, you might enjoy Dr. Rhonda Patrick’s summary webpage.

Protect your department from cancer and cardiovascular disease

MnFIRE training provides more guidance and support for firefighters around health and wellness activities like this that can help protect them against cancer and cardiovascular disease. Sign up your department for a FREE training here.

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 study showed that in 2022, 49 of the 96 on-duty fatalities among U.S. firefighters were due to overexertion. Of these, 73% were confirmed due to heart attack or stroke.

What is CVD?

CVD is a disorder of the body’s circulatory system, which includes the heart and blood vessels. CVD encompasses numerous conditions, many of which are related to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is characterized by abnormally stiff and plaque-burdened blood vessels. Primary factors contributing to the development of atherosclerosis and CVD include smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, metabolic disease and physical inactivity.

These conditions ultimately create an environment of increased stress and inflammation within the blood vessels, leading to vessel wall injury, plaque accumulation and increased risk of blockage or rupture. This blockage and narrowing of blood vessels supplying the heart is called coronary artery disease (CAD). When blockage becomes complete, the heart muscle blood supply is cut off, resulting in a heart attack.

CVD and Firefighters

Firefighters are at increased risk for CVD. Routine sleep interruption, suboptimal nutrition, physical inactivity, hazardous exposures and psychosocial stress all lead to chronic physiologic disruption that sets the stage for the development of CVD. Then, when stressed acutely during calls that require intense physical exertion and trigger sympathetic nervous system activation – the fight-or-flight response – the cardiovascular system is pushed to the limit. If baseline CVD is present, there is an increased risk of a sudden cardiac event.

Contributing Factors

Sleep: Over 50% of firefighters report poor sleep quality, and firefighters screening positive for a sleep disorder may have significantly higher odds of developing CVD.

Nutrition: The standard American diet, which includes foods high in calories, saturated fats, sugar and sodium, is common among U.S. firefighters. The eating pattern has been clearly correlated to higher levels of inflammation and higher cholesterol, both risk factors for CVD. Recent research has indicated that firefighters who instead adhered to the Mediterranean diet – high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and beans – had more favorable cholesterol profiles.

Exercise: A large percentage of firefighters do not meet the American Heart Association’s recommendations for weekly exercise. Lower levels of cardiorespiratory fitness due to insufficient exercise is strongly correlated with increased CVD risk. A 2023 research review confirmed this correlation in firefighters.

Stress: High psychosocial stress has been correlated with CVD, and firefighters experience a lot of it with dangerous situations, pressure to perform and exposure to traumatic experiences.

Other factors: Environmental exposure to hazardous chemicals and particulate matter can increase risk for adverse cardiac events. Recreational exposure to smoking and alcohol also increases CVD risk.

Making Change

We know that 80 to 90% of CVD is preventable. With change at both the organizational and individual level, we can reduce risk of CVD for all firefighters whether they are full-time, part-time or volunteer.

Fire service leaders can promote departmental adherence to NFPA 1582 and 1583, ensuring that minimum fitness standards are maintained and routine assessment of individual CVD risk in firefighters is performed. Increased funding may allow for improved manpower, salary increases (if applicable), heightened health surveillance and more health-protective equipment and facilities.

Each of these changes could have a significant impact on CVD risk in the fire service.

Independent of funding, firehouse leaders can promote a culture that values advancing health and wellness, as cultural shift is a necessary component of achieving lasting health behavior change. Looking for a great place to start? Register your department for a cardiac deep-dive training through MnFIRE this month. Departments with supportive cultures and education/coaching programs have been most successful with reducing CVD risk.

Firefighters may also target key pillars of Lifestyle Medicine to guide their individual approach to CVD risk reduction. This may include partnering with fellow firefighters to adopt more sleep-protective behaviors in the firehouse and at home, adhering to a whole food, plant-predominant diet, engaging in the recommended amount of aerobic exercise weekly, eliminating tobacco use and minimizing alcohol consumption, and openly discussing stressors of the job to support one another and connect.

Firefighters have a unique bond that can be incredibly supportive of health behavioral improvement. With lifestyle modification, cultural change and organizational level support, fire departments can reduce CVD risk and save firefighters from early cardiovascular death.

That’s a wrap on the 2023 Firefighter Health Forum! We appreciate everyone who was able to join us for this important annual conference in central Minnesota filled with meaningful discussions on firefighter health and wellness.

An animated keynote from Dr. Jody Janati shed light on tips and tricks to communicate effectively and with zero drama. And retired Fire Chief Arjuna George shared his personal experience with burnout and his journey to recovery and better self-care during his afternoon keynote.

In breakout sessions for current peer supporters, fire service leaders, and fire service significant others and spouses, we tackled some of the most critical health issues facing Minnesota’s fire service and their families – from Hometown Heroes Assistance Program resources, to how to have difficult conversations with fellow firefighters and prioritize mental wellness.

The first-ever spouses and significant others track at the forum premiered the brand-new Spouses & Significant Others MnFIRE training curriculum that we’re thrilled to provide to firefighter partners and families this year and beyond! We discussed the tools, skills and perspective needed to make smart decisions about the physical and mental health of the family. Here’s what one attendee said about this new avenue of support:

“From day one, eight years ago, when my husband became a volunteer firefighter, I wanted to learn how to support him on the home front. Spouses had zero resources until now. I am so grateful for all the work MnFIRE is doing to empower firefighters and their families.”

Attendees connected over how to best support the health and well-being of their firefighter loved ones, and we discussed the best ways to navigate potential issues that can arise when you have a firefighter in your family.

Thanks again to everyone who made the 2023 Firefighter Health Forum a success, including our keynote speakers Arjuna George and Dr. Jody Janati, the MnFIRE board, and all of our other health expert partners.

If you’re interested in scheduling a FREE follow-up MnFIRE health and wellness training with your entire department, please see our training page for more information. We’ll soon be rolling out training sessions on new topics including sleep, nutrition, fitness, the session for spouses and significant others mentioned above and more.

Save the date

We’re already looking forward to the 2024 Firefighter Health Forum at Grand Casino Mille Lacs on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024. We hope to see you there next year!

Austin fire chief prioritizes firefighter health with MnFIRE training

Firefighters are in an others-first career, often focusing on people who need help before tending to their own needs. As a fire chief, Jim McCoy knows it’s part of his job to give the members of his Austin Fire Department resources to make their health a priority. It’s why McCoy had his department complete MnFIRE training.

“This is one thing we can do for us,” said McCoy, who has been in the fire service nearly 24 years. “Our other firefighter training focuses on helping others, but we need (MnFIRE training) to make sure we are healthy, too.”

From these trainings, McCoy and his department became MnFIRE aware and then dove deep into learning about cancer and cardiac diagnoses along with mental health. The trainings helped them find ways to try to avoid these diagnoses and gave them coping mechanisms for getting through them.

McCoy acknowledged that some cancer can be mitigated by changes such as using more advanced gear, taking showers after calls, washing gear properly and wearing gloves amongst many other tactics. While cardiac issues sometimes depend on an individual’s genetic makeup, McCoy said he can encourage his department to eat healthy and work on physical fitness to help keep them heart healthy. For his own overall health, McCoy and his wife watched MnFIRE’s nutrition training videos online led by Chef Marshall O’Brien. Now the couple continuously works together to cook the nutritious recipes they learned from the training videos.

Mental wellbeing is the one area that needs the most improvement in the fire service, McCoy said.

“Mental health is nothing you can see, and it’s so engrained in us to ‘suck it up,’” McCoy said. “In the past, that term ‘suck it up’ was the norm in the fire service. It was almost as if feelings weren’t allowed.”

McCoy is glad that mentality is changing.

“Now it’s OK to talk about it, have feelings and let people know it’s a struggle,” he said. “Through MnFIRE and other programs, we have routes to deal with mental health – to talk to people and become well again.”

The MnFIRE trainings are part of making that change.

“All the trainings have been wonderful and it’s something that needs to continue,” McCoy said. “The more knowledge we have on prevention the better off we are.”

For more information about MnFIRE Training, visit the training tab on our website.

Minnesota’s annual giving holiday is Thursday, Nov. 17, but you don’t have to wait to support your local firefighters! From now through Nov. 17, visit the MnFIRE GiveMN page and make a donation to help protect the health and well-being of firefighters across the state.

Firefighters continue to face alarming rates of cardiovascular disease, emotional trauma and cancer, but there is hope. We’re equipping firefighters and the people who care about them with critical resources to address this growing health crisis. Firefighter futures across the state have been forever changed because of MnFIRE and the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program, and your gift can help us keep the momentum going!

If you give $75 or more this Give to the Max, you will receive a free MnFIRE mug or hat as a thank-you gift from us. And if you give $200 or more, you will receive a free MnFIRE blanket – perfect for cozying up now that winter is here. All of us here at MnFIRE and firefighters across the state appreciate your support!

 

“The support, resources, encouragement and how much they care and stay engaged will be uplifting even in your darkest hours,” Captain William Ewald of the St. Bonifacius Fire Department said about MnFIRE. “It’s a tremendous and valuable resource we all need to use.”

Your gift this week will make a difference in the lives of Minnesota’s 20,000 firefighters – protecting them from cardiac, emotional trauma and cancer by ensuring they receive life-saving services such as free health and wellness trainings, critical illness benefits, mental health provider visits and more. That means happy, healthy and productive lives and careers for firefighters and their families.

Together, let’s continue protecting the health of our hometown heroes! Give at givemn.org/MnFire.

You’re invited! Join us Saturday, Jan. 21 at the Grand Casino Mille Lacs in Onamia to experience meaningful health and wellness training at the second annual Firefighter Health Forum.

The inaugural Firefighter Health Forum in 2022 was such a success – gathering mental health experts and fire service leaders from across the state, and sparking many important and inspiring firefighter health conversations. We’re excited to bring back this important event to engage with educational and actionable sessions around the most critical health issues facing Minnesota’s fire service, as well as the new Hometown Heroes Assistance Program resources available to every full-time, part-time, paid-on-call and volunteer firefighter.

This year’s Firefighter Health Forum will feature three distinct tracks for fire service leaders, peer supporters and, for the first time, fire service spouses and significant others.

It’s no secret firefighters deal with some very specific issues that can spill over into life at home. For the first time, spouses and significant others of Minnesota firefighters can take part in an educational track expressly designed to give them the tools, skills and perspective needed to make smart decisions about their family’s physical and mental health. Through this track, you’ll learn how to best support the health and well-being of your loved one – and navigate potential issues that can arise when you have a firefighter in your family.

Secure your spot today!

Register for the 2023 Firefighter Health Forum now through Eventbrite. And spread the word! Did you attend an eye-opening session last year? Tell your fellow firefighters, peer supporters and significant others to join you this time around. We look forward to connecting with you at the Forum in January!

Stay tuned to our event page for more details – including session topics, speakers and more. We have also reserved a block of rooms at Grand Casino Mille Lacs for the night of Friday, Jan. 20, 2023, at a rate of $107. A hospitality room will also be available Friday evening for those arriving the night before the Firefighter Health Forum. For booking details, visit our website.

A major health diagnosis, especially cancer, can be a lot to process. There are likely medications, hospital stays or ongoing doctor appointments to manage. This can mean a disruption of daily routines and usually a halt in work schedules. Plus, it’s mentally taxing on everyone – the individual, family members, friends and loved ones included. Oftentimes, stressing over the dreaded question of, “How am I going to pay for all this?” can take precious energy away from the healing process.

Recognizing June is National Cancer Survivor Month, we want to make sure all firefighters who face a cancer diagnosis have the resources available to focus on beating their illness and putting it behind them. The MnFIRE Critical Illness Program through the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program (HHAP) can help by keeping the financial stress of a critical illness diagnosis at bay. All active firefighters are automatically enrolled in this insurance policy, which covers diagnoses of cancer, cardiac, COVID-19 and other critical illnesses, and provides a lump-sum cash payment up to $20,000 to assist with expenses. This is all at no cost to the firefighters. That’s right – it’s free.

Christian Worby, a 42-year-old firefighter for the Coon Rapids Fire Department, is currently battling multiple myeloma. His treatment plan includes chemotherapy along with a six-week hospital stay for a stem cell transplant. Not only is Worby and his family maxing out their insurance deductible, but they also have to pay for gas and accommodations for all the treatment travel. Plus, Worby has had to take time off from work, meaning a smaller paycheck.

“It’s great having the extra financial support,” Christian said. “It’s an extra safety net. It’s an expensive deal having a major illness.”

This National Cancer Survivor Month, we honor those firefighters who were taken from us too soon from this disease, and celebrate those who have survived or are currently battling cancer. And we’re thankful to be able to offer this resource to make that battle a little easier.

Take some of the financial stress off your plate by submitting a claim for your cancer or critical illness diagnosis. For more information or to file a claim, visit MnFIRE’s website or call 888-784-6634.

The MnFIRE team is gearing up for the 2022 MnFORE Golf Tournament on Monday, July 25 – and we hope you’ll join us!

The golf tournament will be held at the Bearpath Golf & Country Club in Eden Prairie on the luxurious Jack Nicklaus Signature Course. All proceeds benefit MnFIRE, which provides Minnesota’s firefighters with the tools they need to prioritize and protect their health by focusing on the three health problems most commonly experienced by those in the fire service: cardiac, cancer and emotional trauma.

MnFORE funds important programs designed to help firefighters and their families. Your registration fee includes the following:

• 18-Hole round of golf
• Cart
• Boxed lunch
• Happy Hour
• Plated dinner
• And MORE!

Register yourself or a foursome here. Non-foursome groups and single golfers are welcome – we will pair golfers for an afternoon of fun. Golfer spots are filling up fast, so register today!

While numerous amazing organizations have already stepped up to sponsor the event, there are still opportunities for businesses and individuals to sponsor this year’s golf tournament benefitting Minnesota firefighters. Check out our full list of sponsorship levels and opportunities.

If you have any questions regarding the event, or if you would like to volunteer or donate, or become a sponsor, please contact Gina Calistro by phone at (612) 309-4462 or email, gcalistro@mnfireinitiative.com.

By MnFIRE Assistance Program partner, Optum

People in the fire service experience much higher rates of mental health challenges than the general population – particularly in the areas of sleep disorders, depression, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidal ideation/action. The stigma associated with mental health conditions causes many firefighters to stay quiet about what they’re really experiencing – and not seek treatment. They might perceive themselves to be “weak,” feel ashamed, or tell themselves it’s “just a phase” that’ll pass if they push through. They might worry about being treated differently or losing their jobs. Or, they just might not know where to begin finding help.

This is all to say, one of your fellow firefighters may be suffering in silence. You can help set the tone in your department so mental illness is destigmatized, and people feel encouraged to seek out help when they need it.

Learn the signs

While different mental health conditions have different symptoms, with variances depending on the person, early warning signs include behavior changes over time that last for two or more weeks. For example, a previously energetic, reliable colleague now consistently seems fatigued, shows up late and looks disheveled. They also seem angry, irritable, and prone to outbursts.

Some common signs of mental illness include:

1. Excessive worrying or fear
2. Persistent sadness, hopelessness or “empty” feeling
3. Lack of concentration
4. Extreme mood changes, including irritability or anger
5. Changes in eating habits, energy level or sleeping patterns
6. Delusions and/or hallucinations
7. Increased use of alcohol or other substances
8. Persistent physical aches and pains
9. Suicidal thoughts
10. Lack of interest in activities
11. Inability to carry out daily activities or handle daily problems and stress
12. Intense fear of weight gain or concern with appearance

Reach out

If someone you know is showing warning signs and needs help coping with a situational or chronic mental health condition, reaching out can make a difference. Consider using the method like “NOTICE. TALK. ACT.™” from American the Psychiatric Association.³

If you notice a person is exhibiting the warning signs that last for two or more weeks, find a quiet place to ask, “Are you OK?” Compassionately and nonjudgmentally provide a few examples of what’s worrying you. Do not assume you know what is going on. Listen with the aim to learn more from their perspective. Remind them we all have challenging times in life, and getting extra support and guidance can help us get through those times. Recommend they consider taking advantage of the free counseling sessions available to them through the MnFIRE Assistance Program, or to call MnFIRE’s 24/7 peer support hotline, both available at: 888-784-6634.

Then, check back in with the person in a day or two to see how things are going. Please note: If you are worried about the person’s immediate safety, do not leave the person alone. Seek emergency assistance.

Be an ally

You also can help create a supportive environment, increase awareness and reduce stigma for those in your department who are struggling. For example, commit to using respectful and compassionate language to describe or talk about mental health. Using derogatory terms perpetuates discrimination and stigma. It also dehumanizes the people living with mental health conditions, dismisses their experiences and can discourage them from asking for support.

In addition, intervene if you overhear others using verbally abusive language, and challenge misconceptions when you see or hear them.

You can make a difference.

Most of us have probably felt the strain of our job or the difficulty of balancing the fire service with other areas of our lives. It’s easy to try to muscle through it knowing we have an important job helping others and keeping them safe. However, there comes a point where we need to let others help us. And it doesn’t need to be a crisis to reach that point.

With May as Mental Health Awareness Month, we at MnFIRE want to make sure all fire service members know the resources available to those of us in the field. Through the Hometown Heroes Assistance Program (HHAP), every active firefighter in the state – full-time, part-time, paid-on-call or volunteer – has access to mental health support – all free!

It comes through the MnFIRE Assistance Program (MAP), one of the three elements of the HHAP. In the fire service, we encounter unique emotional and mental stresses. We need people who understand the distinct and specific stresses and challenges we encounter. This program focuses on providing mental health care specifically to us – firefighters and our families. And it doesn’t matter the size of the help needed, whether through a big crisis or a small issue, the MAP program can steer us in the right direction. There are two ways to access help – calling 888-784-6634 or visiting www.mnfireinitiative.com/hhap/#MAP.

One of the best parts about this program is having it available to our families. Our time in the fire service affects them, too. They have their own unique set of stressors. Any member of a firefighter’s household, including children living away from home, can access the interactive website or contact a trained specialist. Each firefighter and/or their family members can receive up to five counseling visits a year with additional support ensured as needed.

No call or inquiry is too small. Simply look at the website or dial the phone. There is someone there to talk you through what is available. If something major happened in your life or if you’re just feeling stressed, the MAP program is here to help.

Another great part of MAP is the peer support program where firefighters are paired with a trained peer supporter who knows firsthand the difficulties firefighters face. They are fellow fire service members in Minnesota who are there to lend a listening ear or offer support, all completely anonymous. They are well-equipped to walk alongside us as we encounter life at the firehall, on calls and beyond.

We don’t need to muscle through challenges alone. There are people ready and willing to help no matter the size of the problem. It doesn’t need to be a crisis to ask for mental health help.