What They Bought With the AFG Grant:

• Wellness and Fitness activity - Periodic Physical Exam/Health Screening

How the Grant Has Helped:

The LAFD provides firefighting, emergency medical, terrorism response, fire prevention, hazardous materials mitigation, disaster response, and public education services to the 3.8 million residents of the City of Los Angeles from 103 fire stations strategically located across 471 square miles, in addition to providing automatic aid to the ten jurisdictions contiguous to the City of Los Angeles . With the volume of emergency incidents continuing to escalate annually (338,733 incidents in 2001/02 and 344,546 incidents in 2002/03), the continued health, fitness, and safety of our members is crucial.

According to the USFA's Firefighter Fatalities Report in the United States in 2005 , heart attacks are the most frequent cause of death for firefighters. After several unsuccessful attempts to fund the program through the city budget process, the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program funded the LAFD's Comprehensive Medicals Program. Previously, the LAFD was unaware of the health status of many of its members. By providing a mandated, biennial comprehensive medical assessment of each member's fitness to perform the rigors of firefighting, individual health awareness and fitness has increased; potentially life-threatening conditions have been detected, brought to the member's attention, and addressed; injuries and cardiovascular incidents have been prevented. A healthier cadre of firefighters is available to serve the residents of Los Angeles and those who live in contiguous communities.

The LAFD Comprehensive Medicals Program is congruous with the Wellness-Fitness Initiative's positive, holistic, rehabilitative, and educational approach to firefighter wellness. Each comprehensive medical encompasses a health questionnaire, a thorough physical examination, pulmonary function test, graded exercise treadmill test for members over 40 years of age and under 40 years of age who have two or more cardiovascular risk factors,. blood panel, chest x-ray, urinalysis, vision testing, measurement of body fat, audiometry, and skin cancer evaluation. Follow-up testing is performed as indicated, for example, Baseline Fast Heart CT Scan as recommended by a cardiologist after Exercise Stress Test.

This grant award allowed the LAFD to perform 1,965 periodic medical examinations, approximately 55 percent of its work force and, through its findings, illustrated the importance of good health and physical fitness related to the duties firefighters perform on a daily basis, and develop a comprehensive wellness program.

Of the examinations performed, health care providers identified a sub-group of 116 members for follow-up evaluation based on the results of the initial medical examination and EKGs that presented rhythm irregularities. From the EKG reviews, 92 members received heart scans and 40 received non-invasive angiography. As of May, 2006, 91 members returned to duty, with one member undergoing a coronary artery bypass procedure. All 92 members received counseling on significant lifestyle modifications, encouraging a healthier life and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. The Department considers discovery of the 92 members at risk for heart disease for firefighters as significant.

The medical examinations identified numerous other risk factors linked to heart disease and provided the Department with essential information regarding how best to help its members achieve a higher level of fitness and wellness. Because of these findings the Department is furthering its efforts to build upon the success of the program by expanding the Comprehensive Wellness Program to include Behavioral Health Management and fitness and nutrition awareness and counseling.

Story Index Page

Next Success Story >