| More than 1000 American firefighters died in the | | | | physically fit when first recruited in their 20's. But |
| line of duty during the 11 years up to 2004 | | | | their ability to serve in a physically demanding and |
| (excluding the extra deaths associated with the | | | | stressful environment appears to decline over the |
| terrorist attack on 11 September 2001). A close | | | | years. And volunteer firefighters, who make up |
| look at the national records showed that nearly | | | | approximately 80 percent of the America's one |
| 40% (449 - 1114) of them died of heart disease. | | | | million firefighters, have less-demanding health |
| One third of the deaths from heart disease | | | | requirements at the time of recruitment and are |
| occurred while fighting fires, which takes up only | | | | rarely subject to regular physicals and fitness |
| 5% of an average firefighter's time. The odds of | | | | tests. |
| dying from heart disease while fighting a fire were | | | | Margolis comments, "The message is clear: |
| 10-100 times higher than those of dying during | | | | Firefighters and others in similarly demanding |
| non-emergency duties. Responding to alarms, | | | | occupations must be particularly careful to identify |
| returning from alarm calls, and training were also | | | | and control heart disease risk factors." Margolis |
| significantly riskier than non-emergency duties, but | | | | feels that all firefighters, regardless of avocation, |
| to a lesser extent than the actual firefight. | | | | must remain physically active not only to control |
| According to Dr. Simeon Margolis, "The heart | | | | weight but also to maintain a proper level of |
| disease risk among firefighters rose to as high as | | | | fitness. And as a firefighters gains more time on |
| 100 times greater while actively fighting fires, | | | | the job, regular check-ups become even more |
| compared to performing administrative duties." | | | | important because their age already places them |
| Most firefighters are likely to be healthy and | | | | at greater risk for a heart attack. |