Proper training methods may be used as an effective preventative measure for many of the musculoskeletal injuries sustained as a first responder that are inherent to the profession. The traditionally low fitness levels and poor exercise habits of city firefighters may predispose this population to an increased risk of chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular and metabolic disease. The purpose of this study was to analyze changes in the health and fitness parameters of professional firefighters across North Texas during a six-month training program. Twenty-two professional firefighters completed six months of group training, consisting of two training sessions per week. These individuals underwent a pre- and post-fitness testing protocol that consisted of body composition, range of motion, anaerobic power, muscular endurance, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Improvements (p < 0.05) in flexibility, anaerobic performance, fatigue index, muscular endurance, and aerobic fitness were found following the six-month training program. No differences in body composition or peak power were observed (p > 0.05). Six months of group exercise improves aerobic and anaerobic fitness, exercise tolerance, muscular endurance, and flexibility in firefighters.

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Central vascular function (stiffness, pressure wave energy transmission, hemodynamics) can impact high-flow end-organs such as the myocardium. Police officers, firefighters, emergency medical services personnel, and military personnel ("emergency responders" [ER]) experience more on-duty deaths from cardiac events than other occupational groups. As ER face unique occupational stressors, central vascular stress reactivity (CVSR) may contribute to cardiac risk. PURPOSE: Determine if ER have greater CVSR compared with non-ER (NER). METHODS: 9 ER and 9 age-, sex-, race-, and body fat-matched NER (n = 2 women; Table 1) had central vascular function assessed at rest and during 3 min of mental stress (Stroop). Potential covariates included: fasting cholesterol, lipids, and glucose from a fingerstick sample; physical activity via the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ); and depressive symptomology from the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD). Aortic stiffness was assessed using carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity. Doppler ultrasound was used to measure carotid artery β stiffness, while Wave Intensity Analysis provided measures of pressure wave energy transmission. Carotid pressures were measured using applanation tonometry. CVSR was calculated as mental stress -resting. RESULTS: Groups had similar metabolic profiles and IPAQ scores (p ≥ 0.11). CESD score was greater in ER than NER (p = 0.04) and was used as a covariate for analyses. CVSR was similar between groups for all variables (p > 0.05; Table 1). CONCLUSIONS: Despite more depressive symptomology, ER do not have greater central vascular function changes to stress compared with NER, suggesting high resiliency during mental stress in ER.

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