Courtesy of NVFC’s Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program
It is American Heart Month, and the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program has all of the resources, tools, and information you need to keep your heart strong. It is critically important to make focusing on your heart a priority. Cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke, cause almost thirty percent of all deaths each year in the U.S., and it is the number one cause of line-of-duty firefighter deaths. Heart disease affects men and women of all ages, races, and professions.
To recognize the nation’s ongoing fight against heart disease, Congress issued a joint resolution in 1963 requesting that the President issue a proclamation each year designating February as American Heart Month. The purpose of this annual proclamation is to renew the nation’s commitment to fighting this deadly disease and increase public awareness of how to prevent cardiovascular illnesses.
This month, focus on your heart by utilizing the resources, tools, and information available from the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program to reduce your risk of heart disease. To help you adopt and maintain a heart-healthy lifestyle, the Program’s website features healthy recipes, motivational success stories, facts about heart disease, and more. In addition, individuals and departments can now adopt the program to access even more tools and resources, including the Fired Up For Fitness Challenge.
Making even small changes can help you lead a longer, healthier life. Eat a well-rounded, healthy diet; make a commitment to be more physically active; get cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood glucose screenings regularly; and if you smoke, try to quit. Keep your heart strong for those who depend on you: your family, your friends, and your community.
The Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program is the only national program dedicated to saving America’s firefighters and EMS personnel from heart disease. Learn more on the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program website.
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» Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program
