With great pride, Chief Tobia looks back since 2004 when the Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives were first promulgated. Important inroads have been made, he posits, in many areas to reduce serious line-of-duty injuries and deaths. One area, however, that has been less successful concerns cardiac-related LODIs and LODDs. Chief Tobia summarizes his position succinctly: obtaining an annual physical for every firefighter in the United States would make a difference in saving the lives of our firefighters. Furthermore, he correctly points out that there exists a large trove of resources to help fire departments, such as those available free of cost on the Fire Hero Learning Network. Finally, Chief Tobia urges action to accompany the mantra of taking care of ourselves and our communities.
“Unfortunately, what we are seeing is that probably the hardest area to make a change in, has been the area of cardiac health, of getting an annual physical for every firefighter in the United States. It’s getting an annual physical, that will make the difference in saving the lives of our firefighters.” – Matt Tobia
Related:
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Lt. Dustin Dunn, Gallatin (TN) Fire Department
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Chief Robert Fling (Ret.), Dix Hills (NY) Fire Department
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Deputy Fire Chief Steve Przibowski, Santa Clara County Fire Department
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Mike Wieder, Executive Director, IFSTA
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Paul Melfi, State Fire Instructor, New York State Office of Prevention & Control
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Fire Chief Shane Ray (Ret.), President, National Fire Sprinkler Association
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Rich Marinucci, Executive Director, Fire Department Safety Officers Association
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Mike Wieder, Executive Director, IFSTA
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Deputy Chief Tim Cowan
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Captain Rich Goddard
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Captain David Harris
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Deputy Chief Matt Tobia
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Chief Trisha Wolford
- Everyone Goes Home® Speak Up – Captain John Dixon
