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Healthier Phoenix: Catch the Fire!

A Healthier Phoenix: Our Family Helping Your Family

Fire FitKids
Choose To Survive Program
Tobacco Education Prevention Program
Urban Survival
Our Family Helping Yours

[Physical Fitness]  [Nutrition]  [Prevention]   [Healthy Choices]

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“It has been said that none of us can do it all but we all can do a little. Every person must look into their heart and find the will, passion and perseverance to do their part.”

If you look at the numbers, it can be overwhelming. Obesity is epidemic in the United States. In recent years, diabetes rates among people ages 30 to 39 rose by 70%. About 46.5 million adults in the United States smoke cigarettes, even though this single behavior will result in disability and premature death for half of them. More than 60% of American adults do not get enough physical activity, and more than 25% are not active at all.

Chronic diseases are often the most common and costly of any community’s health problems. Almost every citizen is affected by chronic disease in some way – through the death of a loved one, a relative or friend’s struggle with lifelong illness, or one’s own disability. A person’s compromised quality of life impacts much of society, not only personally, but also financially with the economic burden affecting society as a whole. Many of these chronic diseases could be prevented with a commitment to regular physical activity, proper nutrition, health pre-screens and immunizations, and making healthy choices to avoid risky behavior.

Just as a person’s health infiltrates all aspects of their quality of life, the community’s health affects the quality of life in the City of Phoenix. Every year the Phoenix Fire Department responds to over 120,000 emergency medical calls. Many of these are a direct result of obesity, tobacco use, and chronic disease. Similarly, the Phoenix Police Department too often sees the negative results of our citizens that choose risky behaviors. There could be no greater commitment a City Government could make to its citizens than to improve their health, wellness and fitness.

What is the Phoenix Fire Department doing?

In 2001 we developed and implemented Fire FitKids. The mission of the Fire FitKids program is: Fire FitKids is designed to expose kids to the benefits of regular exercise and the practice of healthy habits. Fire FitKids uses firefighters to share their knowledge, enthusiasm and experience to improve the motivation, knowledge and fitness of the community's youth. Fire FitKids provides the community with a wellness message to help prevent the numerous illnesses associated with an unhealthy lifestyle and a lack of fitness. Fire FitKids provides kids with an exposure to the job of a firefighter, their need for high levels of fitness, and the rewards of being fit. Fire FitKids is the family of the Phoenix Fire Department helping your family.

In 2003 we developed and implemented the Choose to Survive Program for High School students. The mission of the Choose to Survive Program is: To improve the safety, survivability and quality of life of the high school students in the City of Phoenix. This program teaches 4 modules that focus on teaching teenagers to make better choices to improve their safety and survivability; teach them how to perform CPR and First Aid in an emergency; help them avoid drugs, alcohol and tobacco; and improve their health, wellness, and fitness.

In 2003 the Phoenix Fire Department partnered with the Tobacco Education Prevention Program (TEPP) to eliminate the use of all tobacco products in the department and to use our impact and influence to reduce the use of tobacco in our community. This partnership includes making PSA’s, teaming with professional teams and TEPP to deliver interactive educational presentations, developing educational modules to be included in our K-12 educational programs, and participating in key health fairs to help spread the message on the dangers and consequences of using tobacco.

In 2004 the Phoenix Fire Department expanded our K-8 Fire and Life Safety (Urban Survival) educational program to include modules on health, wellness and fitness. At the end of every lesson Fire Pals incorporate a message on the importance of avoiding tobacco, drugs and alcohol; and on including healthy eating choices and physical activity every day. Fire Pals lead sessions on making exercise safe and fun and how to inhale life.

In 2004, the Phoenix Fire Department began incorporating the Healthier Phoenix message of getting daily exercise, eating healthier, getting proper health prescreens, and making healthier choices at all of our over 450 annual community events. We made it clear that our Family wants to help your Family be Healthy. With over 41 certified fitness leaders in the Phoenix Fire Department we have committed to sharing our expertise, our passion and our voice to help the citizens of Phoenix improve their health, wellness and fitness.