The NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program is conducting a survey to determine the current status and needs regarding health and wellness programs in the fire service. Please take a few minutes to complete this survey and share your feedback with us. We value and appreciate your input on health and wellness in the fire service. 

Simply click on the link below to begin the brief survey.
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/U2G4XBPZRTNZ

It’s National Firefighter Health Week, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) wants to help you keep your heart, mind, and body strong. We encourage you to use this week to focus on your overall wellbeing and start making the healthy lifestyle choices that will keep you strong all year long.

Each day this week, the NVFC is sending out an email with tips and tools to help you focus on the daily health topic. The five focus topics this year are behavioral health, personal protective equipment (PPE), heart-health, cancer, and nutrition and fitness. Find more resources and tools in the National Firefighter Health Week Resource Center at www.healthy-firefighter.org/healthweek.

Remember, only you can keep it strong. Are you up for the Challenge?

Wednesday, August 18: Strong at Heart

Heart attacks are the leading cause of line-of-duty firefighter deaths each year. Heart disease affects 80 million Americans, and the emergency services are not immune. In fact, the stress put on the heart and body by emergency response activities creates an increased risk of heart attack. Stay strong at heart by maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and knowing your risks.

Quick Tips:
Stop smoking. Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease. Make a plan to quit today. Visit the NVFC’s Put It Out smoking cessation campaign web site for tools and resources to help you become smoke-free. Aim for a healthy weight. Overweight and obesity cause many preventable deaths. Stay active. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on most, preferably all, days of the week. Eat for heart-health. Choose a diet that is low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol. Be sure to include plenty of whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. Know your numbers. Ask your doctor to check your blood pressure, cholesterol (total, HDL, LDL, triglycerides), and blood glucose. Work with your doctor to improve any numbers that are not normal. 

Activity Ideas:
Have a meeting with your department to educate everyone on what to do if you think you or someone else is suffering from a heart attack. Knowing what to look for and how to react can decrease the risk of serious disabilities or death. Use the NHLBI Heart Attack Survival Plan as a resource. Schedule an appointment with your doctor to get screened for heart disease risk factors including blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels. Take the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute’s Risk Assessment Tool for Estimating Your 10-year Risk of Having a Heart Attack. Send it to your department members to take too. Make a record of your family history of heart disease and other health conditions. 

Article Links: 
The Pulse:Success Story: Ty Drage  Keep Your Heart Strong

 Fire Department Network News: Strong at Heart  Matters of the Heart 

Firehouse.com: Saving Our Own - Sudden Death with No Overtime 

FireEngineering.com: Landmark FEMA Study: Heart Disease is an Epidemic for Firefighters  Firefighters and Heart Disease: Beyond the Statistics 

EMS1.com:Responder Job Duties, Environment are Leading Factors Behind Early Deaths, According to Researchers

Officer N. Gray says a building that housed a phone business, a beauty salon and a liquor store collapsed Friday, trapping five firefighters. All were rescued.

Gray says eight firefighters were taken to area hospitals and at least one is in critical condition.

The fire is contained but a large cloud of dark smoke shrouds the scene. The building is about five miles from downtown Detroit and just west of the suburb of Grosse Pointe Park.

SLOW DOWN DUE TO THE HEAT & HUMIDITY.

* TIMING.THURSDAY NOON THROUGH ABOUT 9 PM.

* TEMP.90 TO 95. HEAT INDEX VALUES OF 100 TO 102.

* IMPACTS.GREATEST IMPACT WILL OCCUR WITH THE YOUNG & ELDERLY AS WELL AS THOSE WHO HAVE PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES OUTDOORS OR ARE ON CERTAIN MEDICATIONS THAT INHIBIT SWEATING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS.

A HEAT ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN HOT TEMPS & HIGH RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL CAUSE HEAT INDEX READINGS TO RANGE BETWEEN 100 TO 105 DURING THE DAYTIME. UNDER THESE CONDITION HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES ARE POSSIBLE. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS.STAY IN AN AIR- CONDITIONED ROOM.STAY OUT OF THE SUN & CHECK UP ON RELATIVES AND NEIGHBORS.

 CHICAGO — A Chicago firefighter battling a blaze at a downtown restaurant died this morning from injuries he suffered when he fell about 35 feet from a fire escape, officials said. Christopher Wheatly, 31, died at Stroger Hospital after doctors there tried to save his life, an emotional Fire Commissioner Robert Hoff said at a press conference outside the hospital this morning. "I really ask that everybody keeps him and his family in his prayers," Hoff said, fighting back emotions. "He was one of our finest." A grease fire broke out at about 12:30 a.m. at the prominent Avec restaurant at 615 W. Randolph. It was quickly extinguished. "They had to go up to the roof area, where the grease shield extended through," Hoff said. "Firefighter Christopher Wheatly was making his way up to the roof on a ladder that was attached to the building, carrying his equipment. "Apparently when he was making his way up, he apparently slipped and fell to the ground, causing critical injuries," Hoff said. "And when he was brought here [to Stroger], they worked to save his life, but it was too late. "Firefighter Chris Wheatly was assigned to Truck Company 2. He was 31 years old. Left a mother, father, sister and a fiance. "He was very, very well liked. He was a very hard worker. He was a paramedic firefighter, who always had a smile on his face. And he was extremely well-liked by all the men that worked with him, and the women. He was a paramedic for a long time, then he crossed over to be a firefighter... "He was a very aggressive firefighter — he was into the job," Hoff said later, standing outside Wheatly's firehouse not far from the restaurant that caught fire. "He was aggressive. He was into training. He was an all-around firefighter. He loved the job." Wheatly, who was on the job for 10 years, fell approximately 35 feet, Hoff said. He was carrying up to 75-pounds of equipment, including an ax, oxygen tank and hose, fire officials said. After Hoff announced his death, Wheatly's body was taken to the nearby Cook County Medical Examiner's office Monday morning in a procession of at least 25 police and fire vehicles — and 14 people making the slow walk. His body was inside ambulance No. 15. Police squad cars with their lights turned on lined West Harrison Street from North Damen Avenue to the medical examiner's office at 2121 West Harrison Street. "He was one of the most helpful on ambulance assists and when he was first-responding," said paramedic Jeff Swagler, who saw Wheatly last week. "He was always willing to jump in and help. "He was very popular, he was well liked in the department. There was nothing not to like about him," Swagler said with his eyes welling with tears. "He was a big sports fan. He had season tickets to the Cubs, he was a big Bears and Blackhawks fan as well. He was a good guy." Outside Avec this morning, a woman who identified herself as the building manager said she witnessed the tragedy overnight when she happened by the restaurant on her way home from out of town. "He landed right in front of me," she said, shaking. "He landed right in front of me." The woman said the grease vents had been cleaned 20 days ago. At Wheatly's firehouse at 324 S. Desplaines, the American and City of Chicago flags were at lowered to half staff. Purple bunting was draped across the buildings, as 35 firefighters watched. "This job is dangerous," Hoff said. "You never know what is going to happen when you pull out the door." 

 As part of our continuing outreach to our neighbors within the Town of Blooming Grove and our surrounding communities, the Blooming Grove Fire Department proudly participated in the City of Monona Annual Memorial Day parade. 

The first official Memorial Day was held on May 30, 1868, organized by General John Logan. To honor the fallen soldiers of the Civil War, flowers were placed on Union and Confederate graves in Arlington National Cemetery. 

New York was the first state to officially recognize the holiday in 1873. In 1971, Congress enacted the National Holiday Act, and the observance of Memorial Day was changed from May 30 to the last Monday in May of each year. 

Thanks to all the BGFD staff and families for making this event a real success!!

You know you have them. Somewhere in the recesses of your medicine cabinet lurk the remains of unfinished medications. Pharmaceuticals have an expiration date for a reason. If you have medicines that are of no use and are just sitting around, make time to get rid of them. We have a few suggestions for the safe disposal of expired meds below.

MedDrop Meddropdane.org is a site devoted to Dane County residents who want to get rid of their old medications. This is a free service available to all Wisconsin residents, not just those in Dane County.

DNR information on waste pharmaceuticals The Department of Natural Resources has a comprehensive collection of information on household drug disposal and non-household pharmaceutical disposal.

The Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection DATCP has a map of the entire state of Wisconsin which lists all communities-regional planning commissions, counties, cities, villages or towns-that received a Clean Sweep Grant.

 On Monday May 10, 2010 Firefighter Andy Spatola attended his last BGFD Association Meeting as a Blooming Grove Firefighter. Andy was recognized for his service and dedication to the BGFD serving ten years as a BGFD Firefighter.

Andy cited his new responsibilities as a father as the reason for his retirement. However he plans to stay active with the BGFD Association.

We wish Andy, Sarah, and Lydia the best of luck and look forward to any more new additions they decide to add to the BGFD Family.

Nurse: one that looks after, fosters, or advises or a person who cares for the sick or infirm. (From Merriam-Webster.)

Starting today, we begin celebrating National Nurses Week. The week ends with the recognition of the birthday of the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale, on May 13.

Nurses put in many hours of study, practice, and interaction with people of all abilities, races, and creeds. To know a nurse is to know someone who is always thinking of the people under his or her care. Even the word "nurse" projects an image of hope and caring. So this week, be sure to thank a nurse.

The history of nursing is often a history of positive societal change. To give you a sense of this and for a fascinating timeline of the nursing professional overall, you can visit the "Timeline of nursing history" on Wikipedia.

Interesting fact: Florence Nightingale, who ushered in the idea of modern professional nursing, was also a writer and statistician.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is investigating potential fire hazards that may be related to problem drywall. They need your help! While CPSC is not aware of any corroborated fire incidents to date, they are asking fire safety professionals to be on the lookout for and to report to CPSC any fires that appear to be connected to problem drywall to aid in their investigation. Corrosion (typically blackening) of air conditioning evaporator coils, electrical wiring, and other metal components is a common symptom of residences finished with problem drywall. Consumers raising concerns about drywall have typically identified a “rotten egg” smell within their house, several health symptoms while in the home, corrosion or blackening of metal items, and failures of electronic devices and appliances. Consumers have also reported frequent failures of the evaporator coils in central air conditioning units. For more information about CPSC’s drywall investigation, visit the Drywall Information Center.

On March 20, 2010 several brave Firefighters from the Blooming FD took on the Fight For Air Stair climb. The event which took place at the U.S. Bank Center in Milwaukee Wisconsin was a fund raiser sponsored by the American Lung Association . Fire fighter Jay Oliver organized  the group from BGFD and they raised over $795.00 on behalf of lung cancer research. Congratulations to these firefighters and hats off to the Blooming Grove Fire Department for sponsoring this group.

Firefighters need to be aware of a range of dangers and be on the lookout for warning signs of such sites.... Full Story 

As part of our commitment to readiness, the BGFD continually trains it's Firefighters in a number of areas. As part of this training, the Fire Department recently conducted a series of control wild land fire training burns in McFarland, Wisconsin.

A grim reminder on placement of the apparatus.