Through The Smoke | Video

Retha Colclasure | 10/5/2012

Cardiac issues are the number one cause of line of duty deaths among firefighters. The Mandan Fire Department wants to keep from adding to that statistic. The department is using a health and wellness initiative to improve their own lifestyles and is taking it to the community.

Mandan firefighters don`t have to go far to get in a workout. All the fire stations in the city have their own workout room, and full-time firefighters are given an hour a day to use it.

"One of the biggest problems we see is firefighters that aren`t in shape. The problem we have is when most people go work out, you can warm up slowly and then get to doing whatever you`re going to do. Emergency services, EMS, fire and police, you go from zero to operating at that max level with no warning at all," said Andy Beck with the department.

They need to be in shape to handle that stress.

"What`s coming out of the health and wellness initiative within our department is no different than what people are hearing from their physicians. Maybe it`s just that if there`s a little bit of a fire service flavor and they realize it has a big role with their job, then maybe people will wake up and take it a little more seriously," Beck said.

But encouraging healthy living doesn`t stop at the fire station`s doors. The Mandan Fire Department wants the rest of the community to improve their health as well.

"We thought well, we could do something else and show the community what we`re doing as firefighters. We want to stay healthy, we want to exercise, we want to promote that," said Mark Hanson with the department.

So tomorrow, they can practice going "through the smoke" at a road race for all ages and abilities.

"It goes hand in hand with us going into the buildings. We go through the smoke when we go into a building. Should there be a fire in a building, they`re going to have to go through the smoke to get out," Hanson said.

The department says they want anyone to participate in the 10K or 5K runs or 5K walk. They say there`s no point where it`s too late to start down the path to healthier living.

The race is tomorrow morning at 8:00 at Raging Rivers. You can register on site or you can sign up tonight at the Lakewood Fire Station in Mandan from 5:00 to 8:00. That fire station is by Kist Livestock.

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