Firefighter Heart Health in the Age of COVID
Learn how to apply lessons from FEMA Heart Disease Prevention Study to predict risks early and prevent firefighter heart attacks and how those same risks increase in severity with COVID-19.
SelectWell Firefighter Heart Health Program
Firefighters Have Specific Risk Factors Unique to Their Job Duties
Despite being healthier on average than the general public, firefighters have 2 to3 times more heart disease than other professionals. A recent FEMA study revealed that 33% of active-duty firefighters had evidence of heart disease not identified by routine medical screening tests. This lack of detection and management of cardiovascular disease has led to Sudden Cardiovascular Events (SCE), such as heart attacks and strokes, and continues to be the number one cause of on-duty firefighter fatalities, with 60% of those deaths occurring while on the scene of a fire. The SelectWell mission is to utilize advanced blood tests to go beyond NFPA 1582 to detect disorders linked to heart disease and identify firefighters VULNERABLE to SCEs. Early detection, clinical education, and routine lifestyle monitoring are key to prevention.
3x
more heart disease compared to other professionals
33%
of firefighters have heart disease not identified by routine medical screening
52%
of firefighter deaths are due to Sudden Cardiovascular Events (heart attacks and strokes)
60%
of Sudden Cardiac Events (SCEs) occurred on the scene of a fire
40%
of SCEs occurred during a non-fire incident or while training
What Can Be Done?
Risk Testing and Monitoring, Education, and Coaching Are Essential to Reduce the Percentage of Fatalities due to Heart Attack
Heart disease is often related to metabolic and genetic factors not revealed with standard blood tests. Working with an expert Preventative Cardiologist, the SelectWell screening program is designed to reveal hidden risk factors. Early detection is important for individualized treatment plans based on personalized risk assessments.
First, firefighters receive advanced testing and risk assessments. Our clinical educators go over results, provide education and awareness, and share considerations for health improvement.
We can also provide executive teams de-identified summarized reports illustrating a group’s overall risk profile.
We then offer access to our Integrative Wellness Coaches who help firefighters define their own vision for optimal health and empower them the to set and achieve their own internal health goals.
We periodically assess firefighters throughout the year with appropriate additional advanced testing followed by additional consultations. We assess each firefighter at end-of-year to show improvement, compile reporting, and can again provide summarized de-identified data to executive teams demonstrating results.
August 2021 NFPA Report
Shows cardiac-related events accounted for 43% of on-duty firefighter fatalities over the past decade.
Is There A Problem?
Firefighters have 2-3x more HEART DISEASE compared to other professionals. In 2020, heart attacks were the most frequent cause of death in firefighters.
FEMA Research Study
Found that 33% of active-duty firefighters had evidence of coronary atherosclerosis that they were unaware of.