USFA Announces New Web-Based Online Training System

USFA Announces New Web-Based Online Training System

News Release Date: June 25, 2007

EMMITSBURG, MD. - The U.S. Fire Administration's National Fire Academy
is pleased to announce the launch of a new Web-based online training
system - NFAOnline. NFAOnline provides an easy, one-stop Web site where
fire and emergency services personnel, first responders, emergency
management personnel, and the general public will find free training
and
education programs that they can complete at their own pace.

"Now is the time for us to embrace the future and improve our education
through distance learning," said NFA Superintendent, Dr. Denis Onieal.
"NFAOnline provides another option to help further the professionalism
of the nation's fire and emergency services and strengthen their
ability
to combat all hazard emergencies."

NFAOnline provides a user-friendly, state-of-the art training system
with technical support and the ability for the student to immediately
print a certificate and transcript. The primary effort of NFAOnline is
to make available training and materials for the fire service,
particularly those unable to attend resident courses in Emmitsburg,
Maryland.

There are currently eight courses available on the new NFAOnline.
Additional courses are in development and will be added in coming
weeks.
Course subjects include fire prevention, fire service supervision,
incident management (ICS 100 and ICS 200), emergency response to
terrorist incidents, and emergency medical services.

To enroll in NFAOnline, visit www.nfaonline.dhs.gov and select New
Students

NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter E-News.

June 12, 2007


Welcome to the NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter E-News. The NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program was designed to help firefighters and emergency medical personnel become more heart-healthy and lower the incidence of heart attack related deaths in the emergency services. We hope that you enjoy this newsletter and that it benefits not only you, but others in your department, family and community.


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In this issue:
Heart-Healthy Challenge Winners Announced
NVFC Conducts Free Health Screenings and Unveils Cookbook at Fire Expo
Stand Down for Safety on June 17-23
Sign Up for the New Heart-Healthy Firefighter Newsletter, The Pulse
Exercise May Boost 'Good' Cholesterol Levels
Focus on Health During Men's Health Week, June 11-17
Health Tip: Swim, Swim, Swim


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Heart-Healthy Challenge Winners Announced

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) and Merck/Schering-Plough (MSP) have announced five of the ten winners of the Heart-Healthy Challenge contest. The contest is part of the Sounding the Alarm for High Cholesterol program, a partnership between NVFC’s Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program and MSP’s Strike Out High Cholesterol program. The goal of Sounding the Alarm for High Cholesterol is to alert firefighters to the risks of high cholesterol and its role in heart disease.

As part of this program, firefighters and EMS personnel nationwide are encouraged to take the Heart-Healthy Challenge, an online quiz available at http://www.cholesterolalarm.com
to test how their heart-health knowledge stacks up. Ten markets across the nation were chosen to participate in a Heart-Healthy Challenge contest. The winning fire station in each market receives a $1,500 donation, as well as 75 tickets to a Minor League Baseball game and recognition at the game. The five winners are:

Memphis Fire & EMS Department Engine 35, Shelby County, TN
Earl Township Volunteer Fire Company #1, Berks County, PA
David Crockett Steam Fire Company #1, Jefferson Parish, LA
Willard Fire Protection District, Greene County, MO
Durham Fire Department Station 12, Durham County, NC.
The first baseball game took place on May 31 in Memphis, TN, where the Memphis Redbirds took the field. Members of Memphis Fire Department Station 35 and their families attended the game as part of their prize. Maurice Tolliver, a spokesperson for the station, addressed the stadium before the game to thank his station for winning the contest and to speak about the importance of firefighters’ health. “As a firefighter, I realize it is important to take care of my heart so I can protect yours,” Tolliver told the crowd.

Tolliver was accompanied on the mound by Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer, the spokesperson for the Strike Out High Cholesterol program. Palmer was present to throw out the first pitch, which was followed by Tolliver throwing the second pitch.

The second game took place on June 6 in Reading, PA, home of the Reading Phillies. Brian Filby, a representative of Earl Township Volunteer Fire Company #1, also took the mound with Palmer, who insisted Filby throw the first pitch. Members of the Company and their families cheered Filby on from the stands. “The experience as a whole has opened our eyes, making us aware of the seriousness of heart disease and high cholesterol and how it plays a detrimental role in our job,” said Filby.

The remaining winners of the Heart-Healthy Challenge contest will be named over the course of the summer. Stay tuned to the Heart-Healthy Firefighter web site at www.healthy-firefighter.org for more information, as well as to view photos from the baseball games. To learn more about Sounding the Alarm for High Cholesterol or to take the Heart-Healthy Challenge, visit http://www.cholesterolalarm.com






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NVFC Conducts Free Health Screenings and Unveils Cookbook at Fire Expo

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) made its presence felt at the Lancaster County Fireman’s Association’s 35th Annual Fire Expo on May 18-20 in Harrisburg, PA. In an effort to teach firefighters, EMS providers, and their families the importance of living a heart-healthy lifestyle, the NVFC partnered with L&T Health and Fitness to conduct free screenings for blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol.

This year, the NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program and Fire Corps teamed up to provide both booths in one location. As a result, attendees were able to take full advantage of the free health screenings while also learning how to increase the capacity and capabilities of their fire/EMS department through the Fire Corps program. The booth also featured cooking demonstrations performed by Chef Kevin Harris of Food for Love, Inc. to show attendees how to make meals that are both good for your heart and taste great. The recipes are available online at http://www.healthy-firefighter.org


Additionally, the NVFC unveiled its new Heart-Healthy Firefighter Cookbook at the event. The Cookbook includes over 60 delicious recipes that firefighters and EMS personnel can use either at home or at the station. To order your free copy of the Cookbook, go to http://www.healthy-firefighter.org/page/649/Cookbook.htm
The newly-released second edition of the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Resource Guide was also available at the booth.

For more information on the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program and to view a full schedule of upcoming events, visit http://www.healthy-firefighter.org
To learn more about Fire Corps, visit http://www.firecorps.org


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Stand Down for Safety on June 17-23
The Third Annual Fire and EMS Stand Down will take place on June 17-23. This year’s theme, “Ready to Respond,” focuses on the proper training, preparation, and equipment necessary to answer a call and return safely. The Stand Down has an expanded schedule this year to provide departments with maximum flexibility for participating in the exercise, including weekend opportunities to better accommodate volunteers.

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) urges every fire and EMS department to participate in the Stand Down by suspending all non-emergency activity in order to focus entirely on firefighter and EMS safety until all shifts and personnel have taken part. The NVFC joins the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the IAFC Volunteer and Combination Officers Section (VCOS), the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), and other emergency service organizations in encouraging participation in this event.

For more information regarding the Stand Down and related activities, visit http://www.iafc.org/standdown


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Sign Up for the New Heart-Healthy Firefighter Newsletter, The Pulse
The NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program is launching a new printed newsletter later this month. The Pulse includes ideas, resources, advice, and information to keep you, your department, and your family heart-healthy throughout the year. Sign up to receive this great new bi-monthly resource free of charge. Simply send an email to lricardo@nvfc.org and request to be added to The Pulse distribution list. Remember to include your name and mailing address.

The Pulse also includes a special section for your contributions. Submit your success stories about becoming heart healthy, ideas or suggestions to others about aspects of maintaining a heart-healthy lifestyle, or any questions you might have about the program or heart health. Please include your name, mailing address, email address, and fire department (if applicable) with your submission. If you are submitting a success story, before and after pictures are appreciated. Send your contributions to:

NVFC
Attn: Lillian Ricardo
1050 17th Street, NW
Suite 490
Washington, DC 20036
Fax: (202) 887-5291
Email: lricardo@nvfc.org


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Exercise May Boost 'Good' Cholesterol Levels
Regular exercise seems to help boost levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the "good" cholesterol, according to researchers. A low level of HDL cholesterol is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The article was published in the May 28 issue of the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

The analysis, which reviewed 25 studies published between 1966 and 2005, assessed the effects of aerobic exercise on HDL cholesterol in a total of more than 1,400 adults ranging in age from 23 to 75. The studies lasted an average of 27.4 weeks. On average, participants exercised 3.7 sessions per week for 40.5 minutes each session, burning an average of 1,019 calories per week.

The combined findings showed that exercise resulted in an average increase in HDL cholesterol of 2.53 milligrams per deciliter. The minimum amount of exercise required to change HDL cholesterol levels was 120 minutes a week or 900 calories burned. Exercise had a greater impact in people with a higher total cholesterol level (220 milligrams per deciliter or greater) and in people with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 28 (obesity begins at a BMI of 30).

"In a previous observational study, every 1-milligram per deciliter increment in HDL cholesterol level was reported to be associated with a 2 percent and 3 percent decreased risk of cardiovascular disease in men and women, respectively," the review authors wrote. "If this observation were applied to our results, the increase in HDL cholesterol level by exercise determined by this analysis would, by a rough estimate, result in cardiovascular disease risk reduced by approximately 5.1 percent in men and 7.6 percent in women."

The authors noted that their analysis showed that only exercise duration, not frequency of intensity, was associated with a change in HDL cholesterol levels. To view the article online, go to http://archinte.ama-assn.org/current.dtl


Courtesy of HealthDay

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Focus on Health During Men's Health Week, June 11-17
Men's Health Week will take place June 11-17. The purpose of Men's Health Week is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. This week gives healthcare providers, public policy makers, the media, and individuals an opportunity to encourage men and boys to seek regular medical advice and early treatment for disease and injury. Hundreds of awareness activities have already been scheduled in the U.S. and around the globe. The Men’s Health Network (MHN) has also created a web site at http://www.Checkmensfacts.com that details male health issues. For more information about Men’s Health Week, visit http://www.menshealthweek.org


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Health Tip: Swim, Swim, Swim

Exercise should be part of everyone's healthy lifestyle, but some people may have difficulty with high-impact exercise like running. Swimming is a low-impact activity that offers a great workout for all muscles of the body. According to Epigee Women's Health, swimming may be a good option for people who need to be extra careful during exercise, including those who are:

Pregnant
Extremely overweight
Elderly
Disabled
Recovering from an injury
Courtesy of HealthDay

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Alert Hose Co. to observe National Fireman's Sunday

ADAMS,MA—On Sunday, June 10, The Alert Hose Company of Adams, Adams Volunteer Fire Department held it’s annual National Fireman’s Sunday. They designated the second Sunday in June for the National Firemen’s Sunday.

The Alert Hose Company honored this day with a memorial
Service which was held at 11am, at the Alerts Memorial Shaft in Bellevue Cemetery. This years principal speaker was fire chief
James Sullivan of the Pittsfield Fire Department.





The Alerts started the day attending church at 8am at the St. Mark’s Episcopal Church on Commercial Street.
Following the church service, they attend breakfast at Adams Elks lodge on Center Street.
The Alert Hose Co and the public gathered for the program at Bellevue Cemetery at 11am.
They were led by Andrew Brown, foreman of the company .
The chairman of the program Thomas Romaniak, and his committee, William Gero and Brian Tatro,and members of Alerts.

The Alerts will be piped in and out of the Alerts Memorial Shaft area by Robert Tunnicliffe of the Berkshire Highlanders Pipe Band.