Excerpts from the Heraldnews.com:
The Plainfield Fire Protection District headquarters parking lot was full of vehicles this week from all over the country. Firefighters met there to get certified in the fire service Peer Fitness Trainer program, designed for firefighters. With that certification, they can return to their respective districts and train others.
The International Association of Firefighters and International Association of Fire Chiefs Task Force agree that to successfully implement their Wellness/Fitness Initiative, there must be a firefighter in each department who can take the lead. Plainfield currently has three certified.
Each Friday, Plainfield focuses on fitness and nutrition in its firehouses. “We found that in Plainfield, when we do our workouts and we incorporate an entire fire company into it, that the team-building aspect of working out together really raised the camaraderie,” said Plainfield Lt. Andy Scott.
Toronto Fire Department Capt. Alex Boersma and retired New York City Fire Department Lt. Tom Grimshaw instructed the class. Boersma said he teaches five or six Peer Fitness Trainer classes a year.
A key goal of the program is to reduce occupational claims and costs while improving the quality and longevity of a firefighter’s life.
