Physical Requirements

[ThanksALatte]

Hey. Someone asked me the other week whether or not I'd ever be interested in pursuing a job in fire (it was on one of my rides with a fire dept). I'd never thought about it before, but I think it would be great to ultimately be a firemedic. The only problem, though, is this: I am really little...I'm about 5'2" and 105 lbs. I'm fit, but nowhere near what it would take to be a tactical firefigher. In your experience, is it even realistic for someone my size to consider training for fire? And if it is, what would be the best way to strengthen myself to meet the physical requirements?

Thanks,
Latte

[E229Lt]

Hey, someone has to crawl into those small voids.:D

Very few departments have a size restriction, so, hit the weight room and the track. Give BALCO a call and chase the dream.

[Jesse613]

You may want to try protein drinks. I started to use ISOWhey Protein to bulk up a little. When you finish with the weights drink the protein drink right after you get done. I have not heard many good things about Soya protien. Everyone seems to talk about Whey.

[ThanksALatte]

Originally posted by E229Lt
[B]Hey, someone has to crawl into those small voids.:D


Yeah, yeah. I know. When I was younger, I was always the one shoved through windows when people got locked out of their rooms at camp, lost their keys to the snack shop, etc. Actually, I still am...

Latte

[ThNozzleman]

Are you a guy or a girl?

[ThanksALatte]

I'm a girl (which I'm sure opens up a whole other discussion which has been hashed through already probably ;))

Latte

[EricCSU]

Don't take this the wrong way, but being a woman does make a difference. Guys can pack on muscle more easily and faster than women and a guy that is 5'2" could be 140 and strong and fit easily. It will be tougher for you, but do not misinterpret me on this, YOU CAN DO THIS, BUT IT WILL TAKE A LOT OF WORK.

If you are serious about this, I would hire a personal trainer and a nutritionist. It may seem like a little bit of cash to pay, but it will be worth it. Hire a trainer that is experienced in helping you develop whole body strength, core strength, and helps you work on athletic movements (plyometrics, etc.). You don't want to hire a meathead who just gives you his bodybuilding routine, that won't work for firefighting, especially for you. The key for you is going to be using exceptional form for firefighting activities and learning how to use core strength. You won't be able to fake it like some young men can.

When you're working with a nutritionist, your goals should be to increase your lean muscle mass while not adding fat. You'll definitely want to be eating 6-7 small, nutritious meals per day.

Also, joining a vollie department could be a big help for you. One of the biggest advantages for you will be the opportunity to train frequently. Throwing a ladder, deploying and flaking hose, hitting a hydrant, dragging a dummy, these are all things you'll need to do in a career academy, and be able to do proficiently. Working for a volunteer department will give you the opportunity to train on these exercises frequently.

As a guy, I used to be able to not work out much and do all of those things pretty fast. I hurt my back doing it that way and was definitely humbled. I rehabed, increased my core strength, and started lifting, throwing, and carrying the correct way (mechanically speaking) and am now faster than I was before.

Eric

[LaFireEducator]

Don't give up ..I have a female friend who is smaller than you (about 5'even and a little less than 100 lbs) that has completed FF2 and is a pistol on the fireground. She has taken the time to build up her upper body and really has taken the time to understand body mechanics and most importantly, understands how important technique is. So just keep pluggging away, join a Vollie dept to learn the basicsa and get in a workout program .... it's not all about brute power.

[ThanksALatte]

Hey, thanks a LOT (or should I say thanks a latte?) for your advice and encouragement. I think that if I set my mind to it, I could definitely do what it would take to be a good FF despite my size/gender factor. For now, though, I'll stick with EMS until I've got more time since I dont' want to necessarily make a career out of fire/EMS quite yet (that may change, however, in a few years...). Anyway, thanks again!

Latte

[engine1321]

Some observations-

I've found that simple exercises like push ups and sit ups can provide a hell of a lot of starting muscle than light dumb bells, even on females.

Mike Stephano's book is an EXCELLENT reference for anyone pursuing a state of physical fitness. The key is doing something different every time. Take a look at it.