b'O P E R A T I O N SM U S C U L O S K E L E T A LON-DUTY PHYSICAL TRAINING (PT) RATING OF PERCEIVED EXERTIONANNUAL TESTINGDid you get good sleep? Do you have new joint pain?Fire fighters not only have a dangerous job, but its a physicallyDo you feel sick? Do you feel stressed?demanding occupation that requires them to stay in shape to safely and effectively perform their duties. At a minimum, fireIf you answer "YES" TO 2 QUESTIONS, stay in the moderate zone.fighters should complete an annual medical exam with theirIf you answer "YES" TO 3 OR 4 QUESTIONS, stay in the easy zone.primary care or department physician. It is recommended Maximum effort. Your life depends on it! that all operational personnel participate in routine physicalMaximumMayday! Mayday! Mayday! Can\'t talktraining (PT) each shift and complete an annual physical fitnessSave it for10/10 right now or someone might die.the exam, such as the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) or aRESCUEExtremely strenuous. I\'ve got to department-adopted equivalent.Very Hardget a knock on the fire now.9/10 Speaking in 1- or 2-word sentencesWARMING UP AND COOLING DOWNWhen possible, fire fighters should warm up prior to and coolHardBreathing heavy. Pulling ceiling makesit hard to have a conversation.down after participating in PT or training on the drill ground.70-80% of7-8/10 Speaking in 3- or 4-word sentences.Max HRThis will prepare the heart, muscles and joints for exercise by lubricating the joints and pushing blood out to the arms and60-70% ofModerateMove with a purpose. Radio communications and CAN report are easy to understand. legs to increase elasticity and motion of muscles and tendons.Max HR 5-6/10 Speaking 5- or 6-word sentences.Large full-motion-based movements are recommended for 60% ofWork and talk while we load hose. warmups,such as high-knee marching, lunges, squats, raisingMax HR EasySpeaking in complete sentencesarms overhead and trunk rotation for five minutes. If drilling, this5/10 without difficulty.should be conducted prior to donning bunker gear to ensure no restrictions of normal movement patterns and to reduce exposure to carcinogens.GAME DAYRating of perceived exertion (RPE) can be used to help personnelEXERCISE EFFORTstay within appropriate effort levels for on-duty PT so they canBefore training, fire fighters should do a quick assessment to respond to a call without compromising their physical capacity.determine the type of workout and how much energy they should For example, if you knew you were about to go to a structure fire,exert during on-duty PT. The goal is to maintain conditioning, would you max out on squats and physically destroy your legssave some strength and energy for your next strenuous call, prior to the call? Absolutely notyoud be fatigued and moreand still get meaningful exercise in while on-duty. Departments susceptible to injuries during the call. Professional athletes dontand fire stations have different call volumes, work schedules, time do an intensive workout before they hit the field, court or ice onof day when PT may be conducted, training requirements, and game day. Fire fighters should consider on-duty as game daydifferent demographics and fitness levels among their assigned with on-duty fitness as their pre-game warm-up. The goal is topersonnel. These factors contribute to how fatigued someone is not give the gym 100% when 100% is required for the next call orduring a shift, which could result in an injury during PT. major incident.Personnel should honestly answer the following questions and adjust their RPE or heart rate goals prior to performing on-duty PT:Did you get good sleep?Working out very hard on shiftDo you feel sick?can be equated to overeating onDo you have new joint pain?shift. Always keep in mind: YouDo you feel stressed?never want to eat any more thanHeart rate-based training allows you to assess the intensity your mask can hold . Similarly, youof the physical exercise, the duration of the exercise and the should never overexert yourselfappropriate recovery time. RPE also can be used to help fire during PT to the point that youfighters stay within appropriate effort levels for on-duty PT.could not pull out a downedSee RPE Ratings poster above. person in a structure fire.BETH GALLUP48'