Episode 74: Wellness in Fire Departments with Gamaliel Baer
Kevin sits down with Gamaliel Baer the Department Health and Wellness Coordinator for the Howard County Department of Fire & Rescue Services. They discuss health and wellness education in fire departments and what they are doing to help firefighters understand health risks. Gamaliel talks about the challenges he’s faced when trying to promote health education. Until recently firefighters didn’t make learning about cancer and cardiovascular disease in the fire industry.
The Howard County Department of Fire & Rescue is a combination system of nearly nine-hundred career and volunteer providers operating from thirteen stations across the County. The department is statutorily responsible for the administration of the affairs for the county in fire suppression and prevention, fire training, arson investigation, rescue services and emergency medical services.
The bottom line is that health and wellness in the fire service needs to be a priority going forward. Data collection now will be paramount in saving the lives of fire service members in the future.