It’s always a good idea to think of matters of the heart, especially this month. In February, there are reminders all over the place jogging everyone’s memory. But this story is not about the fanciful side of the month. It’s about the practical and far more important issue at hand. The heart. The muscle that beats in the chest.
While our state, Colorado, is often listed in the top ten healthiest states in the country, we are no different than our neighbors and all states. We still have a serious challenge with heart health. Of course, the issue could be diffused if people made better lifestyle choices. But that, no doubt, is a long way off. Colorado, as well as the rest of the country, still has its share of issues contributing to healthy hearts, including obesity, diet, smoking and sedentary lifestyles. Each is a variable in this human condition.
This common problem keeps fire departments busy, said Pueblo Fire Chief Barb Huber. “I would say about ten percent” of all emergency calls are heart related. Thankfully, each of the ten fire stations spread across Colorado’s tenth largest city has advanced life support on its emergency vehicles.
So common are calls today to fire stations health related that many cities have added ‘rescue,’ to their names. No longer is it simply ‘XYZ city Fire’ department, but ‘XYZ city Fire & Rescue.’
Response time for emergency calls—barring weather—is usually a matter of minutes. But when the call is a response to a heart issue, every second is critical.
While every heart attack is different, each shares a few commonalities. Each starts slowly with chest pain along with pain in the arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach. Shortness of breath is also common. During a heart attack, blood and oxygen flow to the heart is reduced. Minutes and seconds are important. The longer the attack, the more the damage to the heart escalates.
Fire departments respond anywhere they’re called, including to businesses. Pueblo, as well as a growing number of cities across the country, now places defibrillators in both public and private businesses and buildings.
Defibrillators are devices that send an electric shock to the heart. The shock restores a normal heartbeat. “We do have some public buildings that have defibrillators,” said Huber, a retired Air Force veteran. “The defibrillator can be used by anyone who is trained,” she said. Pueblo’s fire department has trained a number of city employees on the proper use of a defibrillator. The department has also provides opportunities for anyone interested to also get certified instruction. It’s an on- going project.
Interestingly, Pueblo’s Fire Department also has an in-house health program that includes heart health for its own members. “We have a program for people who have reached a certain age,” said Huber. The program, she said, incorporates “fitness and diet.”
To keep its members healthy—heart and otherwise—Pueblo Fire has gone away from the traditional work schedule. No longer do its members work the long held work schedule of 24 hours on, 48 hours off. “This year,” said Huber, “we’re trying two days on, four days off.” The move, she said, just seemed to make more sense. “I had concern about work cycles and how tired they (firefighters) would be.”
While Huber stressed that firefighters maintain good health, the approach is the same for civilians when it conducts public appearances at community events. “When we’re out doing public events, we try and explain heart and stroke issues,” telling community members how very dangerous these things can be if not addressed in a timely fashion.
While not every member who goes on an emergency call, said the Chief, is certified as a paramedic, firefight- ers can work toward certification “two years into their career.” It’s all part of the plan to give Pueblo the best fire department and the community the best protection it can.
