For Duty. For Life.
“Maintain the capacity you have, to continue doing the things you love, for as long as you want to do them”.
Theme Overview
The overall aim of IGNITE is to help more fire fighters thrive at work and at home. The resources provided throughout the program will be directed at helping members navigate the demands of the job (which for fire fighters can be unpredictable and high risk), and will include realistic and meaningful recommendations that can be integrated into members’ lives outside of work. Ultimately, the job influences life, and life influences the job, therefore IGNITE will seek to provide support for both.
Resources
A series of resources are being made available to support the ‘For Duty. For Life’ theme. These include articles, posters, training videos, podcasts. Specific details and links for each can be found below.
Articles
All IGNITE articles, including those listed below can be found at https://performanceredefined.ca/ignite-articles
- Finding the balance between our demands and capacity. “Given the abundance of information that exists on the Internet, in books, etc., we can easily lose sight of our reasons to engage in physical activity. But when we step back and reflect on the reasons why we exercise, it likely boils down the things we need or want to do…”
- For duty For life Our physical active habits impact life on and off the job. “Each of us is not just a fire fighter, we are also a father, mother, brother, sister, or friend who happens to have a demanding occupation. For this reason, we would acknowledge that there are many activities beyond those performed at work that we absolutely love to do…”
- Make exercise fun again! “What has motivated you to be where you are today? Are you competitive? Curious? Are you driven by a sense of purpose or will to succeed? Do you seek out challenges, validation, or feedback to push even harder? Whether motivated by money, fear, guilt, personal values or pleasure, our reasons can have a profound influence on our mindset and behaviours…”
- The benefits to being physically active extend beyond the state of being physically fit. “How fire fighters perform any relevant job task, sport skill, or activity of daily living will be influenced in part by fitness-related attributes such as mobility, stability, strength, and aerobic capacity. In other words, being physically fit will afford unique opportunities to engage in specific activities…”
Posters
All IGNITE posters, including those listed below can be found at https://performanceredefined.ca/ignite-graphics
- ‘For Duty. For Life.’ infographic. A 2-page poster that highlights several risks unique to fire fighters’ and the role that physical activity and exercise can play to help. An electronic copy of the poster can be accessed HERE.
Training Videos
All IGNITE training videos, including those listed below can be found at the following link https://performanceredefined.ca/ignite-training
- ‘For Duty. For Life.‘ Because COVID restrictions limited the IGNITE team’s ability to travel to CNRMA we decided to share a copy the workshop that would have been delivered had we had the opportunity to visit each installation in person. This workshop was delivered to the Lake Travis Fire Department in Lake Travis, Texas, on February 21, 2018.
Podcast
All IGNITE podcast episodes, including those listed below can be found at https://performanceredefined.ca/ignite-podcast
- EP001 – In Pursuit of Wellness. For Duty. For Life. A conversation with Kosta Poulos and Dave Frost. In this episode we unpack one of the foundational concepts in fire fighter wellness and fitness: The Demands and Capacity Framework. We discuss how fire fighters can apply this framework, and how doing so can assist them in making their exercise and physical matter to the things that are most important in their lives.
- EP002 – Thoughts on Being Active After 30 Years as a Fire Fighter. A conversation with Dave Frost and Tommy Grimshaw, a retired fire fighter from FDNY. In this episode we talk about the role exercise has played in Tommy’s professional and personal life. Tommy was a fire fighter in Harlem for 20+ years before moving to the fitness unit at the Fire Academy on Randall’s Island.
Exercise Programs
All IGNITE exercise programs that were released on Kinduct throughout the month can can be found at https://performanceredefined.ca/ignite-exercise
