- Title:
-
Work Strong, Live Long
- Date:
- February 2003
- Organisations
- SAMFS
- Authors:
- Mick Smith
- Location:
- South Australia, SA, Australia
Overview
The International Bushfire Research Conference - Incorporating the 15th annual AFAC Conference.
This presentation "Work Strong - Live Long" will provide information on the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Services's (MFS) programs which support the concept of "Fit for work - fit for life". This paper will discuss the development of the MFS programs, including current initiatives and future directions. These programs underpin the MFS comprehensive occupational health and safety system.
Medical:The MFS Medical Board was established in March 2006. Prominent experts in medical and allied health volunteer their services on the Medical Board that advises the MFS on strategic medical matters pertaining to firefighter's occupational health, fitness and welfare.
Fitness program for operational firefighters Fitness trainers supervise physical training sessions on station, provide fitness programs for firefighters and conduct annual wellness testing that assist firefighters to maintain appropriate fitness levels.
Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM): Firefighters are often exposed to traumatic situations during operations. It is well known that this exposure can cause negative reactions. The MFS CISM program has been developed over twenty years and its current form uses innovative methods to minimise the impact of trauma on firefighters.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP): The EAP is a confidential counselling service to assist staff and their immediate family who are experiencing difficulties. These four programs are evidence based and are linked to three current research studies, which will be discussed in the presentation.
- Denise Keenan - Post Traumatic Growth Project
- Douglas Paton - Risk, Resilience and Vulnerability to its Executive and Management Team - identify factors that predict stress resilience in emergency and protective services, a risk management model that demonstrates how critical incident stress can be managed through intervention at individual, team and organisational levels.
- Alan Crockett - Lung Function - Believed to be the first in Australia, the establishment of an emergency services lung function monitoring program in South Australia follows findings of accelerated lung damage in emergency service personnel who were involved i the 9/11 rescue and clean up. A baseline fire, rescue and overhaul measurement of lung function will now be available for MFS firefighters and assessment of the impact if any future exposures to potentially damaging substances that can be made.
- Beverly Raphael - CBRN Pocket Guide.
