Voluntary and Mandatory Fitness Programs for Fire Fighters.

Abstract

In brief Physiological studies were done on 50 fire fighters before and after they participated in successive year-long voluntary and mandatory physical fitness programs. Although neither program produced impressive fitness changes or was more cost-effective, mean aerobic capacity increased by 13% following the mandatory program, compared with a 3% increase after the voluntary program, suggesting that a mandatory program could more effectively improve fitness levels. It is recommended that fire fighters maintaining acceptable fitness standards be rewarded in some manner.