MURPHY'S THREE RULES FOR LONGEVITY

Firefighters

Looking at the statistics for 2009 Firefighter Fatalities there are three main causes of firefighter deaths – CARDIAC ARREST, APPARATUS SPEED and FAILURE TO WEAR YOUR SEATBELTS.

I know that you do not have a death wish so a bit of advice labeled as:

MURPHY’S THREE RULES FOR LONGEVITY:

1) BUCKLE YOUR SEATBELTS before any vehicle you drive or sit in moves from the apparatus bay, parking lot or your garage

2) SLOW DOWN – you cannot help anyone if you wreck your vehicle. You do not have to drive like a crazy person in order to “deliver” your services. Look at the news – we are crashing into each other or civilians and killing people for no reason.

3) GET A PHYSICAL EXAMINATION. Cardiac arrest and other medical conditions constitute a majority of firefighter fatalities in 2009. There are many programs available to firefighters to get an understanding of your current medical condition and what can you to improve it. Eating, drinking, use of tobacco and other factors are career enders.

Get smart and take care of yourself. I want to see you around at the end of 2010 and until the end of your career and beyond.

My goal in life is to outlive my pension contributions – what’s yours?

Be safe

John