In December, the Chicago Fire Department officially launched a health and fitness awareness program complete with exercise video, nutritional cooking classes for fire station cooks and a wellness committee to lead the department to a healthier future.

Fire Commissioner Cortez Trotter also eliminated non-essential restrictions on workouts so that firefighters can use any free time to improve fitness.

“We must work together as a department to maintain a level of health and fitness that will further improve our ability to serve the people of Chicago,” Trotter said. “Equally important is the health and lives of our employees.”

Trotter planned to implement the program in all 99 Chicago fire stations. The program consists of four main components: fitness, nutrition, support system and partnerships. It includes:

• A 20-minute fitness video created by the department for all firehouses;
• Nutritional information for all firehouse kitchens;
• Nutritional cooking classes for firehouse cooks;
• Physical evaluations by a department physician;
• A new volunteer wellness committee charged with motivating members to join the “CFD Team” at health and fitness events and promoting events on the department Web page and newsletter;
• A poster campaign made up of department members who have a serious commitment to health and fitness;
• A partnership with a maker of an interactive, computer-based game promoting fitness; and
• Discounted memberships at health clubs throughout the city.

“We know the issue of health and fitness extends beyond firehouse kitchens and firehouse walls. It extends beyond fire and medical emergency runs,” said Trotter.

The department commissioned a fitness expert to put together a 20-minute workout routine that was turned into the video. The nutritional guidelines were put together with help from the Northwestern Memorial Hospital Wellness Institute. “What we eat affects everything from our mood and energy levels to chronic diseases,” said the institute's Dawn Jackson. “Healthy eating and good nutrition can be like magic.… preventing and managing diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and some cancers.”

CFD also partnered with Yourself! Fitness, an extension of interactive computer gaming technology that provides a personalized trainer system to drive individual fitness and well-being. Thirty members of the department were recruited to take a health and fitness challenge using Yourself!Fitness over the holidays.

“Helping people gain control over their health and fitness through the creation of innovative programs … is at the core of why we created the program,” said Ted Spooner, CEO of Respond Design. “We are thrilled — and consider it a tremendous honor … to help firefighters and paramedics make a contribution to their own health and fitness through the use of our program.”

Bally's Health Club agreed to provide the several pieces of equipment to various firehouses throughout the city, Trotter said. Bally's and X-Sport Fitness also were providing membership discounts to CFD members.