Firefighters in Norton Shores, Mich., have taken a highly irregular step: they’ve added a formal agreement to remain physically fit to their contract. And this came at a time when the firefighters were still under contract.

The agreement was adopted in early June and makes passing an annual medical examination and physical-ability test a condition firefighters must meet to keep their jobs. The agreement establishes a health and wellness committee; one of the committee’s tasks will be to create the ability test that uses NFPA 1583 standards as a guide. Firefighters will begin taking the test once it is approved by the chief, but the punitive component won’t go into effect until 2010.

“I can’t believe we are the only (department) who has this,” said Norton Shores Fire Chief David Purchase. “But, I don’t know of anyone else doing it.”

Purchase said the union (International Association of Firefighters Local 2559) wanted the department to look at ways to improve overall health and wellness. The city’s end of the bargain calls for maintaining and adding exercise equipment at the stations and city hall, allowing firefighters 60 minutes of workout time per shift, and allowing only emergency calls to take priority over workout time. The city also covers the cost of the medical exams.

The Norton Shores Fire Department has four stations and 13 full-time and 20 part-time firefighters. It covers 25.5 square miles and serves a population of 26,400 on the shore of Lake Michigan in the state’s southern half.

Purchase said this plan went over so smoothly in part because the department already has a culture of health. As evidence, the department has had a no tobacco policy in place for 20 years; this applies for both on and off duty.

“It demonstrates their mindset,” Purchase said. “It is an infectious attitude; you have to bring it into the department, and I’m not going to take credit for that.”

The notion for the medical and ability exams came about because of a rash of injuries during the past 18 months. It took the city and union about six months to iron out this agreement. Purchase said staffing on the department is so lean that injuries and illnesses create shortages. He hopes that this program will reduce injuries and illness, and consequently, relieve staffing burdens.