Construction hazards certainly are not limited just to trusses. This wall, which supported the section of floor where the four fire fighters were operating, was weakened by the fire and failed. In turn, it caused the floor section it was supporting to fall downward, dropping the four fire fighters into the fire area. Fire Fighter Health One of the biggest killers of fire fighters every year is not related to factors such as communications, building collapse, or freelancing. Forty percent of the deaths that occur annually are because of heart attacks.
Fire fighting is a tremendously strenuous task.
The fire fighter can be taken from a complete resting state and within minutes be thrust into a dangerous, complicated environment where they are expected to perform at a demanding physical level. Placing such stresses upon an individual repeatedly can take its toll. Some fire departments have realized that there is a need to use a preventive strategy to minimize the impact that these stresses have upon the individual and to identify fire fighters who are at risk for cardiac related problems. Physical fitness programs, life style education, and regular physicals are all part of a total health and safety program that can be used to reduce the potential for a cardiac-related fatality. Some of these deaths can be avoided with an effective medical evaluation program.