November 2025 - Get Fit For Duty Newsletter
- Get Fit For Duty
- 3 days ago
- 10 min read
Welcome
Hello & Welcome to the Get Fit For Duty Research Newsletter!
The aim of this newsletter is to provide a monthly update on recent research focused on the health and wellbeing of firefighters. Each month will aim to have a guest researcher, who will give a insight into their current research and the positive impact their work will make to firefighters.
If you are currently undertaking research within the fire service sector, we would love to hear about your project, please email us at info@getfitforduty.co.uk.
Included in the November newsletter,
November Monthly Roundup
Hello,
Thanks to those who subscribed and have read the newsletter. I hope that you have found it interesting and a useful insight to some of the work being carried out to support the health and wellbeing of firefighters.
We are now into our sixth issue of the newsletter. The guest this month is John Hofman, the strength and conditioning specialist for the US Space Force. John provides an insightful look into his experience working with firefighters and supporting them with their health and wellbeing.
This will be the last newsletter of the year, but it will be back in January 2026. I hope you all have an enjoyable christmas!
As mentioned previously, to help build this community, I need your help. If you know anyone who would be interested in this newsletter, please share it on your social channels and invite them to join our group on LinkedIn. Simply search for “Get Fit For Duty - Firefighter Health & Wellbeing Group”
Stay healthy,
Dr Liam Noll
Sport & Exercise Science, PhD
Newsletter Abstract
Don’t have time to read the full newsletter now? No problems, the Newsletter Abstract provides you will a brief summary of the articles included in this month’s issue.
Guest Article - John Hofman, MS, CSCS*D, TSAC-F*D, US Space Force Strength and conditioning specialist.
Coach Hofman is considered a leading expert in the field of Tactical Strength and Conditioning. He started his career with the Sacramento Fire Department where he oversaw the Wellness Center, coordinated the departments medical and fitness assessments, developed recruit fitness training, pre-employment medical and fitness evaluations, and assisted with the departments 20-certified peer fitness trainers. He is also a lead instructor for the California Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) where he developed and instructs on Physical training for the Academy. In 2021 Coach Hofman was a member of the State Officer Wellness team where they were awarded an Emmy for Branding Content.
Research Article of the Month - Systematic Analysis of the relationship between physical activity levels and psychological wellbeing in firefighters - Neşe Mumcu & Abdullah Canikli
This systematic review synthesized data from 62 peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2024, examining the relationship between physical activity and psychological well-being in firefighters.
The researcher’s identified the essential role of individualised physical activity programs in enhancing both mental and physical health among firefighters. The researcher’s advocate for the implementation of multi-component wellness programs within fire departments, including regular fitness assessments, customised exercise protocols, and access to mental health resources.
Guest Article - John Hofman, MS, CSCSD, TSAC-FD, US Space Force Strength and conditioning specialist.
Introduction & background
For the past 17 years, Coach Hofman is considered a leading expert in the field of Tactical Strength and Conditioning. He started his career with the Sacramento Fire Department where he oversaw the Wellness Center, coordinated the departments medical and fitness assessments, developed recruit fitness training, pre-employment medical and fitness evaluations, and assisted with the departments 20-certified peer fitness trainers.
He is also a lead instructor for the California Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) where he developed and instructs on Physical training for the Academy. In 2021 Coach Hofman was a member of the State Officer Wellness team where they were awarded an Emmy for Branding Content. In addition, Coach Hofman was the 2018 recipient of the National Strength and Conditioning Association Tactical Practitioner of the Year Award. This award is given to a TSAC educator and practitioner who has made noteworthy contributions to the teaching and practical applications in the field of Tactical Strength and Conditioning.
Coach Hofman competed for 12 years on the U.S Canoe/Kayak team where he competed in two Olympic trials as well as played four years of collegiate football. He holds a Bachelors of Arts (UMASS-Boston) in Economics, a Master of Science in Kinesiology (UTPB), and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Tactical Strength and Conditioning Specialist both with Distinction.
Please tell us about your specialist area and what makes your passionate about your work and how can your work help address current challenges firefighters face in terms of health and wellbeing.
I have done studies in the past with fire recruits and hydration, assisted with the BYU - Harvard Sleep study on firefighters and a few others. I would consider myself a “coach” on the ground who works with researchers to make things applicable.
Over the past 17 years I have tried to change the way health and wellness is perceived in the fire service. For example: Do they need to be in shape to do the job - NO…..they should WANT to be in shape.
I always stated “No one calls 911 on a good day, so all you see is bad things and this will impact your overall well being (mentally, physically, emotionally, hormonally) and the only medicine is “this health and wellness” - my job is to reverse what 30 years does to you. There is no other magic pill. Like many industries, the Fire Service gets paralyzed by to much research. I have been doing this for over 18 years and here we are still having the same conversations!
They want to make things complicated when in reality it is pretty simple. For example: they want to equate being in shape to being able to perform the job - and that is a difficult task and brings alot of HR and legal issues. Just because someone is in shape does not mean they will be a good firefighter, it just means they have less chance of heart attacks. They still need to train and do all the other things correctly.
Instead of equating fitness with the job - I developed a system for a few California fire depts where we were able identify who would have a higher chance of injury. If they did not pass the cut off score they did not get the job. This provided the dept what they initially were looking for but from a different angle. Their academy injuries went from 50% to zero….because they had higher caliber candidates and therefore could train harder. So i removed the legal and HR issues by simplifying the program and coming at from a different angle.
What is your take on being “Fit For Duty”?
Fit for Duty, no one has a clear definition of it. I have some obese firefighter who get the job done well, but grab their chest after climbing stairs. I have also seen tarzan firefighters put the water in the wrong direction - so being in shape does not qualify as “fit for duty” it just means you will have less chance of heart attack and they are not the same.
My definition of “Fit For Duty” is this:
Do you exercise? - I don’t care what you do…..it all works. do something and make it priority. My first priority is always STRENGTH, the stronger you are the harder you are to break. You want to rescue injuries - get them strong from different vector angles. Then you can do conditioning.
Do you eat well? - I don’t need you to eat paleo or anything else…..put blueberries in your ice cream and i’ll call it healthy! People cant even tell me what “healthy eating” looks like. So how will you do it?
Do you get your blood work done? - The blood work tells us everything. what’s your CRP (inflammation) and Cholesterol? If we want to reduce heart disease - focus on nutrition and blood work, then include exercise. but we often assume someone is in great shape they will not have a heart attack but that’s not true.
Do you train? - Training saves your life. No workout can ever replace the job. You’re training to reduce the unknown. Fitness compliments the job it doesn’t replace it. If you work out in PPE i call that training, not exercise. Hockey players don’t lift in ice skates!
Are you mentally sound? - Not everyone has PTSD…sometimes their sleep is bad. Sometimes they need to unload the “rocks” out of the bag!
Do you have physical pain? - This is most important - if they have back pain they will not exercise, they will not train for the future of getting hurt again, they may be medicating which affects the mind and the gut so they may not eat well. ….this one affects the other 5.
Are there any specific interventions or recommendations that have emerged from your research/work so far?
I have seen it al, losing loved ones (my firefighter lost his 8 year old son) and I was assigned to help. I had a firefighter have 40% of his body burned and I was assigned to help. I have seen the worse cases on injuries and everything and we used health and wellness in every situation. I always made things applicable to help the firefighter and always thought outside the box. More important firefighters trusted me, they came to me for everything. 800 firefighters = 1 coach….I was busy!
My job was simple, to give them help and hope. I was not a researcher but rather someone who listened. As one firefighter stated “Coach is our firefighter, when we are broken we call him and he fixes us”.
What are the next steps or future directions for your work?
I am focused on Space Force now. I enjoyed my years working in public safety. I was able to help a lot of people and do some good but it took a toll on my well being as well as i had compassion fatigue.
I often tell people working within tactical can be rewarding but you also need to have healthy outlets to protect yourself. I was one of the first to be ingrained in the culture (not as a researcher, but as a coach) and i have my own turnouts. I did everything they did and more and over time they considered me “their firefighter” but this can be a challenge cause there is only 1 coach and over 800 firefighters - which often leaves you on a island by yourself. all i ever heard was “save me, help me” and this can take a toll emotionally.
I needed a break, I think the future will be no different than 17 years ago. There will be more research available but the conversations will be the same because no one wants to really take the first step. I give a lot of credit to Sacramento Fire for taking that step and we changed a culture. nothing was mandatory (they have a right to choose as it is a job first and if I’m a great coach I should get them to “want to do it, not need to do it".
But yet while I was there the Union wrote the program into the MOU because it was something they felt protected them, not hinder them. We were able to establish a medical screening program (which i was told would be impossible) and we utilized fitness to help those suffering with mental disorders. I think if depts could open their eyes and ears as well as unions and work together they could get the same rewards.
Research Article of the Month - Systematic Analysis of the relationship between physical activity levels and psychological wellbeing in firefighters
Mumcu, N., & Canikli, A. (2025)
Introduction:
Previous research suggests that fitness plays a preventive role in combating these conditions, thereby supporting both physical and psychological health. In light of these findings, this study aimed to systematically analyse current research to identify the relationship between physical activity levels and psychological well-being among firefighters.
The researcher’s hope that by identifying evidence-based strategies, it could inform interventions to enhance the health, performance, and job satisfaction among firefighters.
The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the role of physical activity in managing the high levels of physical and psychological stress experienced by firefighters, and its impact on occupational performance and overall health.
The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of structured exercise programs in improving firefighters’ physical fitness, psychological resilience, stress levels, burnout symptoms, and long-term health outcomes.
Additionally, the study investigated the benefits of integrating psychological interventions (e.g., mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral therapy) into physical training routines, offering a holistic approach to mitigating the physical and mental burdens associated with the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other job-related demands.
Methodology:
Inclusion criteria included studies involving firefighters, examining physical activity levels and psychological outcomes, and providing quantitative or qualitative data. 62 studies were included based on relevance and methodological rigor.
Key Findings:
Physical activity serves as a critical intervention to mitigate stress, reduce burnout, and improve resilience.
The implementation of strength training, cardiovascular exercises, and flexibility routines can support a firefighter with the physical demands of operational duties. Additionally, higher physical fitness levels were linked with increased decision making abilities and lower stress levels during emergency situations.
Physical training pans tailored to the specific occupational needs of firefighters, such as those integrating live fire drills or equipment handling, were more beneficial that generic physical training plans. Included studies highlighted that functional training combined with simulated firefighting activities helped firefighters acclimate to real-life stressors, mitigating anxiety and improving confidence.
Wellbeing programs that combined physical activity with mindfulness or relaxation techniques showed additional efficacy in managing occupational stress (Holland-Winkler et al., 2024).
Lastly, innovative approaches such as virtual reality-based fitness training and sensor-based monitoring systems are gaining traction. Taborri et al. (2021) suggested that these technologies not only enhance physical training efficiency but also provide real-time feedback to address mental wellbeing, further bridging the gap between physical activity and psychological resilience. The integration of high-intensity functional training (HIFT) has proven to be an effective strategy
Future research should explore long-term interventions and the role of organizational support in promoting firefighter wellbeing.
Do you need participants for your research project?
Are you looking for participants for your upcoming fire related research project? If you are, send me an email about your project and I would be happy to feature it in an upcoming newsletter to try and help increase participation for your research project.
