Aging and the fitness of fire fighters: the complex issues involved in abolishing mandatory retirement ages

Abstract

This study presents an assessment of the cardiorespiratory health and physical fitness of fire fighters of different ages with the aim of addressing several questions currently being debated on a national level. These include how fire fighters differ across age groups in their health and physical fitness, and what would be the impact on the existing work force of implementing minimum fitness standards as an alternative to mandatory retirement ages. Fire fighters aged 20-65 years were found to be similar in their cardiorespiratory health and physical fitness to the sedentary segment of the general population of the same age. Particularly worrisome, however, is the low maximal aerobic capacity (31, 28, 26 ml/kg/min), high percent body fat (26, 29, 30), and high resting blood pressure (136/86, 140/90, 143/93 mm Hg) observed in the 40-45-, 50-55-, and 60-65-year-old fire fighters, respectively. In fact, 66%, 83%, and 93% of the fire fighters in these three age groups, respectively, fall below the lowest published recommendations for maximal aerobic capacity in this profession. These data underscore the need to establish minimum health and physical performance standards for fire fighters and demonstrate the profound impact such minimum standards will have on the existing work force.