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Carmel, Indiana - January 2002
Eighteen months ago, Carmel Police Chief Mike Fogarty thought
he'd be the last guy to have a medical problem. But, on a memorable day
in May 2000, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer after his annual physical
at Public Safety Medical Services. Several months of intense treatment
later, he progressively improved and the cancer is now undetectable. Fogarty
is now more resolved than ever to do what he can to protect the health
of his department. In fact, he and Carmel Fire Chief Doug Callahan, each
serving since 1996, see themselves as the public safety team for the Carmel
community.
A Partnership is Formed
Chief Fogarty gained his appreciation for wellness programs when he
was a Deputy Chief with the Indianapolis Police Department where he
served for 27 years. There, he was involved with the development and
administration of the IPD wellness program. Over the years, he saw
its value and wanted to establish a similar program in Carmel. "Every
police chief wants to see his officers go home at the end of the day"
says Fogarty. "More officers, however, die or require medical
disability due to unhealthy lifestyles than from being killed in the
line of duty."
Click here
to view the Carmel PD Medical Testing Program |
Police Chief Fogarty
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Fire Chief Callahan
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Chief Callahan
created a safety committee in 1996 and learned from NIOSH that more
than 50% of firefighter fatalities were the result of cardiovascular
disease-a preventable condition. A wellness program made sense. "I
want to see my firefighters maintain good physical fitness throughout
their career" states Callahan. Both chiefs agreed that nearly
95% of their employees' time is typically spent in physically un-demanding
work, but state that it is critical that they be capable of performing
the physically-demanding 5% when necessary.
Click
here to view the Carmel FD Medical Testing Program
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Health Risks Found
Carmel police with 77 sworn officers and Carmel fire with 130, each provide
annual physical exams for every employee, including a cardiovascular and
muscular fitness evaluation to provide a thorough review of an individual's
health and fitness. "These examinations have captured high blood pressures
and high cholesterol, as well as, led to referrals to cardiologists for
some of our firefighters" says Callahan. Fogarty believes that as a
result of the program, his officers will feel better about themselves, have
fewer sick days, and their insurance costs will be less-ultimately spending
less of the city's tax dollars. This year, each department will be providing
additional fitness testing, nutrition consultations and programs to continue
educating their employees on making healthy choices. "Our officers
have begun to look forward to their annual physical and how they compare
to the previous year", says Fogarty.
An Innovative Approach
Having two departments work together for the well-being of their employees
is rare. Both chiefs attribute the success of their programs to the city
of Carmel and Clay Township for making the services possible. They believe
that working together provides the best service to the community. The
police and fire departments routinely partner up personnel for arson investigations,
emergency response teams, and even allow employees to use fitness equipment
in each other's facilities. They encourage other departments to consider
what they can do. "It doesn't take a lot of convincing [to a city
or township] to put money into the budget to keep their public safety
professionals in top condition", they assert.
For more information on the Carmel Police and Fire
Department, click
here.
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