TEAM FITNESS

Joe Telles - Logistics Section Chief; Suzy Fitzgerald & Vivian Reyes - Assistant Medical Directors

The one thing that we are personally responsible for is our own physical fitness. On a deployment there is a high likelihood that we will be faced with the physical demands of working in uncontrolled environments. Temperatures and humidity may fluctuate, sleep deprivation is likely, moving patients and equipment will be strenuous, and walking unknown distances carrying personal and team gear will be taxing.  In our preparation for deployment we must be honest with ourselves in assessing our own physical fitness and ability to perform physical work. At a minimum, each team member should have as a personal goal the ability to meet the national health standards set by the CDC in their national program Physical Activity for Everyone. In the near future, we expect to be required to meet physical fitness standards set by NDMS. If we prepare ourselves now it shouldn’t be a problem for us when these standards are implemented.

The CDC recommends that people older than 16, who are generally fit with no limiting medical disabilities, do the following:

1. Exercise at a moderate intensity level for at least 150 minutes (2.5 hrs) weekly.
2. Do some type of muscle strengthening activity at least twice a week.

Walking at a brisk pace is defined as a moderate-intensity level exercise. The CDC recommends a minimum of 10 minute increments to reach the weekly goal of 150 minutes of exercise. The CDC states: “We know 150 minutes each week sounds like a lot of time, but you don't have to do it all at once. Not only is it best to spread your activity out during the week, but you can break it up into smaller chunks of time during the day. As long as you're doing your activity at a moderate or vigorous effort for at least 10 minutes at a time.”  

So, if you exercise 10 minutes three times during a 24-hour period, you will get the recommended amount of exercise for the day. If you do 30 minutes of exercise at least five days a week, you will get your recommended 150 minutes of exercise for the week. Your daily exercise could be a 20-minute walk at lunch and 10 minutes of physical work at home such as mowing the lawn or cleaning the garage.

Below are examples of activity intensity levels:

Moderate Intensity

• Walking briskly (3 miles per hour or faster, but not race-walking)
• Water aerobics
• Walking your dog
• Being a nurse walking up and down the hallway

Vigorous Intensity

• Race walking, jogging, or running
• Swimming laps
• Bicycling 10 miles per hour or faster
• Jumping rope
• Heavy gardening (continuous digging or hoeing)
• Hiking uphill or with a heavy backpack or with your Go Pack

The most valuable resource of our team is us - the people that make up our team! In preparation to improve our physical fitness together as a team, the Logistics Section and Medical Director's staff will work together under the direction of our Medical Director, Brian Blaisch, to proactively encourage team members to be physically active and exercise. Our ultimate goal will be to complete a two-mile walk in less than 32 minutes by the end of the year.

To get us off on a positive start we would like interested members to:

1. Join us in a 20-minute (1 mile) walk to lunch during the lunch break of our March 10 meeting.
2. Join us on for a Fitness Day at Lake Chabot. We are in the process of determining a date for the walk, but we are planning a fitness day will consist of a 30-minute discussion of health and fitness, followed by a two-mile walk.

This is an opportunity for all of us to work together as a team and to be physically active and healthy! The health and safety of the members of DMAT CA-6 is a team priority. At this time, physical fitness testing is not required. However, the team leadership of CA-6 wants to be proactive to prepare our team for all future NDMS prerequisites and to, ultimately, have our team ready to deploy!