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SOP-230Personnel & TrainingSOP

Fitness & Wellness

Physicals, fitness, mental health, and cancer screening.

Read before using

This is a template. It is not your department's policy.

Tailboard templates are drafted as generic starting points aligned to national standards. They are nota substitute for your department's own review or for adoption through your Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). For topics carrying significant exposure (use of force, medical scope, civil rights), route through qualified counsel before adoption.

Every placeholder marked [BRACKETED] must be completed before adoption. Every section must be reviewed against your department's staffing, apparatus, water supply, EMS scope, geography, and the specific laws of your state. What applies to a career department in a city may not apply to a volunteer department in a rural jurisdiction, and vice versa.

Standards, regulations, and best practices are updated regularly. Verify the current edition of every standard cited before adopting this document. Once adopted, this document becomes your department's responsibility — not Tailboard's.

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Open it in the Policy Builder. Answer a few questions about your staffing, apparatus, and conditions — we'll adapt every section to match.

Number

SOP-230

Version

1.0

Last reviewed

2026-01-01

Next review

2027-01-01

Summary

This SOP establishes the health and wellness program for [DEPARTMENT NAME]. Sudden cardiac events remain the leading cause of firefighter line-of-duty deaths, and cancer is the leading cause of death for active firefighters. A serious wellness program addresses both.

Definitions

Annual Physical
The medical evaluation conducted yearly per NFPA 1582, aimed at identifying conditions that increase firefighter injury or fatality risk.
Fit-for-Duty
A medical determination that a member meets the physical and mental requirements to perform essential job functions safely.
Peer Support
Trained members who provide confidential, non-clinical emotional support to fellow members.

Purpose

To extend the healthy working life of every member, reduce preventable LODD and injury, and support mental and physical resilience in a high-stress occupation.

Scope

Applies to every member of [DEPARTMENT NAME] in an operational role. Participation is a condition of operational qualification, not optional.

Medical Physicals

  1. Every member receives an annual medical evaluation meeting NFPA 1582.
  2. Evaluation is performed by a qualified physician familiar with fire service demands.
  3. Results are reviewed for fit-for-duty status and for early detection of treatable conditions.
  4. Members not medically cleared are placed on light duty, medical leave, or remediation plan until cleared.
  5. Costs of the required medical evaluation are borne by the department.

Fitness

  • Members have access to fitness equipment on-site or via a reimbursed gym arrangement.
  • Annual fitness assessment (e.g., CPAT-style event, WPAT, or NFPA 1583 battery) establishes a baseline.
  • Time is allotted for physical training during shifts or duty periods, subject to operational needs.

Cancer Prevention

Firefighter cancer is a documented occupational hazard. [DEPARTMENT NAME] adopts the Lavender Ribbon Report best practices as the minimum standard.

  • Full PPE plus SCBA on overhaul until air monitoring confirms safe atmosphere.
  • Gross decon on scene after every working fire.
  • Shower within 60 minutes of returning to quarters.
  • Bunker gear is not taken into personal vehicles or living spaces.
  • Advanced cleaning and second hood per the PPE SOP.
  • Annual cancer screening incorporated into the medical evaluation (age-appropriate modalities).

Behavioral Health

  • [DEPARTMENT NAME] maintains a relationship with an EAP, clinician, or mental health provider familiar with first responders.
  • Confidential peer support is available to all members.
  • Post-incident critical-incident-stress debriefs are conducted after LODD, serious member injury, pediatric fatalities, and any incident identified as warranting support.
  • Behavioral health conversations and referrals are not reportable to the member's record.

Substance Abuse

  • Zero tolerance for on-duty or duty-impairing substance use.
  • Voluntary self-report of a problem pre-incident is treated as a health matter, not a discipline matter, and routed to treatment resources.
  • Post-incident substance testing is governed by [DEPARTMENT]'s CBA or personnel policy.

Immunizations

  • Hepatitis B series offered (OSHA 1910.1030).
  • Seasonal influenza vaccine offered annually.
  • Tetanus/Tdap current within 10 years.
  • Other immunizations per state EMS agency.

Return-to-Duty After Injury or Illness

  1. Member is cleared by a qualified medical provider before returning to operational duty.
  2. Light duty or graduated return may be used during recovery.
  3. The department reserves the right to require independent fit-for-duty evaluation.

Responsibilities

Chief / Health & Safety Officer

  • Maintain the wellness program.
  • Contract with qualified medical providers and EAP.
  • Track compliance and report to the AHJ annually.

Members

  • Attend annual physicals.
  • Maintain fitness appropriate for your role.
  • Use PPE, decon, and cleaning practices as specified.
  • Seek support proactively when needed.

Training Requirements

  • Annual training on cancer prevention best practices.
  • Annual training on behavioral health awareness, peer support resources, and warning signs.
  • Initial and refresher training on the wellness program at onboarding and periodically.

References

  • NFPA 1582Standard on Comprehensive Occupational Medical Program for Fire Departments
  • NFPA 1583Standard on Health-Related Fitness Programs for Fire Department Members
  • NFPA 1500Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety, Health, and Wellness Program
  • NVFC Lavender Ribbon Report11 Best Practices for Preventing Firefighter Cancer
  • IAFF Peer Support ProgramCurriculum reference for peer support structure

Adapt this template

Before this template becomes your department's policy, review the following items and adjust accordingly. Anything else that does not match your operation should be updated as well.

  • Name your contracted medical provider and EAP in an attachment.
  • Specify how on-duty fitness time is provided (protected training hour, before first call, etc.).
  • Cross-reference PPE, Decon, and Grievance SOPs.

Adoption signature

Adopted by (Name, Rank)
Signature
Effective date
Next scheduled review

Before adoption checklist

  • ☐Replace [DEPARTMENT NAME] throughout the document.
  • ☐Complete every [BRACKETED] placeholder.
  • ☐Confirm the current edition of every cited standard.
  • ☐Check against your state statutes and state fire marshal rules.
  • ☐Route for chief review. Topics with significant exposure (use of force, medical scope) also go through qualified counsel.
  • ☐Confirm alignment with any mutual-aid agreements.
  • ☐Schedule a training plan for the new policy before effective date.
  • ☐Announce adoption in writing to all members. Archive the prior version.
  • ☐Set the next review date — annually at minimum.