As some of you may have heard, one of our members was transported yesterday for a precautionary medical evaluation. We are grateful to report that he has been discharged and is doing well. One of the events prior to the incident occurring was the use a cold plunge. In response to this incident, the Fire Department is temporarily pausing the use of cold plunges while on duty. This measure is strictly precautionary until further research can be done. The Fire Departments intent of this pause is to ensure prudent steps are taken for the safety and well-being of all our members. Honestly, if the Fire Department had taken no action after the transport of one of our members for a serious health concern there would be huge cause for concern from the Local.
We understand and appreciate that many of our members are well-informed and have conducted extensive research on the benefits and uses of cold plunges. Those members who have dove in to this tool are probably some of our most prepared members for the physical challenges that summer heat brings us as firefighters. We, as a union, are absolutely going to have your back in this. However, it’s also crucial to acknowledge that not everyone may be as familiar with this tool, including casual users who might not fully understand the risks when participating at the station.
To address these concerns and gather more information, the Fire Department has decided to let the RBO process guide the future policy on this matter. The review will be led by Division Chief JoEllen Caldwell and FF Elliott Simmons through the Health Center RBO.
We encourage all members, especially those with expertise or questions about cold plunge use, to actively participate in this RBO. Your contributions are vital to ensuring we develop guidelines that prioritize our members’ health and their ability to serve the community safely while on duty.
If you would like to participate in this RBO please add yourself to the “Health Center RBO Team” on Microsoft Teams. To access, login in Microsoft Teams and search “Health Center” under teams. You will be able to upload data and any other materials you feel like a relevant to the conversation.
-Ben