Ascension St. Vincent marks 35 years of protecting Indiana’s first responders

As thousands of fire and rescue professionals come to Indianapolis for the FDIC International Conference April 7 to 12, Ascension St. Vincent’s Public Safety Medical program is marking its 35th year of providing physical examinations and important medical screening services to firefighters across the state of Indiana.

More than 9,000 first responders are tested each year by Ascension St. Vincent at fire stations across the state. This includes an average of 1,700 job applicants that need to be evaluated before being hired and about 700 who have been injured and need to pass physical testing in order to return to duty.

“We are proud to be one of the largest programs of its kind in Indiana, with 35 years of history supporting the health and safety of our firefighters but also helping to shape national guidelines for their physical well-being,” said Dr. Steven Moffatt, Vice President of Public Safety Medical. “Our work has also contributed to critical cancer research, helping to identify key factors in firefighters’ cancer risk and advance efforts in prevention and early detection.”

While heart attacks remain the leading cause of on-duty deaths of firefighters, cancer has recently emerged as the No. 1 cause of deaths in all firefighters, both active and retired. These first responders are more likely than the average American to develop cancer due to chronic exposures to heat, smoke, and toxic flame retardants through inhalation, ingestion, and skin absorption.

That’s why Public Safety Medical has developed and continually improves comprehensive physical examination checklists that go beyond cardiovascular health and fitness. Each examination incorporates screenings for the cancers most commonly affecting firefighters, including digestive, oral, respiratory, and urinary cancers.

The exams include stress and exercise tests, coronary artery scans and echocardiography to evaluate any heart-related issues. They may also include colon cancer screening, pap smears, mammograms, testicular exams, and head-to-toe skin examinations to detect evidence of cancer development.

“Keeping public safety professionals healthy and at their best is a unique challenge – one that directly impacts the safety of our communities,” said Dr. Stephanie Gardner, Executive Director of Public Safety Medical. “That’s why we’ve designed this comprehensive healthcare program to help fire departments ensure their tactical teams perform at their peak and recover effectively.”

You can learn more about Ascension St. Vincent’s Public Safety Medical program here.