Background: Firefighters’ duties include fire response, emergency medical treatment and rescue operations. Noncompliance with physical activity (PA) guidelines increases adverse health behaviours and the risk of on-duty fatalities. While PA is known to treat cardiovascular disease (CVD), its impact on risky health behaviours in firefighters is under-researched. Aim: This scoping review aimed to evaluate PA’s effects on firefighters’ cardiovascular health. Method: The review followed PRISMA-ScR and PRISMA Protocol standards, involving a comprehensive search across databases like Cochrane, PubMed, Medline, EbscoHost, Web of Science, Academic Search Complete, CINAHL (EBSCO), SAGE Journals, ScienceDirect and Scopus, covering publications up to June 2023. The purpose was to compile evidence on PA programs’ effects on fire and rescue services (FRS). Results: Five intervention studies were included, examining PA effects on firefighters with smoking habits, poor diet, alcohol consumption and sedentary lifestyles. These interventions recommend 150 minutes per week of aerobic, flexibility and strength activities. Firefighters should be guided to initiate and maintain 150 minutes of PA weekly to promote health strategies. Conclusion: The study concludes that integrating lifestyle changes with low- and moderate-intensity PA into fire services is crucial for improving health risk behaviours (HRBs). Implementing multilevel interventions is necessary to drive policy changes supporting firefighters facing HRBs. Contribution: Educating firefighters about these behaviours is essential, fostering an understanding of healthy alternatives.

Introduction Physical activity interventions have been used for various health conditions, including cardiovascular disease. However, the literature is still limited regarding the effect of physical activity on coronary heart disease among firefighters. Methods and analysis The review will be conducted according to recommendations from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) and PRISMA Protocol guidelines. This scoping review will provide a synthesis of current evidence on the effects of physical activity on coronary heart disease among firefighters. Search strategies will be performed in the following databases: Cochrane database, PubMed, Medline, (EbscoHost), Web of Science, Academic Search Complete, CINAHL (EBSCO), SAGE journals, ScienceDirect and Scopus. We will include literature in the English language that are full-text peer-reviewed articles from inception to November 2021. Screening of (titles, abstracts and full text of potential articles) will be done by two independent authors using EndNote V.9 software tool. A standardised data extraction form will be designed for the extraction. Two authors will independently extract the data from the selected articles and all differences will be discussed by an invited third reviewer if a consensus cannot be reached. The primary outcomes will be the impact of physical fitness on firefighters experiencing coronary artery disease. This information can assist policy-makers in decision-making related to the use of physical activity in firefighters experiencing coronary heart disease. Ethics and dissemination Ethical clearance has been obtained from the University ethics committee and the City of Cape Town. The findings will be disseminated through publications and the physical activity guidelines will be submitted to the Fire Departments within the City of Cape Town. Data analysis will start on 1 April 2023.

Background: The development of atherosclerosis in firefighters is affected by various cardiovascular risk factors, such as smoking, poor dietary choices, and lack of physical activity. Together, these elements lead to obesity, high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol, and increased blood sugar levels. Continuous exposure to these risks raises the chances of worsening atherosclerosis, which can impede blood circulation to essential organs like the heart and brain. As a result, sudden cardiac death is the leading cause of fatalities while on duty in the fire service. Aim: This study aimed to explore and describe the perceptions, experiences, and challenges associated with physical activity among firefighters with risk factors for coronary heart disease in the City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services. Methods: A purposive sample of nine full-time active career firefighters from the City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services, representing three different ranks, was employed, using a descriptive qualitative study design. The semi-structured interview responses were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The participants were free to leave the study at any time and without penalty, and their rights to confidentiality were protected. The thematic analysis was then used to examine the transcripts. Results: The results revealed that firefighters were not physically active enough to meet the suggested minimum levels of physical activity and were physically inactive. Sedentary lifestyles have numerous detrimental effects on the human body, such as elevated rates of dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease mortality, and all-cause death. Therefore, it is essential to reduce sedentary behavior and increase physical exercise to improve the health and well-being of firefighters. Conclusion: Policy strategies should be designed to introduce physical activities at low-moderate intensity levels and accommodate firefighters with coronary heart disease risk factors. Implementing team-based physical activity interventions has demonstrated positive impacts on individual behavior changes within the fire service.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and on-duty mortality among fire-fighters. This study investigated the prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factors among firefighters in Cape Town, South Africa. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional and descriptive study design was used. A convenient sample of 219 male fire-fighters with mean age 37.85±9.80 years was recruited. Eight major CAD risk factors were measured. SPSS (ver. 23) was used with the Pearson correlation and Kruskall-Wallis H test with the Mann Whitney test post hoc and a Bonferroni correction. Results: The significance level set at p<0.05. Most fire-fighters (65.29%) were stratified as moderate risk for CAD, with 21.00% as low risk, and 14.15% as high risk. A sedentary lifestyle was the most prevalent CAD risk factor (51.14%), followed by obesity (45.90%). and cigarette smoking (38.30%). Statistically significant correlations were found between waist circumference and body mass index (BMI) (r=0.711; p<0.01), hip circumference and BMI (r=0.673; p<0.01), waist circumference and waist-hip ratio (WHR) (r=0.665; p<0.01), and BMI and body mass (r=0.512; p<0.01). Conclusion: The majority of fire-fighters presented with multiple modifiable CAD risk factors. Fire departments should focus on promoting education on CAD to reduce the risk of fire-fighters developing heart disease.