Many firefighters enter the profession because of their passion of helping and serving others, but according to research, they’re doing it at the risk of their own health and safety.
“I'll be honest, I wasn't very surprised. I've been in the profession for 24 years now and not in a sense of comparing it to others, but I just know the demands that come along with it,” said Shreveport firefighter Brandon Lee.
Firefighting is the most physically demanding job in the country. That's according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which tracked the physical requirements of about 480 jobs at more than 56,000 workplaces.
“I think they've shown studies before where even just a 30-minute time frame, the type of work we do equates to a seven- or eight-hour work time frame for the average physical activity,” said Caddo Fire District 4 Chief Chad Falls.