Firefighters have a very dangerous job to do. Unfortunately, the biggest danger firefighters face isn't fire or smoke or collapsing structures. It's heart attack. In order to reduce the risk that Fall River firefighters face, the Southcoast Hospital Group Cardiovascular Prevention Program has teamed up with the new Municipal Wellness Program to screen dozens of Fall River firefighters and EMT personnel for cardiovascular risk factors during August, 2008. "Many firefighters have not been tested for blood pressure and cholesterol for several years," noted Municipal Employee Wellness coordinator Julianne Kelly. "Once they've seen their numbers, it's up to them to take the steps necessary to bring them into line with accepted standards, such as diet and exercise," stated Southcoast Nurse Clinician Donna Querim. "We hope that this will serve as a wake-up call for those who need to pay closer attention," she added. The program is one of many new resources that Fall River municipal employees are receiving through the program. For more information, contact Julianne Kelly at 508-324-2405 or Donna Querim at 508-679-7115.
 

(Top row, left) District Chief Gerald Dore talks with Municipal Employee Wellness coordinator Julianne Kelly. (Top row, center) Deputy Chief Bob Viveiros gets his finger pricked for a blood test by Southcoast R.N. Donna Querim. (Top row, right) Southcoast dietitian Amanda Szot looks over the testing results for clerk Theresa Estacio. (Middle row, left and right) Dietitian Amanda Szot goes over testing results with Lt. Tom Moore while Donna Querim goes over results with Pvt. John Enos at the Flint fire station. (Middle row, center) Tom Reis goes over the required paperwork with Lt. Ken Lima as EMA Director Richard Aguiar works on his in the background. (Bottom row, left) Howard Gaskell looks over the display of healthy food. (Bottom row, right) Tom Reis jokes with Ms. Szot about cutting back on the salt shaker after learning his results.