UT Health Center Receives Grant to Address Volunteer Firefighters' Health
The health science center at Houston plans to use the FEMA Fire Prevention and Safety Grant to assess the effectiveness of an Internet-based firefighter health and wellness program.
FEMA announced in a statement that the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston has received nearly $1.5 million in preparedness funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to address the health of volunteer firefighters.
The UT Health Science Center at Houston plans to use the FEMA Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Grant to assess the effectiveness of an internet-based firefighter health and wellness program for volunteer fire departments. A sample of volunteer fire departments will be recruited for a six-month-long study that will focus on nutrition and fitness for the firefighters. The study will be used to make modifications based on the findings.
"Volunteer firefighters are integral to the firefighting profession and to the communities they support," said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Robinson. "We are proud to be a part of this important effort to boost their health and well-being."