“Firefighter FITNESS: Fit to Serve, Fit for Life” Named Theme for Safety Stand Down 2026
The Annual campaign, set for June 14–20, will focus on physical fitness, health, and long-term readiness for fire and emergency personnel.
- By Stasia DeMarco
- Jan 27, 2026
“Firefighter FITNESS: Fit to Serve, Fit for Life” has been announced as the official theme for Safety Stand Down 2026, a national campaign aimed at improving the health, safety, and readiness of fire and emergency personnel.
The weeklong initiative will take place June 14–20 and will focus on the foundations of physical fitness, strategies for sustaining fitness throughout a responder’s career, and long-term approaches to maintaining health and performance.
Organizers said physical fitness is essential to keeping responders of all ages and abilities prepared to serve their communities safely. The 2026 campaign will guide participants through seven daily focus areas designed to support that goal:
- Foundations (Sunday)
- Intentional (Monday)
- Technique (Tuesday)
- Nutrition (Wednesday)
- Evaluation (Thursday)
- Strategies (Friday)
- Success (Saturday)
Safety Stand Down is a joint initiative of the International Association of Fire Chiefs Safety, Health and Survival Section, the National Volunteer Fire Council, the National Fire Protection Association, the Fire Department Safety Officers Association, and the International Association of Fire Fighters.
Held annually during the third week of June, the campaign encourages fire and emergency service agencies to suspend non-emergency activities to focus on training and education related to the year’s theme. The goal is to reduce preventable injuries and deaths in the fire service.
Resources to help departments plan and implement Safety Stand Down are available at www.safetystanddown.org, with additional tools and action plans to be released ahead of the event.
The NFPA will also host its annual Fire Service Safety Stand Down Quiz, offering participants the chance to win a limited-edition commemorative Safety Stand Down challenge coin through a sweepstakes.
More information and updates will be posted to the campaign website in the months leading up to Safety Stand Down 2026.
About the Author
Stasia DeMarco is the Content Editor for OH&S.