MOST FIT Fire Department
Fire Chief Jeff Willis plaque presentation to: Firefighter/Paramedic
Jake Torres, Fire Captain/Paramedic
Josh Mandolini,
Fire
Engineer/Paramedic Jim McDaniel and Firefighter/Paramedic
Robert Sandin. Photo courtesy of Big
Bear Fire Dept
Annual Fitness Testing Ranks
Big Bear Firefighters at the Top
October 31, 2017____
Located in Big Bear Lake, California the Big Bear Fire
Department once again recognized as the Most Fit Fire Department. They have achieved this
distinction for six straight years from Fitness Appraisal, Inc. (FAI). Each
year, firefighters are put through an intensive physical fitness screening
process. FAI Exercise Physiologist Bob Antonacci tests firefighters with an
array of physical fitness testing equipment and blood tests. Big Bear Fire
Department surpassed the ideal standard of 1500 points, topping the rankings
for 2017, achieving an average performance score of 1731, up from 1690.8 in
2016.
Each year, FAI determines the Most Fit Fire
Department among its clients based on the average Physical Performance Score
among all firefighters in each department they test. The ideal standard is
1500. “First time ever for a department average to be in the 1700’s,” Mr.
Antonacci wrote in his report. “The level of commitment and enthusiasm
concerning their performance in the program is exemplary and a true commitment
to service performance when it matters most,” commented Big Bear Fire Department’s Chief Jeff Willis. “This has a
direct correlation to the meaning of teamwork and team performance.”
This year, 12 of the
Department’s firefighters scored above 1800 points and were recognized for
their accomplishments at the October 24, 2017, Big Bear Fire Authority Board
meeting. This number is up from 10 last year. Firefighter/Paramedic Robert
Sandin and Fire Engineer/Paramedic Jim McDaniel scored above 2,000;
Engineer/Paramedic Jon Bidwell, and Firefighter/Paramedics Kevin Cole and
Brandon Medeck scored between 1900 and 1999; Fire Captain/Paramedic Luke
Wagner, Fire Engineer/Paramedic Bobby Whitmore, Firefighter/Paramedics Matt
Sheehan and Jake Torres, and Apprentice Firefighter/EMTs Dylan Unger and Ross
Winfield scored between 1800 and 1899. Nineteen additional firefighters scored
between 1500 and 1799, up from eight last year. Fire Captain/Paramedic Josh
Mandolini, who scored above 1600, was recognized as the most improved over last
year. Only two firefighters scored below the ideal 1500.
Following behind Big
Bear Fire Department’s performance ranking are departments from Paso Robles,
with a score of 1,675.2 and Ross Valley, with a score of 1646.6. Other
departments tested include Atascadero, Barstow, Barona, Camp Roberts, Rialto,
Ross Valley and Tiburon, CA, in addition to Prescott, AZ.
Results of the fitness
testing provide a wealth of information for the individual being tested and is
grouped into an overall rating for the fitness level of the department. This
information is vital to the training plans for the coming year.