Fire chief weighs benefits of exercise program

By ETHAN SHOREY, Valley Breeze Staff Writer

WOONSOCKET - You can't put a price tag on a healthy heart and sound body, says Woonsocket Fire Chief Kenneth Finlay, and even $4.50 for a gallon of diesel fuel won't tip the scales against a program meant to keep city firefighters fit and ready to go.

Finlay says the benefits of his exercise program, started last year for firefighters in Woonsocket, far outweigh the bloated price of diesel fuel used to get his men and women to the city's parks, most of which lie in close proximity to one of the city's five fire stations.

The chief requires those under him to get at least one hour of exercise each week, but he says they are getting a lot more, taking fire trucks to local parks to play tennis, softball, basketball, ultimate frisbee, or other sports, for at least one hour each week during their shift.

"There's been a benefit to this that I didn't even imagine, interacting with the residents, older people, children in the neighborhood, (our firefighters) have proved to be a wealth of knowledge for the youngsters," said Finlay, who said firefighters asked if they could do more than just walk for an hour a week as he had suggested.

Finlay defended the use of engines, heavy rescues, and ladder trucks taken to the parks, despite the rising price of diesel fuel, saying that firefighters going out into the community are quickly becoming part of the city's fabric.

He responded to reported complaints from an anonymous city resident who told The Breeze that "five or six" trucks have been seen at times at city parks.

"Five or six fire trucks I doubt," said Finlay. "They usually don't congregate (and they) stay in their district."

He said his department has received no complaints from residents, who have been very positive.

Finlay was asked if there will ever be a situation or price limit when he will ban the use of city fire trucks for transportation to and from the city's courts and athletic fields.

"No, I would probably have to revise the policy to in-station activity instead of local outdoor facilities, and the detriment to that is that (firefighters) will lose the interaction with neighbors," said Finlay.

He said residents ask firefighters at the park everything from how to obtain a smoke detector to how they should store certain goods.

Finlay said he could only imagine a ladder truck, engine, and "possibly a rescue" truck being at any one location at a given time.

He gave as an example firefighters at Station 6, at 504 Fairmount St., going to either Cold Spring Park, 1.1 miles away, or Dunn Park, which is .3 miles from the station.

Finlay said it's not an option for Woonsocket firefighters to take their own vehicles to the local park.

"They have to have the truck with them (because) the tools they need to perform services are on the truck," he said.

Last month, when diesel was at $3.35-per-gallon, Finlay estimated a fill-up from "dead empty" on one of his trucks to cost $174 for a 40-gallon tank.

According to a representative from Fire Trucks Plus, a new and pre-owned fire apparatus dealer, the three vehicles Finlay mentioned typically get between three and eight miles-per-gallon brand new. Used trucks can get significantly less mileage.

Finlay said gas mileage differs mightily because trucks idling at the scene of fires for hours at a time use far less fuel than when they're being driven on the main road.

Fortunately, he said, firefighters who do indeed go to the parks nearest their particular station don't have a long drive.

* Station 1, at 173 Providence St., is about half a mile from Globe Park;

* Station 2, at 5 Cumberland Hill Road, is three-tenths of a mile from Cass Park;

* Station 3, at 241 North Main St., is six-tenths of a mile from Social Park;

* Station 4, at 806 Mendon Road, is 1.1 miles from Cass Park;

* Station 6, at 504 Fairmount St., three-tenths of a mile from Dunn Park.

Finlay, who does not allow firefighters to comment on department policies, said the Fairmount station recently had a new indoor gym constructed, and all stations have at least some form of exercise equipment. Other firefighters reached by The Breeze deferred comments to the chief.

Finlay said studies show 40 percent of firefighters have heart attacks, with contributing factors ranging from interrupted rest periods to a lack of exercise.

"I'm looking at a number of my retirees with heart problems in the cardiac rehab unit on Cass Avenue," he said. "With (this program) maybe we can stave off heart problems and artery blockage."

"Most of the guys have felt so much better they've expanded it themselves," said Finlay.

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