Rehab 113 - Bridgeport Texas

05/30/2026

On scene rehab is only part of keeping firefighters alive.

The higher your cardio fitness, the farther you are from nearly all the ways people die.

That’s not hype, it’s one of the most consistent findings in preventive health science.

Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), measured by VO₂ max or treadmill performance, reflects how well your heart, lungs, blood, and muscles work together under load.

When this system is highly developed, the body becomes far more resilient to the chronic killers of modern life: heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic dysfunction.

Large datasets, such as the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study — along with research in JAMA and Mayo Clinic Proceedings — show that individuals with high CRF have roughly 40–70% lower all-cause mortality risk than the least fit. In many analyses, low fitness predicts early death as strongly as (or stronger than) smoking, hypertension, or obesity.

Physiology explains why. Higher aerobic fitness increases stroke volume and cardiac output, boosts mitochondrial density, improves insulin sensitivity, lowers systemic inflammation, and enhances endothelial function.

Translation: the internal environment becomes hostile to the very processes that drive cardiovascular and metabolic disease.

There’s also a stress-resilience edge, critical in the fire service. Higher aerobic fitness is linked to faster heart-rate recovery and better autonomic balance. Fit firefighters ramp up fast when the tones drop, and come back down faster afterward. Over time, that means less chronic cortisol load and less cardiovascular strain.

Bottom line: building elite cardio fitness is one of the most protective investments you can make in long-term health, survival and operational readiness.

05/20/2026

05/17/2026

Some members of Rehab 113 are in Amarillo/Canyon area this weekend. Not on deployment for the fires, though we would have gone, but to celebrate the accomplishment of one of our founders and leaders, Ashlyn Oney.

Congratulations on your BAAS in Emergency Management from West Texas A&M. Now you have the credentials to really boss us around!

05/10/2026

Mothers in the fire service-we see you!

Happy Mother’s Day to the women who answer two callings: motherhood and the fire service.

To the moms who spend sleepless nights with their children, then still show up ready to serve their community.

To the moms who still find time to train, work out, and stay prepared while giving their families their very best.

You carry the weight of responsibility at home and on the job with a strength that often goes unseen. You comfort others in their hardest moments while still pouring love, patience, and guidance into your own family.

You miss holidays and birthdays, working long shifts, yet your family still knows they are loved because they see it in your actions every single day.

Your children grow up watching hard work, courage, discipline, compassion, and service modeled right in front of them. That example will stay with them forever.

Today, we celebrate the women who protect both their homes and their communities. The moms who wear the uniform carry the responsibility and still somehow find the strength to keep showing up for everyone around them.

You are appreciated, respected, and deeply valued.

“God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.”

— Psalm 46:5

Happy Mother’s Day to all the firefighter moms out there!

05/09/2026

Who got it right? Did you know the risks our firefighters take when they fight fire, especially in the Texas heat?

05/08/2026

No googling!

05/07/2026

We love mothers (some of us actually *are* mothers) and we love auxiliaries. We just aren’t a ladies’ auxiliary.

Sure, we have Gatorade and water. In cold weather, we even have coffee.

But Rehab 113 Support Co is so much more. We are watching for signs of distress and we have ample seating, nourishment, hydration, and shelter ready.

We are on scene, in uniform (albeit a casual one). Some of us watch through the lenses of our medical training, some through the lens of emergency management or dispatch experience. We’ve equipped our volunteers to do the same.

Rehab 113. So much more than a refreshment table.

05/05/2026

We are about to step on some toes! All the Gatorade and IVs can’t save your life like being in good physical condition can. NFPA 1584 and common sense tell us conditioning matters.

The Fireground Is a Cardiovascular Event

To understand why this matters, you have to understand what the fireground actually demands.

Firefighting is not just physically difficult. It creates one of the most extreme physiological environments in any profession.

Firefighters operate in an uncompensable heat stress environment, where encapsulating PPE limits heat dissipation and drives core temperature upward.

Studies have shown firefighters can reach core temperatures exceeding 38–40°C / 100.4–104°F during operations, placing significant strain on the cardiovascular system.

At the same time, heart rates frequently approach or exceed 85–100% of maximum, even during routine fireground tasks.

This creates a perfect storm:

- Elevated core temperature.
- Increased heart rate.
- Dehydration.
- Sympathetic nervous system activation.
- High physical demand.

For a firefighter with poor cardiovascular fitness, this combination becomes dangerous very quickly.

For a firefighter with underlying cardiovascular disease, it can be fatal.

The fireground is not just a technical or tactical challenge.

It is a physiological stress test.

And some firefighters are showing up unprepared to pass it.

The sad part is that, without fitness standards that mimic the actual demands of the job, this lack of preparation will continue to be accepted as normal.

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05/05/2026

On International Fire Fighter’s Day, we want to say thank you. To the men and women who dedicate themselves to the job, we are grateful every day, not just today. Thank you for your commitment to our communities, your willingness to sacrifice for strangers, and your dedication to training.

We appreciate you all!

05/03/2026

Always, always, always have a designated water watcher. When everyone assumes everyone is watching the kids, no one is.

Sadly, it only takes a moment. May is Drowning Prevention Awareness Month, and your attention can make all the difference.

Unfortunately, this is a heartbreaking call first responders go to, and it remains one of the most tragic medical emergencies in our work.

Please take a moment to review these tips to keep you and your loved ones safe:

👀 Always assign a dedicated water watcher who stays focused and avoids distractions.

❤️ Learn CPR for adults and children so you can act immediately.

📱 Keep your cell phone nearby to call 911 without delay.

🔇 Remember, drowning is silent, so stay alert and attentive.

🪣 Know that children can drown in as little as two inches of water, including bathtubs, buckets, and toilets.

🤝 Stay within arm’s reach of young children. Active supervision matters most.

🚪 Make sure barriers like gates and doors are always secured.

👨‍👩‍👧 Talk with your family about what to do in an emergency before it happens.

Stay present, stay prepared, and help prevent a tragedy before it begins.