Sprinkler Age A Publication of the American Fire Sprinkler Association
A Closer Look at Health in Fire Protection
Kacee L. Paige, CFPS, CWBSP, WBITM | JCI Territory Manager, Water Products – New England | Pn1 Nutrition Coach | Founder, Changes Made Simple, Wellness + Nutrition
The fire protection industry is built on grit, long days, grueling schedules, and a strong work ethic. It’s a trade that spans generations. Many of us grew up knowing we’d get into this field, and once you’re in, it’s hard to imagine doing anything else. But over the last few years, I’ve started asking the question – What’s the long-term cost of that hustle?
I’ve worked in this industry for 13 years, serving in roles from engineer to technical trainer and adjunct college professor, to sales rep. For the past three years, I’ve also run an online nutrition coaching business, Changes Made Simple, Wellness + Nutrition, helping people to improve their health and lifestyle through small, sustainable changes. From that dual perspective (fire protection professional and nutrition coach), I started to notice a trend. Our industry is steeped in a culture of overindulgence and convenience. Whether it’s calling late-night drinks at industry events ”networking” or surviving the workday on coffee and gas station snacks, we’ve normalized habits that actively work against our health.
We skip meals, we run on little sleep (normalizing the “grind”), grab another energy drink or coffee instead of lunch, carry high stress with no healthy outlets, and often rely on alcohol or other substances as a coping mechanism. The gym gets skipped, fast food or “convenience” meals becomes the fallback, and chronic health conditions creep in quietly. This is how many people in the field are getting through the day. The truth is, we know this. We recognize the patterns. But we rarely talk about it, and most people have no idea where to start making a change.
Now add in the looming workforce shift. A large percentage of our professionals are set to retire in the next five to 10 years, and we are already struggling to recruit the next generation. Younger workers are more health-conscious and looking for careers that have a work-life balance. The writing is on the wall. If we don’t evolve to meet that shift, we’ll fall behind. Until now, this hasn’t been measured in a way that reflects the reality of the job.
Health + Wellness in Fire Protection Survey
In mid-2024, I set out to change that. I began researching and developing the framework for a short, completely anonymous survey designed specifically for our industry that would give us an honest picture of where we really stand.
While the CDC/NIOSH BRFSS (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System) survey collects data on chronic health issues in construction, fire protection in my opinion, has unique demands. We needed something more specific. After speaking with dozens of people across the industry, I quickly realized this topic would gain traction and pique the interest of many.
In early 2025, I applied for and received a grant that is intended to support and promote the survey.
The Health + Wellness in Fire Protection survey went live in July 2025, and is running through October 18, 2025. It’s open to anyone in the industry – union or non-union, field or office. It’s designed to get a candid look at what health really looks like behind the scenes.
What the Survey Covers
This isn’t just a generic questionnaire. It asks things like:
- What and how people are eating
- Hydration and caffeine intake
- Sleep patterns and stress levels
- Substance use
- Mental health and burnout
- Whether workers believe they can sustain their current role long-term, and if not, how much longer they think they can go before their mental, emotional or physical health takes a hit.
This isn’t just about data points – it’s about the people and understanding where our biggest opportunities are to do better.
This survey takes around 10 minutes to complete and is completely anonymous. To help boost participation, The Dope and Tape Show generously provided a Milwaukee Tool giveaway, and I am offering a free month of nutrition coaching as an additional incentive. Winners will be chosen after the survey closes in October.
How the Results Will Be Used
My goal is to present the survey findings at various 2026 industry events, including National Conventions, where I’ll lead a discussion on what these results really mean – and how we can use them to better support our workforce. (There is a “Phase 2” that’s already being brainstormed, but that is going to be a MUCH larger project, so stay tuned!)
We’ll also compare this data to the CDC/NIOSH BRFSS construction data to highlight where fire protection professional face similar or unique challenges. But this isn’t just about charts and numbers, it’s about sparking the much-needed conversation that’s been the elephant in the room for years. What’s the current culture around health in our trade? Where are the gaps? What role can leaders, employers, and unions play in providing and improving support without adding unnecessary complexity?
Why it Matters
A large portion of our workforce is heading toward retirement, and there are already recruitment efforts in place to bring in the next generation of workers. The future of our industry depends on attracting and retaining new talent and that’s going to take more than competitive wages. It requires a proactive, multi-layered approach: promoting the trade, offering diverse training and career paths, and supporting workers’ physical and mental well-being long term.
Younger generations are walking in with a different set of expectations – and we need to be prepared for that. In an industry that tends to be reactive, it’s time we’re proactive and anticipate future changes. We need to encourage and support work-life balance, mental health, and long-term well-being (outside of traditional health insurance sponsored incentive programs), and this needs to show up in everyday work culture.
We can’t afford to ignore this shift. Employees are the backbone of this industry. Health and wellness aren’t fringe, or “trendy” topics anymore – they’re directly tied to retention, performance, and how attractive our trade is to the people we’re trying to bring in. If we want to protect our people, the way they protect lives and buildings every day, this conversation must happen.
Here’s How You Can Help
- Take the survey
- Forward it to your teams, company, or local chapter
- Start the conversation in the field, in the office, in leadership meetings
We can’t change what we don’t understand. This survey is the first step in building something that reflects the state of health, wellness, and culture in our trade – and shaping what that looks like moving forward.
This project doesn’t work without you – the thousands of people who show up every day to keep our industry moving. Make this bigger than one response.
Let’s dig in.
Learn more at https://www.YourNutritionPaige.com.