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October 27, 2009

Corbin Fire purchases 9 exercise machines

By Becky Manley

Gripping the handles of a weight machine, Corbin firefighter Craig Owens, 25, closed his eyes to concentrate before beginning his workout Monday.

While Owens began lifting, firefighter Bryan Jenkins, 34, continued a challenging workout on an elliptical machine.

The Corbin Fire Department purchased nine exercise machines including treadmills, weight machines and elliptical machines with a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Three of the machines are located at Corbin’s east fire station and the rest are located in a former commissioner’s office at Corbin’s main fire station, according to Corbin Fire Chief Barry McDonald.

McDonald said his department was awarded the FEMA grant totaling $45,300 in Nov. 2008.

So far, McDonald said he is pleased with the use the machines are getting. He hopes the workouts will boost his firefighters stamina.

“Plus the number one killer of firefighters is heart attacks and heart disease,” McDonald said.

McDonald said the stress of their work can cause firefighters to suffer heart-related illness while fighting fires or while responding to other emergencies.

In addition to the exercise equipment, the grant money was also used to purchase a thermal imaging camera, which cost about $10,000, as well as about $9,500 in rescue equipment.

McDonald said about $3,625 was spent for physicals for the department’s 18 firefighters.

On Monday, Owens said he has used the exercise equipment daily, even on days when he’s not scheduled to work.

“It’s more convenient,” Jenkins said. “We can work out even when we’re on duty.”

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