Recent Cases of Firefighters With Eating Disorders Believed to be Caused by Calendar Models

Firefighter calendar models might be appealing to many women, but some physicians believe they are causing emotional distress around the local fire houses. Department heads started paying attention to the eating habits of their employees after several occurrences of passing out during annual physicals. “These incidents have raised quite a few eyebrows” stated one department official. “These guys are typically in exceptional shape. We have never had issues with our firefighters being able to pass their required annual physical exams”.

When questioned about eating and exercise habits, the majority of firefighters that failed their exams stated they were trying to “trim” their figure. Increasing exercise and decreasing caloric intake seemed to be the most common approach to improving their physical appearance. Wanting to learn more, department officials sent occupational health professionals to several fire stations to survey the meals that their employees were eating. “We were shocked to find out that many of the firefighters had nearly eliminated calories from their diet” explained an occupational health physician. “A healthy young adult can easily burn nearly a thousand calories per hour fighting a fire. Some of these guys aren’t even consuming that in a day!” he warned.

Firefighters that were included in the study attributed the recent dietary changes to the increasing demands of the general public. One firefighter stated that the demands of holding a high-profile job compelled him to start focusing on his physical appearance. “Everyone expects a calendar model to show up to their emergency” he explained. “Yeah, a thick mustache isn’t enough to gain the respect of the public anymore” stated another firefighter.

Pressure to meet the stereotype doesn’t stop at the fire station. Many single men within the industry are struggling to match the image that the film and calendar industry has created. One local firefighter referred to a recent incident where a group of female patrons at a local drinking establishment didn’t believe he was a firefighter: “This one lady made a comment about my mustache and asked if I was a cop. I mean, cops don’t even have mustaches anymore. I just don’t get it”.

The issue isn’t going away anytime soon. In fact, some department officials think the problem is here to stay. “Firefighters these days are held to such a high standard” explained a local battalion chief. “Hollywood has made everyone view these guys as objects and it’s really done some damage to their sense of self-worth”. He recently started a diet and exercise program called “Five Alarm Fitness”. The program is designed to help firefighters stay fit without starving themselves. “We’re trying to show these guys that they can have the body they want. They just have to be smart about it”.

While participation in the new fitness program is optional, new department policies that are coming out this week will not be. Most of the major fire departments in the Dallas-Fort Worth area have worked together to develop a mandatory plan to attack the issue of malnutrition. Starting next week, the departments will be providing cooks and counselors for the all the fire stations. “We’re going to make sure that our guys are eating right and are mentally healthy every day they show up for work” stated a department official. The policy is expected to cost the departments over $1,000,000 a year to implement. However, officials have assured the citizens that taxpayer money will not be used to fund the project. Most of the departments plan on selling calendars to offset the costs of the program.