Wind River / Bighorn Basin District Office
| Contacts: | Sarah Beckwith | |||
| 307-347-5207 |
Bighorn Basin BLM Firefighters Participate in Fitness Challenge
WHAT: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wind River/Bighorn Basin District is inviting members of the media to observe the District's Fitness Challenge. The strength and endurance of new and seasoned BLM firefighters from Cody, Thermopolis and Worland will be tested during this annual event. Members of the public will also be present, volunteering their time as non-biased certifiers.
WHEN: 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Monday, June 8, 2009.
WHERE: BLM Worland Field Office, 101 South 23rd Street. Please check-in at the front desk.
BACKGROUND: Excellent physical fitness is essential to firefighter performance. Many times the limiting factor on work production in wildland firefighting is individual fitness. Fatigue has been found to be a contributing factor in many accidents, and numerous studies have proven that physical fitness is a good way to mitigate fatigue.
The Fitness Challenge provides a common system by which BLM firefighters can measure current fitness, establish fitness goals, track fitness improvement, and receive recognition for their efforts. The Fitness Challenge is voluntary, but BLM firefighters are encouraged to participate. Participants are tested in four basic exercises: push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups and a timed run of either 1.5 or 3.0 miles. Test results are compiled into a final overall score. High achievers are recognized by the BLM annually.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
Wind River / Bighorn Basin District Office 101 South 23rd PO Box 119 Worland, WY 82401-0119