The Austin Public Safety Wellness Center provides a variety of fitness services to sworn employees of all three public safety agencies, all of which are free of charge. Four full-time exercise physiologists are on staff to provide fitness assessments, health coaching, workout programming, and injury rehabilitation counseling. The exercise physiologists are also available to visit stations and provide guidance on proper weight lifting techniques.
Additional Links
- McGill Big 3 Video
- Hip Mobility Video
- Back Injury Mitigation
- Shoulder Mobility Video
- Foot and Ankle Strengthening
Metabolic Equivalent Testing (MET)
Every year the Austin Public Safety Wellness Center (APSWC) measures the MET scores for City of Austin firefighters and emergency medical services personnel. While these numbers are important to assess the cardiovascular health of our first responders, few people know what these scores actually mean.
MET stands for metabolic equivalent and is a measurement of the amount oxygen required to perform a specific activity. It represents the ability of the body to use oxygen during those activities. A MET score of 1 is the amount of energy required to sit still, whereas a MET score of 12 is the amount of energy required to perform basic fire suppression skills in personal protective equipment. Individuals who are not able to reach a specific intensity level are at an increased risk of a cardiac event and are provided fitness and medical resources to improve their score.
Nutrition
The Austin Public Safety Wellness Center is collaborating with the City of Austin (COA) Registered Dietician Kim Morris to provide First Responder specific nutrition information and resources. We will provide you the chance to submit questions and get answers, see schedules to attend in-person sessions, and view online resources. We are excited to collaborate with Healthy Connections to provide the best and latest information regarding nutrition for all stages in your journey.
Contact the Team:
Robyn Paulsen - Robyn.Paulsen@austintexas.gov
Sebastian Olave - Sebastian.Olave@austintexas.gov
Matthew Brocker - Matthew.Brocker@austintexas.gov
Rickey Jackson - rickey.jackson@austintexas.gov