When it comes to saving lives, every second counts, so a newly-designed exercise qualification has been launched to ensure emergency services workers are always ready for action.

The bespoke Fitness and Lifestyle Certificate for the emergency service has been created by Lifetime Fitness to ensure responders are equipped to maintain the standards of fitness required to perform their physically demanding role safely and effectively.

Lifetime Training has developed the new certificate in partnership with the Fire Service College. It provides frontline fire, ambulance and police services with comprehensive training so they can carry out advanced fitness testing on site, ensuring this provision is proactive rather than reactive. Emergency service lifestyle ambassadors can monitor staff fitness levels and wellbeing in-house, as well as coaching staff members to help prevent injuries – a measure expected to save the services both time and money.

The course content has been especially created for the emergency services, incorporating specific equipment to make it functional and appropriate for the services' needs. Key topics include advanced fitness testing, advanced core stability, bootcamp and circuit training, delivering a fitness session, principles of exercise and fitness, anatomy and physiology and nutrition. The certificate also focuses on recognising stress in the workplace and the provision of coping strategies.

“In these life saving roles it is crucial that all emergency service team members sustain an appropriate level of physical fitness as well as fostering a healthy lifestyle,” said Lifetime Training commercial director Mike Jones.

“This new bespoke qualification offers service personnel the opportunity to gain new skills and qualifications to assist their team members.”

Launching this month, the course is a blend of online support materials, interactive tutorials and workbooks, in combination with one-to-one knowledge reviews and five days of face-to-face tutorials and practical assessments.