First responders—police officers, firefighters and EMTs—know what it takes to perform under pressure. They train for lifesaving work, stay active for the demands of the job and understand that nutrition, sleep, recovery and cardiovascular health matter.
The challenge is that the job itself can make healthy habits harder to maintain
Overnight calls interrupt sleep. Meals happen around unpredictable shifts. Stress, smoke, heat, occupational exposures and intense physical exertion can be part of the work. For firefighters, occupational exposure is classified as carcinogenic to humans and cardiovascular events are a significant occupational health concern.
For cities, supporting first responder health means accounting for that reality, not asking employees to work around it.
First responders need better information about their own bodies, so they can focus their effort where it matters.
A yearly check offers a snapshot. Deeper testing over time can show what's changing.
Function for Work gives members access to lab testing, advanced imaging and testing for environmental exposures, including heavy metals and PFAS, to help build a clearer view of their health over time.
Give first responders more than the standard health check
Cardiovascular health is a significant occupational concern for firefighters. But a standard lipid panel can leave important information out of view.
Analysis of Function member data shows why broader testing matters: Nearly 1 out of 4 members were out of range for Lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) despite having standard lipid markers in range. These members had a cardiovascular risk indicator that a standard lipid screening alone may have missed.
Lp(a) is a direct count of the cholesterol particles that can clog your arteries, making it one of the most powerful indicators of heart disease risk. Yet it isn’t typically included in standard lipid panels. For cities, broader testing can give first responders information that standard screening may not capture, and more to discuss with their doctors.
Help them know where to focus
Your first responders may already make thoughtful choices about nutrition. But without measurement, they can't always know where to focus.
Take omegas. The body can't produce omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, so both must come from food. Yet looking at omega-3s alone may leave important information out of view. Fewer than 5% of Function members were out of range for EPA or DHA individually, while more than 98% had a suboptimal omega-6-to-3 ratio at their first visit.
Once members can see where they stand, they have more information to consider targeted changes—like what they eat or the supplements they take—and track what shifts at a future lab visit.
For first responders, that could mean changing what's on the plate at the firehouse, focusing on off-the-clock recovery, or bringing a result to a doctor for further discussion. Better information helps first responders focus the effort they can make.
Build benefits for the job they actually do
You can't make a first responder's job predictable, but you can give them more tools to understand how their health is changing.
A firefighter can't guarantee eight uninterrupted hours of sleep. An EMT can't control when the next call comes in. And no first responder can eliminate every occupational exposure.
Your benefits can account for those realities.
Function for Work gives first responders access to more than 160 lab tests annually across heart health, hormones, kidneys, liver, heavy metals and more, plus access to advanced imaging and additional testing. Instead of another program built around generic health messages, you can give an already health-conscious workforce more information about what may need their attention, what changes over time and what to discuss with their doctors.
First responders have to be ready for what they can't predict. Give them better information for the health decisions they can control.
