Contact
Bob Stratman MS, PHR
Wellness/Workers' Compenstation Manager
433 S. Allison Pkwy.
Lakewood,
CO
80226
Ph: 303-539-9535
Fx: 303-984-5921
Emergency: 911
Hours
Monday - Friday
8:00 am - 4:30 pm
West Metro Fire Protection District’s greatest asset is its personnel. Through personnel, West Metro serves the public and ensures the health and safety of the District and citizens through enhanced delivery of fire protection and advanced emergency medical services. It is one of our greatest and most critical challenges to make sure our members return home safely from protecting our community. A comprehensive approach to wellness is the best strategy for mitigating premature death, injury, and illness to our workforce.
Why is West Metro in the Wellness Business?
The ultimate goal of the comprehensive West Metro Fire Protection District “Wellness-Fitness-Safety Initiative” is to improve the quality of life of all uniformed and non-uniformed personnel while simultaneously cutting costs to taxpayers. The initiative promotes a holistic wellness approach that includes medical evaluation, fitness assessment, fitness training programs, in-house rehabilitation, behavioral health, nutrition, and data collection. The data collection provides analysis that identifies patterns and tendencies related to work injuries and accidents. The captured data and results from annual standardized fitness evaluations assists in the development of programs, training, and education designed for prevention and optimal firefighter/civilian health. West Metro invests in fire stations, apparatus, and equipment, but recognizes that its greatest investment is personnel; a fire department's best asset. The successful delivery of wellness enhances every service, program and ultimately improves emergency response to the citizens of this District.
Cost Savings
West Metro has successfully reported a monumental decline in on-the-job injuries, workers’ compensation claims, lost work time claims, and decreased obesity rates since the introduction of our comprehensive wellness program in 1998. A fit and healthy workforce with minimal work related injury/illness claims directly impacts the operating budget at West Metro Fire. The reduction in compensable workers’ compensation claims, rehabilitation costs, and providing in-house fitness assessments and evaluation has saved the taxpayers and the District millions of dollars over the past 12 years.
Fitness Standards
West Metro firefighters are required to meet two separate fitness standards bi-annually as a condition of employment. These standards help ensure public and employee safety by documenting that all employees at West Metro meet the minimum physical requirements to successfully accomplish all of the physical demands encountered on the job. Accountability fosters public and department wide trust that West Metro has the physical capability to accomplish its duty “whatever it takes to serve…”.
Student Internships
West Metro hosts students completing educational-based internship requirements. Students assist the wellness staff in fitness testing, exercise prescription, and program development. Please contact the Wellness/Workers' Compensation Manager, Bob Stratman, for more information on student internships.
