Firefighter Scott Dodgen uses exercise equipment in the workout room at Station 5 that was donated by Planet Fitness of Tyler.

In the small workout room of Tyler’s Fire Station 5, three pieces of cardio exercise equipment were recently set up.

The equipment was a donated by Planet Fitness of Tyler.

Scott Dodgen is one of about 160 firefighters with access to the cardio machines that will be divided between the 10 Tyler fire stations.

Dodgen said the fitness equipment is a huge addition.

“We believe in keeping our equipment updated and adding new equipment every year,” Planet Fitness General Manager Kyler Whatley said. “With that we get a great opportunity to give back to the community.”

In total, the fire department received 12 treadmills, 12 elliptical exercisers, four stairmasters, four recumbent bicycles and four upright bicycles.

“We’re still inventorying the equipment that is being stored at a central location,” Tyler Fire Department public information officer Paul Findley said. “We will spread the equipment to the fire stations.”

“It’s great to give back to the fire department,” Whatley said. “We love helping them be more ready. Being a firefighter requires emotional and physical fitness. We were able to help them with their physical fitness.”

Findley said the department has physical fitness equipment, but the donations will help with the budget for those items.

He said the department is judged by how ready it is.

“(Firefighters) have to perform perfectly at a high level in poor conditions, and keeping in shape is key,” Findley said.

He said about 90 firefighters throughout the country died last year in the line of duty. He said 50 of those were cardiac-related.

“In 2017, about 60,000 firefighters in the country were injured,” Findley said. “Twenty-five thousand of those injuries occurred on the ground. The causes of those were muscle strains and sprains.”

Dodgen said the equipment has heart rate monitors so the user can see where they are while under stress and how their body is reacting.

Findley said being in top physical condition reduces those injuries.

“Athletes get time to warm up,” Findley said. “Firefighters don’t get that time. They go from standing still to wide open.”

Dodgen said the department has worked to change eating habits and that is also helping with physical fitness.

“Fitness is a big thing in life,” Dodgen said. “We owe it to the public to be at our best.”