Leading From the Front: Leadership Fitness Is Associated with Fire Station Crew Fitness.

Martin, Joel; Conner, Michael J; Brown, Lee; Chizewski, Annmarie; Lindsey, Bryndan · J Occup Environ Med · 2026

cross_sectional · Level IV

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Abstract

To examine whether leadership fitness is associated with firefighter fitness within station crews. Annual fitness testing data from firefighters in a large urban fire department were analyzed. Leadership fitness was defined as the mean composite fitness score of captains and lieutenants assigned to each station-shift crew. Multilevel linear modeling evaluated whether mean crew leadership fitness and leadership composition were associated with firefighter fitness, adjusting for years of service and sex. The sample included 838 firefighters nested within 99 station-shift crews. Mean leadership fitness was positively associated with crew firefighter fitness in units staffed with both a captain and lieutenant (β=0.116, 95%CI:0.005-0.228; p=0.045), but this association was attenuated in captain-only crews. Leadership fitness was associated with firefighter fitness, particularly when fire station crews have a more complete leadership structure.