Who is the designated fitness coordinator responsible for establishing guidelines for on-duty physical fitness programs?

• A. Fire Chief
• B. The Health and Safety Officer (HSO)
• C. Training Captain
• D. Deputy Chief

Answer: (B)

Fitness guidelines for on‑duty work come from the safety and health governance side of the department. The Health and Safety Officer is the person responsible for developing, updating, and enforcing safety policies, including wellness and fitness standards. This role brings together medical input, safety regulations, and risk management to set who, what, when, and how fitness activities and testing should occur on duty. They coordinate with training and administration to make sure the guidelines are practical, safe, and compliant, and they monitor adherence and make updates as needed. The Fire Chief and Deputy Chief provide leadership and approval, but the explicit duty to establish the on‑duty fitness guidelines lies with the Health and Safety Officer. The Training Captain handles delivering training and implementing the guidelines, rather than establishing them.