Staying in shape is part of the job for New York’s Bravest. And a new fundraiser is looking to help supply the FDNY with the tools to do just that.
On Nov. 10 and 17, several boutique studios will join the gym chain Crunch in hosting donation-based fitness classes, with all proceeds going toward helping outfit FDNY houses with fitness equipment. Participants will also have the opportunity to work out alongside firefighters and learn more about the initiative.
The FDNY Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the department, has joined forces with firm Integrity Square for the fundraiser, which is looking to raise enough to obtain 400 pieces of new and refurbished fitness equipment.
The city is home to about 225 stations and more than 10,000 firefighters. Typically, firefighters tend to pay out of pocket to outfit their firehouse gyms, or rely on donations of used equipment by individuals and businesses, FDNY Battalion Chief John Regan said.
“The initiative is to help take some of the burden off the firefighters,” he said.
It’s important for the first responders to maintain physical fitness for the demands of the job, to prevent injury and for long-term health, he said.
“Most of the city is a vertical city, so we often are climbing five or six or seven flights of stairs, maybe with 60 or 70 pounds of equipment,” Regan said. “So we need to be physically fit and healthy to be able to do our job effectively.”
Regan said the FDNY is looking to add cardio equipment in particular, such as treadmills and Stairmasters (the most difficult to come by due to price), to firehouse gyms. The FDNY plans to poll the city’s firehouses to see what their needs are.
“Each firehouse has individual needs,” Regan said. “If they already have two treadmills or a bike, let’s try to get them another piece. We want to get everybody a piece of equipment.”
Where to work out
Crunch will be hosting two-hour rides supporting the FDNY on Nov. 10 at 11:30 a.m. at its Bowery location (2 Cooper Square) and Nov. 17 at 10 a.m. at its Fort Greene location (691 Fulton St.). Each workout has a minimum donation of $25. For more info and to register, visit info.crunch.com/FDNYDonations.
Here’s a look at other fitness spots that will be hosting charity classes on Nov. 10 and Nov. 17 (check their social media for updates on offerings):
- Higher DOSE
- Fit House
- Lyons Den Power Yoga
- Retro Fitness
- Solace New York
- Switch Playground
- Tone House
- Xtend Barre
