Fired up and fit.(The No. 1 cause of on-the-job deaths among firefighters is heart attack. An interview with Captain Shawn Perry of the Sacramento California City Fire Department.)(Interview)

Although it's well-known to members of the fire service, the general public is usually surprised to learn that the No. 1 cause of on-the-job deaths among firefighters has nothing to do with fire. The No. 1 cause is heart attack. And Captain Shawn Perry, assistant fitness director for the Sacramento California City Fire Department, has no interest in becoming one of these statistics.

What he does have an interest in is staying fit, which began in high school when he was an athlete. "I was always looking for ways to gain a competitive edge," he says. "I have been involved in exercise and nutrition for so long that it is just part of my life."

Perry works his cardiovascular system 3-4 times a week, switching between running, stationary biking and outdoor biking for 20-45 minutes. He also does resistance training, usually traditional weightlifting, 2-3 days a week. Plus he does core work, which focuses on the midsection and helps reduce lower-back injuries--an important precaution for firefighters.

Perry pays as much attention to nutrition as he does to exercise. "In the fire service, it has been ingrained in us that we need three large meals a ...