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This paper aims to discuss the current methods of training and education for first response emergency personnel. The goal is to distinguish the difference between training and education in an attempt to establish a more operable definition for use within the field.

The initial approach was to closely examine and compare physical fitness standards and training for first response emergency personnel in the State of California and the US Government.

Through comparing and contrasting, it was found that while physical fitness standards needed to be additionally governed at the state level, the real issue was a lack of definition in academic literature regarding “training” versus “education.” Furthermore, a lack of focus on the health and physical fitness knowledge in the first response responder population may be putting them at greater risk.

The originality/value of this paper consist in: a critical look at the physical demands of emergency response by first response emergency personnel; and the argumentation for the use of subject matter experts in increasing further knowledge of health and physical fitness in the population of first response emergency personnel and defining the different components to training and education.