Longboat Key firefighter explains fitness regimen

Zach Schield was not surprised to be named the fittest member of the Longboat Key Fire Rescue Department.

The 33-year-old Longboat Key firefighter and paramedic said bragging rights were on the line for the department when members perform their annual agility test.

“They’ve loved it since I won,” Schield said of his department colleagues.

The agility test consists of a series of events that firefighters must complete in nine minutes and 30 seconds. It includes doing a stairclimber for three minutes, picking up a barrel and walking with it, dragging a 2.5-inch hose 50 feet, lifting a kettlebell, a ladder raise, a dummy drag, a run and a medicine ball slam.

Schield completed the course in less than seven minutes.

In February, Fire Chief Paul Dezzi recognized Schield at the Fire Rescue Department’s awards ceremony.

“None of it is really like too hard,” Schield said of the agility test. “It’s when they’re all combined having to do them all one after another.”

Schield said his fitness helps serve the Longboat Key community when he’s out on a call.

“We’re doing a lot of lifting patients,” Schield said. “There’s a lot of fire alarms and you’re not sure where the fire is going to be, so there’s a lot of stair-running. You have to be fit to pick people up.”

Schield said he goes to the gym three to four times a week, works out in the fire department’s sandpit behind the fire station and was a big fan of participation sports before the pandemic. Under normal circumstances, he plays flag football, pickleball, soccer and softball.

Next year, Schield said his goal is to finish the agility test in less than seven minutes again. Shield said he takes pride in motivating the firefighters and paramedics to increase their level of fitness.

“I’ll just keep that up and [I’m] pretty sure I’ll win [“most fit” again] because none of these guys are really keeping up their fitness like I am,” Schield said.

Later this year, construction on the town’s south fire station at 2162 Gulf of Mexico Drive is due to finish up. Schield and his coworkers are excited for the new facility to open up.

“It’ll definitely nice to be have an actual gym,” Schield said.

s