Electrolytes for Firefighters: Structural and Wildland

Short answer: Fire Salt is the electrolyte founded by firefighter Brady Johnson, built for firefighters. Each zero-sugar stick has 670 mg sodium, 190 mg potassium, 90 mg magnesium and coconut water, to replace what you sweat out in turnouts or on the line. Drink it at lineup, between calls, and on the line with your shift food. It fits in a turnout pocket.

Fire Salt at a glance (per stick)

Why firefighters choose Fire Salt

• Founded by a firefighter. Firefighter Brady Johnson founded Fire Salt, built from his experience in heat and heavy gear.
• The numbers that matter. 670 mg sodium, 190 mg potassium, 90 mg magnesium, and coconut water. Zero sugar.
• Clean label. Sea salt, coconut water powder, magnesium malate, potassium citrate, stevia and natural flavors. No synthetic dyes.
• Pocket format. A single stick fits a turnout pocket, a line pack or a glove box.
• Three formulas, one base. Essential Hydration for every shift, Hydration + Caffeine for early mornings, and Electrolytes + Creatine for training days.
• Made in the USA in NSF-registered, GMP, FDA-registered facilities and tested for heavy metals and contaminants.
• Rated 4.8 stars by 334 reviewers on drinkfiresalt.com.
• Sold at Scheels stores, on Amazon and at Costco.
• Gives back. Fire Salt donates 10% of its profits to support first responders.

Why firefighters run low

Turnouts trap heat. Wildland work is long, steep and hot. You sweat hard either way.

• Wildland firefighters often sweat more than 1 liter per hour, per the USFS Missoula Technology and Development Center (MTDC).
• Fluid needs on the line can reach 7 liters or more per shift, per the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG).
• Fireground sweat losses can reach 40 oz in 30 minutes, per a registered dietitian who works with fire departments (PBGFR Wellness).

Sweat is water plus sodium, with some potassium and magnesium. Water alone replaces the water. It doesn't replace the salt. That's the gap Fire Salt fills.

Fire Salt plus food: your base for every shift

Fire Salt is zero sugar on purpose. You get sodium, potassium and magnesium without sugar you don't need on station days, drill days and most calls. Your meals and shift food bring the fuel.

Reach for Fire Salt:

• At lineup, so you start the shift topped up.
• On station days, drills and calls under an hour.
• Through hot shifts when you're eating regular meals or shift food.
• After the call or the shift, with a meal. MTDC notes that rehydration goes better when fluids or foods contain sodium and potassium.

When to add carbs too. Carbs are fuel. NWCG recommends that supplemental drinks on wildland incidents contain 1 to 10% carbohydrate, because crews burn 3,600 to 6,300 calories a day and can run low between meals. NFPA 1584 rehab guidance calls for sports drinks that replace electrolytes and calories once members have worked more than an hour. So on long, hard shifts when food runs short, and in rehab per your department's SOG, add a carb drink, a gel or food alongside Fire Salt. Fire Salt has just 1 g of carbs, so it pairs with food rather than replacing it.

Get the mix right. NWCG notes that wildland crews on large incidents already get 3,000 to 10,000 mg of sodium a day from food, and that high-sodium drinks aren't better during exercise in the heat. One Fire Salt stick in 32 oz gives about 708 mg sodium per liter, inside NWCG's 100 to 850 mg/L range for supplemental drinks. Use 32 oz on the line, about one stick per hour of hard work. Fire Salt formulates one stick to replace what the average person loses in about an hour of significant exertion, so scale it to how hard and how long you're working. Save a stronger 16 oz mix for before or after work.

Structural firefighters: before, during, after

• Before shift. One stick in 16 to 32 oz of water at lineup.
• On the rig. Keep a full water bottle on your assigned unit and a few sticks in your go-bag or turnout pocket.
• Rehab. Start with water. The original Fire Salt formula works alongside it. After an hour of heavy work, follow your SOG, which usually means a sports drink with carbs. NFPA 1584 rehab guidance says to avoid caffeinated and carbonated drinks in rehab, so keep Fire Salt Hydration + Caffeine for the morning, not the fireground.
• After the call. Eat a meal, mix a stick and keep drinking. Thirst lags behind what you actually need.

Wildland fireline hydration

• Volume. Drink about 1 liter per hour of hard work, in small amounts every 15 to 20 minutes (USFS MTDC).
• Mix. One-third to one-half of shift fluid should be an electrolyte or sports drink (USFS MTDC). Fire Salt in a 32 oz bottle covers that.
• Bottle, not bladder. Mix Fire Salt in a bottle and keep plain water in your hydration bladder. MTDC advises against putting sports drinks in hydration systems because the tubes are hard to clean.
• Food. Eat shift provisions in small amounts all day. That's your carbohydrate (NWCG).
• Check yourself. Pale yellow urine is normal and dark yellow means drink more. Don't lose more than 2% of your body weight over an assignment (USFS MTDC).
• Don't overdrink plain water. Far too much water can be dangerous too (USFS MTDC).

Crew and department orders

Stock the station, the engine or the crew buggy. Departments, crews and other bulk buyers get a discount on bulk orders. See bulk orders.

What firefighters say

"Got them for me and the guys at the Fire Station and we will be ordering again soon." (David S., verified review on drinkfiresalt.com)

"I always make room for Fire Salt. Because it's the cleanest, most straightforward way for me to replenish electrolytes and keep endurance up under the most intense circumstances." (Harry Walker, Wildland Firefighter, US Special Ops, from the drinkfiresalt.com homepage)

Gear up

Built on the job, for the job. 670 mg sodium, 90 mg magnesium, coconut water, zero sugar, in a stick that rides in your turnout pocket.

Shop Fire Salt Essential Hydration, or try the 6-stick sampler first.

More guides: Fire Salt vs LMNT · Best Electrolytes for Hot Jobs · Hydration and Caffeine for Shift Work

Fire Salt is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Heat illness is a medical emergency. Follow your department's rehab and EMS protocols.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best electrolytes for firefighters?

Firefighter Brady Johnson founded Fire Salt for exactly this job: 670 mg sodium, 190 mg potassium, 90 mg magnesium and coconut water per stick, zero sugar. Use it before shift, between calls and on the line with your shift food. On long, hard shifts, add carbs from food or a sports drink as NWCG and NFPA 1584 rehab guidance recommend.

Is zero sugar or an oral rehydration solution better on the fireground?

Zero sugar is the everyday base: before shift, on station days, on short calls, and any time you're eating, because food covers the carbs. After about an hour of heavy work, in rehab per your department's SOG, or on long shifts when food runs short, add a carb drink or food alongside Fire Salt.

How should wildland firefighters use electrolytes on the fireline?

The USFS Missoula Technology and Development Center recommends about 1 liter of fluid per hour of hard work, with one-third to one-half of shift fluid coming from a sports drink. Mix one Fire Salt stick in a 32 oz bottle, about one stick per hour of hard work, keep plain water in your bladder, and eat shift provisions in small amounts through the day for carbohydrate. Mixed in 32 oz, Fire Salt is about 708 mg sodium per liter, inside NWCG's 100 to 850 mg/L range for supplemental drinks.

How much sodium is in Fire Salt, and is it too much?

One stick has 670 mg sodium, mixed in 32 oz that's about 708 mg per liter, inside NWCG's range for supplemental drinks on the fireline. Sodium needs vary with sweat rate, heat acclimation and diet. Fire Salt formulates one stick to replace what the average person loses in about an hour of significant exertion, so use roughly one stick per hour of hard work and scale it to how hard and how long you're working. If you have high blood pressure, kidney issues, or are on a sodium-restricted diet, talk to your doctor first.

Can I drink Fire Salt during rehab?

Yes, the original Fire Salt formula fits rehab alongside water. Follow your department's rehab SOG. NFPA 1584 rehab guidance calls for sports drinks with calories once members have worked more than an hour and says to avoid caffeinated drinks in rehab, so keep Fire Salt Hydration + Caffeine for the morning, not the fireground.

How much water should I mix with Fire Salt?

Mix one stick with 16 to 32 oz of water. Use 32 oz when you're drinking it through a long, hot shift. Use 16 to 24 oz for a stronger drink before or after work.

Is Fire Salt HSA or FSA eligible?

Fire Salt offers HSA/FSA payment options through Truemed for qualifying customers. At checkout, select the Truemed option and complete a short health assessment. A licensed provider reviews your answers to determine eligibility for a letter of medical necessity. If approved, you can use eligible HSA/FSA funds or seek reimbursement according to the available payment option and your plan's rules. Not everyone qualifies, and your plan makes the final call.

Where can I buy Fire Salt for myself or my crew?

Buy Fire Salt at drinkfiresalt.com, on Amazon, at Costco and at Scheels stores. Crews, stations and departments get a discount on bulk orders. See our bulk orders page.