‘You never get used to it’: How first responders fight the heat

When Michael Eng, a firefighter with over 20 years of field experience, responds to a call, adrenaline takes over and the mission at hand becomes the prime concern. Keeping track of his own well-being can become a low priority.As obstacles like South Florida’s unpredictable weather and risk of heat emergency are thrown in their way, first responders work in full gear, often for hours at a time.“It’s absolutely as horrible as you would imagine it to be,” said Eng, the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue operations division chief. “You never get used to it.”Even in normal temperatures, two firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion on Monday while tackling a three-alarm emergency at a Miami apartment building engulfed in flames, simply because of the fire conditions.Working in extreme conditions paired with South Florida’s summer temperatures is a harsh reality first responders know all too well.“It’s not just the high temperatures, it’s the combination with humidity which presents extreme challenges to us operating out there,” Eng said. “The amount of the fire protection gear that we wear can add another 50 degrees to general conditions. Under normal circumstances, it’s hot, but then fighting fires is even worse.”Bunker gear, also known as turnout gear, is the protective clothing firefighters wear when working in high-temperature fires. Three layers of material work together to protect the firefighters from heat, moisture and other hazards.The thermal layer is the innermost layer that protects the wearer from heat. In the middle, the moisture layer prevents moisture from leaving the body and also protects against moisture from outside sources.“Because they can’t be cooled by ambient temperatures, like you and I can, they need a wicking material to help pull that hot sweat off their body,” said Michael Kane, Battalion Chief and Public Information Officer at Broward Sheriff’s Office Fire Rescue. The outer layer protects the wearer from sharp objects and other chemicals.“The main thing is prevention and awareness, and I think everybody in public safety is pretty well versed in that,” said Mike Jachles, public information officer at the West Palm Beach Police Department and spokesman for the Florida Fire Chiefs’  Association.When it gets hot, police and fire departments have precautions and procedures in place to protect their first responders from potential heat emergencies.“Officers make personal choices about how to keep cool. Some of the obvious safety measures include staying well hydrated and wearing sunscreen,” said Jessica Desir, the public information officer for the Boca Raton Police Department and former road patrol officer. “Officers may also choose to use a cooling system that provides air flow from the vehicle’s AC vent directly to the area between an officer’s vest and undershirt.”When responding to a call in full bunker gear, firefighters follow a rehabilitation system to prevent prolonged heat exposure.“If Group A goes into a structure fire, in about 20 minutes, they’ll be relieved by group B, and group B will go and fight that fire. Group A will take off their gear and get rehabilitated,” Kane said.At this rehabilitation station, the firefighter will go into a cool environment and begin to take in fluids. Vitals will also be taken and evaluated. If vitals are outside normal limits, the firefighter will be sent to the hospital for evaluation or treatment.Last summer was one of the hottest on record and this year, temperatures in South Florida began to rise in April. The National Weather Service monitors the heat index and issues alerts when the heat index is expected to exceed 105 to 110 degrees for at least two consecutive days.“Every single fire station in our jurisdiction is notified that there’s a heat advisory warning,” Kane said. “What we do for a heat advisory warning is not much different than what we do every single day.”Firefighters begin hydrating the day before a shift and continue to hydrate throughout the shift. In extreme heat, departments will curtail the firefighter’s daily training to minimize the time spent outdoors.“They’re required to train every single day. In the cooler months, they will train more outside,” Kane said. “But certainly in the hotter months, we don’t require them to train outside as much. That helps reduce heat-related emergencies to the firefighter.”In the same way first responders protect themselves from the heat, officials urge the general public to make themselves aware of the dangers brought about by extreme heat.“Do like the firefighters do and stay hydrated,” Kane said. “Be aware of the conditions that contribute to heat-related emergencies and be well versed on the symptoms and signs of heat-related emergencies such as dehydration, altered mental status, headaches and dizziness.”

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