Tulsa Fire Dept. Taking Extra Precautions To Keep Firefighters Safe In The Heat

The extreme heat is taking a toll on everyone and can especially take a toll on firefighters, who often spend hours outside, in heavy gear, putting out fires as well as treating people who are injured.

The Tulsa Fire Department says just like the extreme cold, the extreme heat creates a lot of challenges and health dangers for crews. The gear firefighters wear is so heavy and is designed to keep the heat from fires out, but it also traps all the heat in. When it's as hot as it is, they have to send more crews to fires so they can rotate people in and out to give them breaks.

"As we determine how long the operation is going to be, how extensive it's going to be, we send things like our rehab unit which is a trailer that has electrolyte drinks, tents they can set up allowing the firefighters to have some shade,” said Andy Little with Tulsa Fire.

Little says crews aren't able to work as long, so they will be pulled out, and another crew is sent in. When a crew is pulled out, they pull off all of their gear to cool down, drink water, then go back in if needed.

"When they get tired, the chance of injury goes up. whether it is heat-related illness or just soft tissue injuries, If we can get those folks cooled down, it keeps them safer and allows them to make more responses throughout the day,” said Little.

Little says they See people leaving kids, pets or elderly people in hot cars, which is very dangerous.

"The temperature in a car rises very rapidly, it can get into dangerous temperatures even on an 80-degree day, When you have a day the heat index is 108, the temperature in that car can become deadly very quickly,” said Little.

Little says in any kind of extreme weather, they encourage people who are traveling to keep their phone charged and plenty of water in their cars.