How firefighters deal with the heat of summer
During the summer months, high temperatures and humidity turn an already hot and dangerous job into a hotter and more dangerous one
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — On the morning of Wednesday, July 12th, a fire occurred at the site of the former Starway Flea Market off Carolina Beach Road.
However, the fire wasn’t the only danger firefighters had to deal with.
During the summer months, high temperatures and humidity turn an already hot and dangerous job into a hotter and more dangerous one.
Firefighters wear dozens of pounds of gear to protect themselves from the flames.
Combine that with the average July temperature in Wilmington of 90 degrees and dehydration becomes a major concern.
Tom Robinson is Wilmington Fire Department’s assistant fire chief. He said the heat is a factor in how they determine the best way to fight fires in the summer months.
“So this fire actually went to a third alarm so we could get enough personnel on scene,” Robinson said. “We didn’t really need all the trucks, we just needed the people to rotate them in and out every 15 minutes or so so they could get breaks, rehab, water, and then get back to work.”
Robinson also said that the heat can affect how many people respond to the fire.
“You know, for this particular building, it was defensive because it was fully involved when we got here,” Robinson said. “So we couldn’t get into the building cause the roof had collapsed already so trying not to put forth a whole lot of effort on this particular one cause it’s not going anywhere and its already pretty much a total loss. So again, we can continue to respond to the next call after that.”
Rebekah Thurston is the public information officer for WFD. She said the department takes the summer heat very seriously.
“We want to make sure our firefighters are safe and so they are taking breaks,” Thurston said. “We have a rehab area where they go and they can be in the shadow, taking breaks, drinking water, having a snack, keeping their stamina up so that they can do this heavy workload that firefighter consists of.”
