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Summer’s no pal to Ga. firefighters

By John Ghirardini
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Copyright 2006 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Merely being outside for hours in the blazing Georgia summer heat can wear the body out.

But imagine being in that ovenlike heat and having to exert strenuous effort — while wearing and carrying nearly 40 pounds of equipment.

And imagine doing this in a climate where streams of water instantly flash into steam, raising the humidity level toward the 100 percent mark.

Can’t imagine it?

For firefighters battling blazes when the mercury soars, all of that is routine. Throw in that the heat radiated by flames may range from a few hundred to more than 1,000 degrees.

Every summer, firefighters face extreme conditions as they battle everything from home and business fires to outdoor blazes in extreme temperatures.

In 2005, 87 U.S. firefighters died while on duty, according to National Fire Protection Association statistics. More than half of the deaths — 54 percent — were attributed to overexertion and stress.

“You’ve got a number of unusual stresses on a firefighter,” said John Hall, the association’s assistant vice president for fire analysis and research. “Each year there are thousands of reported injuries to firefighters in which heat was a factor. Training and fitness of the firefighters also come into play.”

A firefighter’s gear consists of gloves, a helmet, a fire- and water-resistant outer suit with thermal and moisture barriers, heavy boots and a self-contained breathing apparatus — not to mention wire cutters, axes or other hand-held items.

“Not only does the summer heat affect the general population, it’s something firefighters have to monitor very closely,” said Gwinnett County Fire Department spokesman Lt. Thomas Rutledge. “Some of the things we do to protect ourselves is what we ask everyone else to do. We take breaks to rest and to hydrate. We’re constantly hydrating ourselves and drinking water, even at the firehouse before or between calls.”

The department sets up a “rehab sector” when working fires, Rutledge said, especially those where heavy firefighting gear or personal gear is worn.

“The gear is cumbersome to move in,” Rutledge said. “All those factors add stress to the body, especially heat stress.”

In addition, a firefighter’s suit causes sweat to be contained within, so there’s no natural evaporation or way for the body to stay cool naturally.

“That rehab sector is our way of letting firefighters remove themselves from the battle,” he said. “It’s staffed by firefighters who monitor their colleagues, checking their vital signs constantly and ensuring they’re capable of going back into action.”

Firefighters may be in the rehab sector from 10 minutes up to an hour.

Rutledge said a firefighter usually will work for as long as one to two air bottles will last, which varies based on the fitness level and energy used.

The commander on the scene may shorten that if a crew needs a break sooner.

“The most critical thing is physical fitness,” said Philip Chovan, state safety officer for the Georgia Mutual Aid Group, a consortium of 150 state fire departments. “There’s a cumulative effect when firefighters go from call to call to call. The ones who are in good shape resist heat injury.”

Chovan, a longtime firefighter, also coordinates the Georgia Basic Smoke Divers School, a rigorous training program that pushes firefighters to the limit.

“The job really generates the heat exposure,” he said. “There’s no slowing the assembly line down.”