First Responders Take Action to Stay Cool

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)-Summer is in full swing, and that means it’s hot and will only get hotter.

The heat leaves many first responders trying to find ways to stay cool while doing their jobs.

When firefighters are in full gear, it can be impossible to escape the heat, but they do have some tricks up their sleeves.

Firefighters have a lot on their mind when they’re heading to a call.

They start taking steps to stay safe in the heat before they even go out.

“First thing we do is we stay hydrated not just hydrate that day we hydrate days before that’s the key to stay hydrated and drink plenty of water maybe add in a few electrolytes maybe Gatorade, Powerade things like that try to stay away from the sugary drinks,” said Dale Ballard.

Columbus Fire and Rescue Captain Ballard says what firefighters wear play a big role in staying cool, but sometimes the heat is unavoidable.

“Dress appropriately. If we’re out and about, if we’re out we’ll usually try to stay in our short sleeve shirts and we can from time to time we’ve got shorts. When we workout we try to get shorts and T-shirt but when we’re on the job, and we’re out fighting fires and things like that we’re in our turn out gear, and it’s hard to stay cool that way there’s no cool in that,” said Ballard.

Fireman Tyler Moore says sometimes firemen are in and out of gear up to four times a shift.

“When you have to put on your gear this time of year when it’s so hot it can be a chore just  to put it on and taking it off because you get hot so fast and there’s no breathing in them so it can be work just doing that,” said Moore.

And firefighters are the ones responding when people find themselves getting hot too fast and end up suffering from heat exhaustion.

“I think we get as far as the regularities it’s not a bunch each week, but we’ve probably been on a handful already this year, but throughout the year it just depends on
what the person is doing outside I think with this area people are used to it if they’re used to it then it’s not as bad,” said Ballard.

Ballard says it’s crucial to listen to your body when you’re outdoors in the steaming heat.

“if you start forgetting what you’re doing then it’s time to take a break they always say that’s one of the first signs and symptoms of heat stress is you start forgetting what you’re even out there to do,” said Ballard.

With temperatures only increasing, Ballard says that he expects to see an increase of call related to heat.