BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The most common piece of advice people are hearing lately for staying safe in extreme heat is to stay inside if possible. For people who work outdoors, however, that's something that might pose an issue. The last thing most people would wear in triple-digit heat is 60+ pounds of gear and equipment, but for a Kern County Firefighter, that's the uniform.
With brush fires becoming an increasing possibility as the summer wears on, KCFD Captain Andrew Freeborn says crews are training now for heat endurance and heat safety.
"We're hydrating, and we're acclimating ourselves to hot weather before the hot weather arrives, 'cause if you decide when you're in the middle of exerting yourself, 'Well, I'm going to start drinking water now,' that's already too late," said Freeborn.
Freeborn adds that the majority of the precautions and safety measures used by firefighters match the advice that's given to the public.
"We also try to plan our day," said Freeborn. "We try to do whatever non-emergency that we can, we try to accomplish that as early in the day as we can when it's cooler weather."
According to a 2019 study by the National Library of Medicine, 74.8 percent of firefighters have experienced a heat-related illness, with 5 percent of those firefighters suffering heat-related illnesses around 20 times just in that year.
Freeborn says the heat alone isn't their overall concern, with most of their focus on how to stay comfortable in an uncomfortable situation.
"We need to find ways to mentally build that strength to endure, that ability, that time that you're uncomfortable, but we're also training ourselves and educating ourselves on knowing ourselves and knowing our bodies," said Freeborn.
There is always the risk of a firefighter suffering a heat-related illness during an active incident, but according to Freeborn, it doesn't happen as much as people might assume. This is due to the precautions that are put in place both before and during the call.
"At a structure fire, you'll see crews rotating in and out of that fire. Crews that are coming out go to a shaded area, they get their temperature taken, their blood pressure, all their vital signs tested," explained Freeborn. "They're hydrating, they're cooling down before they go back in."
Regardless of the weather, Kern County Fire is always prepared to run into an emergency, but Freeborn says there are some things the public can do to limit the number of emergencies firefighters have to respond to.
"You're less likely to be affected by that heat stress early morning as you would in the afternoon. You're less likely to start a grass fire in the morning compared to the afternoon because it's cooler temperatures," said Freeborn.
Freeborn says that as we continue to expect triple-digit heat for the rest of the week, it's important to be vigilant and, just like the Kern County Firefighters do, focus on scheduling outdoor activities either for the early morning hours or after dusk, and remember to stay hydrated.
MORE HEAT SAFETY TIPS FROM..:
Tips for older adults from University of Michigan Medicine
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
