MANCHESTER, Conn. — The continuous run of fierce summer heat across Connecticut shows little signs of stopping in the week ahead and, while most of us can take shelter in the swelter, firefighters can’t.
In Manchester, the fire department has been using a heat protocol for the past few years. “Firefighter Rehab Stations” are set up on scene when a heat advisory is in place.
Assistant Chief Gordon Macmillan, a 28-year veteran at the Manchester Fire Department, said, “(The heat) it’s very challenging, especially on fire calls and motor vehicle collisions.” He added that the Firefighter Rehab Stations, “consist of cooling chairs, a misting fan and just some shade.”
Battalion Chief Matt Leroux, the training officer at the Manchester Fire Department, said the rehab stations “are just places for firefighters to rehab after a fire; to take their bunker gear off and just cool off.”
The public has been pitching in to help fire crews in Manchester courtesy of CERT – the Citizens Emergency Response Team. CERT members come to fire scenes and set up tents and cooling chairs to assist firefighters emerging from burning structures.
Leroux added, “In the summertime, we need to build in those safety factors that much more.”
Macmillan said, “The message we tell (the firefighters) is stay cool, stay rested and stay hydrated. Take care of yourselves because you can’t take care of other people if you’re not healthy yourself.”
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Jimmy Altman is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at jaltman@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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