VIDEO: Firefighters at a rural Georgia fire station no longer have to drive to neighboring counties or wash their protective gear at home, thanks to a donation from a local water company.
East Lake Fire Rescue Station in Hancock County recently received a specialized washing machine called an extractor from Piedmont Water Company, allowing firefighters to properly clean their turnout gear without leaving the station. “Piedmont did not hesitate to step up and provide us with this extractor according to NFPA 1851, which is a fire code,” said Jackie Barnum, a firefighter who reached out to the company. “We are not allowed to put our turnout gear or any of our firefighter gear into a regular washing machine or into our home because of cross-contamination.”
The donation addresses a critical safety need for the volunteer-run department. Regular washing machines cannot handle the chemicals and soot that accumulate on firefighting gear, forcing crews to either transport their equipment to Baldwin County for cleaning โ a 24-hour process โ or wash it outside their homes with brushes and pressure washers.
“Firefighters have a very high rate of cancer, more so than your average profession,” said Roger Medberry, chief of the East Lake Fire/Rescue Station. “The reason for that is when things burn they emit toxins and carcinogens.” Katie Strickland, communications director for Piedmont Water, said the company researched the best equipment for the job after receiving Barnum’s email request during the summer.
“Calling around to other fire stations as to what the best practice was to have on hand to do this the right way, this was the model and the brand that was basically the top of the line,” Strickland said. The new extractor can clean two sets of inner liners and two sets of outer shells, removing blood, soot and chemicals in six to eight hours. The specialized machines typically cost between $4,500 and $6,000.
The equipment will help the station better serve the community during their five to six fire calls per year, allowing firefighters to focus on emergency response rather than equipment maintenance logistics. “It means a lot to us,” Medberry said. “First of all, it’s always good to be able to partner with local companies, and Piedmont did not hesitate to step up and provide.” East Lake Fire Rescue is one of three volunteer fire stations serving Hancock County.
