VIDEO: It’s only the beginning of a long, hot summer and the heat is already taking a toll on first responders. In West Baton Rouge, multiple firefighters were treated for heat-related injuries after battling a house fire.
As temperatures climb, fire departments across south Louisiana are stepping up safety precautions. โRotating firefighters in and out is the only way to do it. And I’m telling you, 15 to 20 minutes in a burning building in this heat and that gear, that’s about all most people can stand. It was a tough, tough situation,โ Chief of WBR EMS Mike Chustz said. Saturday, six firefighters had to be treated after suffering heat-related injuries while fighting a house fire in Brusly. Outside, it was hot. Inside, unbearable.
โIt was bad timing to have a fire in South Louisiana in the summer. I wish we could control that. Obviously, we cannot,โ Chustz said. โWhen these guys came out and we took the coats off of them, just touching their skin, they were burning up. It was alarming just to see what was going to happen,โ Chustz said. Fire turnout gear can weigh up to 75 pounds, and it’s designed to trap heat. In full gear, temperatures inside can spike above 150 degrees.
