How Arizona firefighters keep cool while working in the summer

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) – With the scorching summer here, Valley firefighters are not only battling fires but the oppressive heat while doing so. “When we are dealing with 110 degrees, and a fire kicks out, we are asked to act,” said Captain Dave Folio with the Scottsdale Fire Department.

Captain Folio said part of the role of their command during the Valley summer is to make sure their own firefighters don’t succumb to the heat. “Our goal is to really eliminate all heat exhaustion heat stroke incidents with our firefighters.”

Arizona’s Family got an inside look at the mobile rehab center they deploy to calls whenever temperatures are more than 105 degrees. They have frozen towels that can wrap around your head and vests which can be filled with frozen sleeves. There is plenty of water, freezers with ice packs and someone on the scene monitoring the firefighters.

In the heat, crews will typically be active on the scene for 25 minutes before rotating to the rehab center. “We take it seriously, once they are medically clear we usually put them back in service or back in the front lines,” said Captain Folio.

The way Valley fire departments are set up in the summer is if multiple crews respond to a call, it’s already determined ahead of time which department will man the rehab centers. Captain Folio said it’s important to have this system because firefighters can be so focused on trying to help others that they can easily forget to take care of themselves. “The firefighters never want to come off the front lines they will never tell you they are in heat exhaustion or heat stroke they want to get out there and get the job done.”

During these hot conditions, remember to stay hydrated. Early signs of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, fatigue, dizziness, and nausea.

See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.

Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.

Copyright 2023 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.