LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – As temperatures climb, Lubbock firefighters are battling their own gear and the heat in addition to flames.
Lubbock Fire Rescues’ Public information officer , Derek Delgado said calls do not stop and are not dependent on weather conditions.
That protection comes at a cost. Gear traps heat against the body, making it harder for firefighters to cool down naturally.
Delgado said the gear is trapping all of a firefighter’s heat, preventing sweat from evaporating.
That’s where the rehab truck comes in. Inside, firefighters can be monitored to catch heat exhaustion before it becomes a medical emergency.
Delgado said that once firefighters get in the truck versus when they got out, they are getting better, with their vital signs, heart rate and blood pressure improving.
Inside the truck, firefighters can have their vitals checked and rehydrate. They also have the option of using cooling vests to further bring down their temperatures.
Delgado said a firefighter’s body temperature could get well over 100 degrees, and putting on a cooling vest, described as basically a big ice cube placed around the upper body, can help expedite the cooling process.
As Lubbock’s heat continues, Delgado said the truck will stay on standby.
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