VIDEO: 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.
KCBD-TV NBC 11 Lubbock