Local fire departments continue to prep for high temperatures
NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - All week long we’ve had a dangerous heat wave and seen firsthand its impact with brush, house and electrical fires.
For firefighters on the front lines, gearing up is taking on a new meaning this hot summer.
As the months get hotter, you might be looking for a place to cool off, but firefighters are running right into the heat.
Temperatures are hitting triple digits but imagine going to work and walking into the heat, wearing 60-pound gear.
This is a reality for firefighters.
Local partners come together to help those suffering in dangerous heat
After a severe heat wave hit the CSRA this week, some local partners are teaming up to help those suffering in the dangerous temperatures.
“Often people drag chains or toss cigarettes out the window, and that’s more of a small fire. But as soon as it grabs more grass and the wind pushes it or finds a hill to run, it turns into a large fire, quickly. So, we train hard for these months, specifically on wildland fires,” said Sergeant Daniel Smith with the North Augusta Department of Public Safety.
When they aren’t putting out fires, they’re training for them.
“We try to do that during the wintertime, when it’s cooler when the chance for injury or heat exhaustion is lower. So, we do a lot of our hands-on fire training. We do live burns. We did them most recently in November. We’ve recently done a lithium-ion battery class that had live fire involved in it,” said Smith.
They also make sure to take care of themselves, so they can be better equipped to take care of us.
“We try to use a personal ability system. We also keep safety officers on every scene. So, we make sure that we have plenty of water. We have ice coolers on all our fire trucks twice daily. We try to keep extra cases of water on the thrust so that our firefighters have enough water,” said Smith.
Georgia Power’s new discount program helps customers during summer
As it gets hotter throughout the CSRA, Georgia Power wants to make sure you know about a newly expanded program to stay safe this summer.
Smith says there are ways to avoid these brush fires.
“Don’t toss cigarettes out of your windows. We had a mulch bed fire recently. Thankfully, that’s all it was. And with July 4th coming, just be safe with fireworks. Please, please don’t shoot near anything flammable. Be safe and try to keep all your fingers,” he said.
As temperatures continue to rise, Smith says, “Try to get your work done in the morning. You’re exercising. Try to stay cool. Keep a portable fan with you.”
It’s only supposed to get hotter, so to stay safe, stay cool and follow those safety tips.
Several of our fire departments have been posting on social media ways to keep yourself and your homes safe during the hot summer ahead.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
