In addition to the soaring heats that are typical in summer months, there are some other hurdles that emergency responders need to consider, including increasing traffic, pedestrians, and roadwork. In this series of articles, we’re going to explore the additional safety considerations and wellness preparation tips that can help emergency responders navigate this time of year. Share this information with your firefighter clients and address their insurance needs with a Firefighter Liability Insurance package.
Construction hazards.
The peak time for roadwork is the summer, so it’s important for firefighting clients to determine how this might affect their routes, travel time, and accessibility. Not to mention, other vehicles might not know how to react in a situation where there’s extra roadwork and an emergency responder coming for them, so ensure they are aware of unpredictability on the road.
Heat precautions.
Make certain that personnel don’t take shortcuts with personnel protective equipment (PPE) in an attempt to stay cool. Call for extra alarms and resources sooner rather than later – summertime heat will cause you to use a larger number of firefighters in a shorter time span. Remember, help can always be returned if not needed. Wearing turnout gear for an extended time in extreme summer weather will reduce the body’s ability to cool itself by the evaporation of perspiration. For this reason, make certain that crews remove turnout gear when they come outside the hazard zone and allow their bodies to cool down prior to being released from rehab, explains Firehouse.
Rehab.
Because of extreme summer temperatures, the body is more likely to fall ill and suffer the effects of lost nutrients. For this reason, rehab should be heavily promoted this time of year. Muscle cramping, heat stroke, and heat exhaustion can all be prevented by taking note of the symptoms early on and replacing the nutrients immediately. Otherwise, the loss of electrolytes, water, and sodium chloride can have lasting impacts on a firefighter.
About Provident FirePlus
At Provident FirePlus, we offer custom tailored packages to best protect firefighters and volunteer firefighters. We understand the risks that emergency response teams are subjected to on a daily basis, and have worked to serve these dedicated professionals for over 87 years. For more information about our products and policies, we invite you to contact our experts today at (855) 201-8880.