GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas — During this hot and humid summer, Grand Prairie Fire Department is getting plenty of heat-related calls. And as they treat patients each day, it's a reminder to take care of themselves in the extreme temperatures.
"It's pretty difficult to deal with some days," said Captain James Purdom. "We've all been through hot summers in Texas, but with the humidity being even higher than normal this year, it does make it a little bit more difficult on your body to compensate for that heat."
Around the clock, the fire department has an air truck staffed. It's a vehicle used to provide air tank refills for firefighters. But these days, the air truck has been used to help fire crews cool off.
Grand Prairie firefighter Doug St. Clair says is always ready to go when the air truck is needed.
"We try to get there within the first 15 minutes of the fire to have everything set up and ready to go," St. Clair said.
On long calls, especially fire or HAZMAT calls, he will set up a rehabilitation station for firefighters. It includes water, Gatorade, cooling towels, cooling vests, misting fans and cancer wipes laid out on a table. He also sets up benches.
"When you go in a fire, you got close to 100 pounds of equipment on you. It's 100 degrees outside when you come out to rest. Inside, it's hundreds of degrees," said St. Clair.
It's easy to get heat exhaustion, and the goal of the air truck and rehabilitation station is to prevent that from happening.
This process is invaluable to Grand Prairie firefighters to make sure they are taken care of so they can continue to respond to residents in need.