SPOKANE, Wash., – As high temperatures are expected next week both the Spokane City and Spokane County Fire Departments are preparing to work in this heat.
Captain David LaChapelle with Spokane County Fire District 4 said that there is an increased risk of fire, but the largest increase of calls that they expect will be heat related illnesses like dehydration and heatstroke.
“One of the biggest concerns we start seeing is heat related injuries. Not only with the general public but also with our fire crews,” LaChapelle said. One of the things the department will do to stay healthy is rotate their crews more frequently while fighting a fire so that they do not get exhausted or dehydrated. “So normally if you have a crew that’s in a fire they might be able to stay 15, 20, or 25 minutes on the fire. However, when you have conditions like this you might go down to 5 or 10 minutes, just to keep everybody healthy and safe,” LaChapelle said. Lieutenant Kurt Vandeventer with Spokane Fire Station 9 said a firefighter can lose multiple pounds of water weight while on an active fire when it is hot outside. Replenishing fluids is vital to being able to continue working. “The fire chief made sure that every rig had a water cooler and cups for crews to drink and stay hydrated when they are out working, and then we have the ability to bring in more resources as needed,” Vandeventer The city of Spokane will also be offering various cooling sites if the temperatures are predicted to reach more than 95 degrees for two days in a row.
