Page 32 - Volume 20

From the State Fire Marshal’s Office...
Summer Heat Calls for Increased Awareness of Fire Scene Rehab
By Jeff Hussey, State Fire Marshal
As we find ourselves in the hottest months of the year, with temperatures reach- ing the upper 90s, it’s time to revisit the importance of fire scene rehabilitation. As firefighters, we always push ourselves and our bodies to do more, but during these hot summer months, it is the responsibility of the leaders in our departments to be particularly cognizant of the effects of dehydration and not to let our teams push their bodies beyond what is safe.
In order to ensure the safety of our Ohio communities, we first need to make sure we are following the proper steps to keep our bodies protected and hydrated during incidents. Here are four tips for fire scene rehabilitation.
u Proactive rehab. Training and preparing for an incident is a big part of emergency responders’ duties, which starts with always working to improve your fitness level and hydrating well before that hot day. A good way to monitor hydration is to reference the color of your urine using a Dehydration Urine Color chart.
u Establish rehab sector/officer. Make rehab operations a priority by establishing
a rehab officer who is responsible for cooling resources early in the incident. Provide shelters, active cooling, misting fans, and other cooling processes. Be sure to provide EMS surveillance to all responders who are in the rehab area. Rehab managers should anticipate incident personnel needs, providing adequate crew rota- tions and working with command to ensure adequate staffing.
u Break often. This is where the will to push past comfort may get the best of us. It’s important for firefighters to know that taking a break doesn’t equal quitting
– breaking is essential. The NFPA offers two guidelines (NFPA 1584) for work-to- rest ratio / using a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) that can be helpful for crews to follow.
u Get out of your gear. While your personal protective equipment (PPE) protects your body from heat of the fire, it doesn’t do a great job of cooling your body down. Removing PPE during breaks is essential, and should be the first thing you do, particularly the removal of your helmet and hood to allow the head to release heat. The head is a major player in cooling the body down and releasing heat, as are the forearms.
32 InCommand OCTOBER/NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017 • www.ohiofirechiefs.org