Northwest Fire District avoiding heat-related illnesses during record heat

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — You can often find firefighter Patrick Bryce from Northwest Fire District’s Station 33 drinking water multiple times a day. He drinks gallons of water a day during his shift and even the day before, as well as electrolytes.

“It really makes the difference of feeling really sick after a fire or being able to still go on other calls,” Bryce said.

On the calls, Bryce said they wear turncoats that really don’t breathe. He said not only are they heavy, but they can also get warm, especially in the record breaking heat Southern Arizona has been experiencing lately.

He also said it can be tough fighting fires that can reach about 600 degrees inside a house. That’s why he said they wear dry fit material, which allows them to get comfortable and dry after sweating during the heat.

He also said they switch out their crews so they don’t get too tired.

“You go get your vitals checked, rehydrate, get back in the action when you’re ready. That way we make sure we’re always checking on our guys, making sure that none of us are falling between the cracks. Making sure that everybody is kind of staying at one hundred percent performance during the entire event," he said.

To get used to the heat, Bryce said they sometimes have firefighters train outside and in their turncoats.

“Being able to function at a high level of fitness both in strength and cardio, all that stuff,” he said about outdoor workouts.

However, he said it’s also important to do workouts and chores in the early morning when it’s not so hot.

Multiple times a week, station 33 gets calls for heat-related sicknesses. District-wide, Bryce said they get those type of calls everyday.

That’s why he said it’s important that they stay hydrated and cool when they can, so when they get to those calls, they can respond to them safely.

“Really just hydrate as soon as you wake up in the morning,” he reminded people.