HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHP) — Braving the heat isn’t easy, but while many of us can cool off indoors, for others it’s their job to go nonstop right into the heat.
On Tuesday, CBS21’s Maxine Rose gave us a first-hand look into what it’s like to be a firefighter during a heatwave, and what they do to survive it.
“You need to get everything on including your BA [breathing apparatus] and start breathing air in a minute,” said Captain Aldo Morelli of the Harrisburg Bureau of Fire.
“A minute?” Maxine Rose said as she put the gear on. “This is definitely taking me more than a minute.”
It was already hot – and she was just getting started.
Captain Morelli said they run up staircases and into the heat with approximately 75 pounds of gear. So, Maxine decided to give it a try.
“Oh, my heart rate is definitely up now. I can’t imagine going full speed right now up the stairs to try and save someone,” she said while on the stair climbing machine.
“It’s a very physical job, right? So we’re working, we’re putting out fires, we’re carrying people – that type of thing,” said Nate Barbolish, a career firefighter.
The firefighters told Maxine that hydrating is key. But they also said your physical health is just as important. And despite her years of dance, Maxine said, she was nowhere near ready for this.
“You know, it’s very easy to get heat exhaustion or heat stress,” said Captain Morelli. “We are basically encapsulated in this gear so the sweat just does not have anywhere to go. You’re basically cooking in this gear.”
And cooked Maxine was.
“There are beads of sweat on my face right now,” she said.
“That was two minutes,” said Captain Morelli. “Two minutes?” Maxine replied.
So, what do they do to beat the heat?
“Definitely shower. I carry a fresh shirt in the rig because, you know, we could go from a fire to helping an old lady with a smoke detector that’s beeping, right?” said Barbolish.
With just this experience alone, Maxine said she gained a whole lot of perspective and a new level of respect for the firefighters.
“Regardless of the weather, the citizens and the community come first. Still gotta put that gear on no matter how hot it is,” said Barbolish.