ST. LOUIS – A busy day for St. Louis firefighters across the city. No different from every other day, except even more dangerous when the temperature and heat indices are well over 100 degrees.
The day began with a call for a fire in the 4200 block of Delmar Boulevard.
“As they were fighting a fire, it was 85 or 90 degrees,” Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson said. “They’re wearing all the equipment. They had a lot of smoke. They were doing a primary search, and we had a firefighter go down and treated by EMS. It’s heat exhaustion. It’s hot. He’s okay.”
Firefighters later responded to the 1700 block of Veronica for a kitchen fire inside a two-story dwelling. The occupants were accounted for outside the residence.
The blaze was eventually extinguished, but not before the heat had overtaken one firefighter, who had to be treated for exhaustion at the scene.
“Firefighters made a strong initial attack to keep the building under control and knock it down,” Jenkerson said. “As they were cleaning up and going away from it, we had another firefighter go down from the heat. We had to get fluids in them and lines with IV fluids to get their systems back up. It’s just hot and it takes a toll on our guys.”
Jenkerson says during hot stretches of weather like this, the department tries to be extra vigilant in keeping the men and women fighting fires safe and hydrated.
“You’re wearing about 35 or 40 pounds of clothing that is very insulated. It brings the core temperature of the body up very quickly,” he said. “And that’s before you go into the fire.”
Jenkerson says both firefighters were treated and released, and are in good spirits.
Jenkerson says during hot stretches of weather like this, the department tries to be extra vigilant in keeping the men and women fighting fires safe and hydrated.
“You’re wearing about 35 or 40 pounds of clothing that is very insulated. It brings the core temperature of the body up very quickly,” he said. “And that’s before you go into the fire.”
Jenkerson says both firefighters were treated and released, and are in good spirits.