Firefighters face winter response challenges
GORDONVILLE, Mo. (KBSI) – As winter weather continues to move in throughout the region, firefighters say their job becomes even more dangerous as icy roads, blocked access points and freezing temperatures can create life threatening obstacles that affect emergency response times.
Firefighters have a tough job! That job gets even harder when winter weather hits.
Michael Gentry is the Gordonville Fire Protection District Fire Chief. He has 15 years of local firefighting experience. He says it’s no secret that winter weather brings a whole new set of challenges when it comes to response. Not only just for fires but they see an increase car accident’s as well.
“Know the temperatures will play a factor in how well the guys can operate on scene. The cold temperatures will eventually, you know, start freezing items on scene because the water we use, whether it’s spraying, inside the house or outside the house, can create slippery conditions for the firemen there on the fire scene as well as can start freezing up their equipment” says Gentry. “The water and the hoses could freeze and the nozzles could freeze, and then it could really freeze around the air packs and then making the air packs not functional.”
After dealing with slick road conditions, they have to work even faster than normal to get on scene as every second is vital when it comes to emergency response. Gentry says there are a few things that citizens can do to help, like making sure fire hydrants aren’t blocked and making sure your home address can be visibly seen.
“A big thing in the volunteer and county side of the fire service is addressing markings on your residents” says Gentry. “So, it’s sometimes very hard to find an address in the county who might have a long driveway or a house that doesn’t have any markings, so if you put in a marker by the by the road or even make sure your address is well lit can go a long way for us because those seconds do matter.”
Gentry says cold weather affects their equipment, their mobility and how safely they can work, which all play a factor in why citizen’s might see a longer response time in the winter, but despite the strain firefighter’s say they stay ready to respond.
Gentry shares another way to help is by checking on your neighbors. When temperatures drop, make sure your elderly neighbors have heat and take extra precautions when it comes to heating your home to avoid fires.
“We see a lot of fires in the in the wintertime because of the flue fires so, clean your flues and chimneys out. There’s some local companies like, servant that would help, get those inspections done for you that can really prevent that build up that starts a fire, and then, space heaters, we see a lot of fires every year with the space heaters.” says Gentry.
Gentry advises to make sure no wires are covered up when using a space heater, don’t plug it into an extension cord with multiple other things plugged into it, don’t ever leave a space heater running while you sleep, or place anything too close or on top of a space heater, as all of these create a fire risk.
