SAN ANTONIO – The extreme heat wave is intense and dangerous for anyone but especially firefighters.
That’s why the San Antonio Fire Department takes extra precautions in this type of heat.
One such incident occurred Sunday afternoon when a car repair shop caught fire in the peak heat of the day.
That type of structure fire would usually warrant a normal response, but SAFD Battalion Chief Mark Trevino called out 17 crews, which is more than usual.
“We’re really paying attention to the the welfare of the fire crews because it’s so hot and it’s so humid. So we do have the ambulances out here and everybody to keep it cool,” Trevino said.
The extra crews allow Trevino to rotate firefighters.
“Where you can usually work 20 minutes, you can probably only work five or ten in these kind of conditions,” he said.
It’s all part of the protocol.
“Our EMS crews will have rehabs set up where they’re either starting IVs or giving giving folks a cold drink, trying to cool everyone down, get that core body temperature down,” said SAFD firefighter and public information officer Joe Arrington.
The fire department has three heat response levels: zero, one and two.
A Level One heat response is for a heat index (feels-like reading) of 81-95. Level Two is for 96 and above.
On Friday, San Antonio hit what was then an all-time record heat index of 115.
“Normal operations for us is level zero,” Arrington said.
However, Arrington said this heat wave has prompted Level Two warnings, meaning crews are only working outside for emergencies.
Training in summer months usually happens in the mornings and evenings when it’s cooler, but during a Level Two warning, it’s taken inside.
“We’re used to it, but this is not normal. You know, it’s the humidity,” Arrington said.
Firefighters are used to the heat inside structure fires, which can get up to 1,000 degrees.
“It’s when you’re working grass fires, when you’re on the highway, on, you know, on the concrete working automobile accidents when you’re dealing with the medical calls. You’re outside for an extended period of time. That’s when it really weighs in,” Arrington said.
The gear firefighters wear is around 65-70 pounds and heats a body up quickly.
“We’re a busy department. We’re doing 10 or 12 runs a shift in a 24-hour period. We’re out a lot,” Arrington said.
They work hard to stay safe, so they can in turn keep the community safe .
