Firefighters saving lives in Sacramento despite heat wave
“It might as well be 150 degrees sometimes when you’re in a 500-to-700-degree building wearing your gear,” said Capt. Parker Wilbourn.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A fire in Midtown on 15th Street Tuesday morning was just the beginning of the Sacramento Fire Department’s 48-hour shift during an unprecedented heat wave.
“We had a report initially that there were two victims possibly inside, reports of squatters had been staying in this location, so, firefighters did make an interior attack initially. Did a quick down and dirty search of the residents at the church to make sure No one was inside. We quickly got out,” said Capt. Keith Wade, spokesperson for the Sacramento Fire Department.
No one was found in the building, but the call still brought firefighters out to combat a fire in triple-digit temperatures in full fire gear.
“It might as well be 150 degrees sometimes when you’re in a 500-to-700-degree building wearing your gear,” said Capt. Parker Wilbourn, spokesperson for the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District.
Sacramento Metropolitan Fire responded to a call in South Sacramento this weekend after an unattended barbeque on Labor day caught two duplexes on fire.
“We had a total of 4 units on fire. That’s destruction. That’s gonna displace multiple families, and it’s very sad because it’s just something as simple as keeping an eye on a barbeque or having a hose line ready – a garden hose or bucket of water so you can extinguish those flames,” said Capt. wilbourn
Due to situations like these, firefighters are asking people not to have a barbeque or anything flame related as the state wrestles with extreme heat. They fully expect their shifts during the heat wave to include fighting fires and saving lives.
“It’s a hard day for the Sacramento Fire Department. We’re messaging our members early – safety messages – to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, keeping time to get in cool environments. We will do our best to rehab these firefighters as fast as possible (and) get them rotated out,” said Capt. Calf.
Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District also said firefighters train in the heat and in their gear, so they are prepared to work in these types of conditions. However, crews are still looking out for each other by checking on each other and for signs of heat exhaustion.
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