Firefighting In The Cold

With the temperatures reaching unbearably low numbers most people are planning to wait out the cold indoors. However, if you’re a firefighter, staying in isn’t always an option.

The winter months can be a particularly tricky season for the Zanesville Fire Department. Firefighters are often out in freezing temperatures dealing with water, but the cold water doesn’t just cause problems during a fire, it makes clean up particularly tricky.

“Basically as long as water is flowing it doesn’t freeze, but what we do is we use the hydrants and stuff to fill the trucks with water, and as they will overfill they’ll dump the water out on the streets, and we call the street departments and the city to come out and put salt down in those instances so that the roads not slick,” Said Zanesville Fire Department Firefighter, Trent Abrams.

While firefighters are on scene they are able to keep warm in their turnout gear which helps to regulate their body temperature. Abrams also shared advice to keep you safe in the cold weather.

“Basically just try to keep yourselves inside, don’t go outside. Be mindful of using space heaters and stuff, they do radiate heat so try and keep them away from things.”

The Zanesville Fire Department did what us to inform you that if you are considering ice skating on a pond that no thickness of ice is safe, and accidents do happen.