New fire engine tech could help keep our firefighters safe from harmful toxins
The death of a longtime Sacramento, California firefighter from cancer has led to the Sacramento Fire Department introducing 2 new fire engines that hope to ensure no firefighter ever suffers the same fate again on their watch.
Tamara Thacher was a 31 year verteran of the department, and passed away late in 2019 due to cancer likely caused by her heroism fighting fires for 30 plus years. The buildings they enter, chemicals they deploy, and sometimes even the clothing and equipment they wear can all expose our local heroes to hazardous toxins. In an effort to reduce the amount of toxins firefighters face on a daily basis, the SFD is introducing what’s called the Clean Cab Apparatus. The extra costs for the newly equipped trucks aren’t insignificant, but the benefits should greatly outweigh the costs
The Clean Cab Apparatus features not only hoses to rinse firefighters off and ventilated compartments to store contaminated equipment outside the truck, but according to Fox 40, “the inside of the cabs have the special HEPA filters that constantly filter our systems … to remove any of the particulates that can be harmful…” The addition makes not only the firefighters safer, but also the citizens of the homes and buildings they go running into. While today’s story focuses on the Sacramento Fire Department, numerous departments across the country have moved to the Clean Cab Apparatus. You have to wonder how long it is until this potential life saving innovation is not only required, but standard. Let’s hope soon.
To read the article in its entirety at Fox40.com, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3cvDI45