Another reason gear shouldn't be in your sleeping quarters

[Sloty 7]

From: http://www.msnbc.msn...s/#.Tk1MahzZOPM

By Bob Connors

NBCConnecticut.com

updated 8/17/2011 5:08:48 PM ET

Firefighters who answered the call in Waterbury Tuesday didn't battle a raging fire, but instead were overrun by fleas.

The members of Engine 2 left the scene of an abandoned house they were investigating on Taylor Street when they began to itch terribly. While on the ride back to the station, they noticed fleas all over them.

"It was thousands of them," Fire Chief David Martin said.

Edited August 21, 2011 by jack10562
Source Site Copyright

[sfrd18 360]

I just heard about this yesterday. It just goes to show you that anytime you're in an abandoned house or building, whether working at a fire, during training, or just during an investigation, you should always be on the lookout and expect the unexpected(a good rule of thumb for firefighting in general), because you never know what you might find or come across. Especially in many industrial cities or cities suffering from decay and or high crime throughout New England and the Mid-Atlantic region, vacant/abandoned buildings can pose sometimes unseen danger.

Firefighter Gabriel Angemi of Rescue 1, Camden, NJ gives a lot of good tips and hints on things to look out for and be aware of when investigating or operating at an incident at a vacant/abandoned building, especially in urban areas or areas suffering from urban decay and or high crime in his blog, CMDFD:

http://www.cmdfd.blogspot.com/

Edited August 18, 2011 by x635

[x129K 1,393]

Gabe is straight up, "The Man". Dude is legit and very knowledgable. Good egg.

[IzzyEng4 427]

This goes beyond what the title of this topic states. This incident not only shows what we as emergency responders can or will be exposed to, but also how we should not take for granted what can happen performing our duties.

Some important things we all should keep up on:

- Yearly (preferable) or Bi-annual physical assessments.

- Keeping up on you inoculations and boosters (HEP-B, Tetanus, MMR, ect.)

- Any possible exposure don't hesitate to report it and stay away from your fellow co-workers to keep them from being exposed.

- Don't wait around, even if you don't feel like you are sick, go get checked out. An illness may incubate and break out much later compared to when you were exposed.

- When it comes to you gear check it every time you walk into the firehouse / work. If you were exposed to a biological or chemical agent don't even think to bring it into any building!!!! Bag it up and get it professionally clean.

- DON'T ACT LIKE A "TOUGH GUY"! If you do, more than likely you sealed you fate with whatever you contracted.

[LTNRFD 266]

I just heard about this yesterday. It just goes to show you that anytime you're in an abandoned house or building, whether working at a fire, during training, or just during an investigation, you should always be on the lookout and expect the unexpected(a good rule of thumb for firefighting in general), because you never know what you might find or come across. Especially in many industrial cities or cities suffering from decay and or high crime throughout New England and the Mid-Atlantic region, vacant/abandoned buildings can pose sometimes unseen danger.

Firefighter Gabriel Angemi of Rescue 1, Camden, NJ gives a lot of good tips and hints on things to look out for and be aware of when investigating or operating at an incident at a vacant/abandoned building, especially in urban areas or areas suffering from urban decay and or high crime in his blog, CMDFD:

http://www.cmdfd.blogspot.com/

It doesn't have to be an abandon building to pick up hitchhikers !!! Everyone has been to "that type of house" even in the best neighborhoods. That is why I can't understand how you can go on an EMS call wearing shorts. If you choose to wear shorts while on duty, you have to wear your bunker pants on any and all calls.

When I worked EMS I never had work pants that had cuffed legs. That was an invitation to bring hitchhikers back home with you. I also always wore boots. That added protection to your ankles not only to help prevent a twisted/sprained ankle, but from getting bit from rodents or insects on the floor. And in one incident an escaped snake that bit the owner..........

[SOUSGT 357]

It doesn't have to be an abandon building to pick up hitchhikers !!! Everyone has been to "that type of house" even in the best neighborhoods. That is why I can't understand how you can go on an EMS call wearing shorts. If you choose to wear shorts while on duty, you have to wear your bunker pants on any and all calls.

When I worked EMS I never had work pants that had cuffed legs. That was an invitation to bring hitchhikers back home with you. I also always wore boots. That added protection to your ankles not only to help prevent a twisted/sprained ankle, but from getting bit from rodents or insects on the floor. And in one incident an escaped snake that bit the owner..........

To go one step further, When I was with the PD, I always had a change of clothes in my locker and never wore my duty shoes home. When looking for a duty shoe, I tried to find one with the thickest sole I could get away with. This wasn't a fashion statement but most waterproof shoes wouldn't pass inspection and therefore not permitted. I can't tell you how many times we had to use an elevator in the projects with sticky floors. They were the only elevators I have ever seen with drains on the floors and they were not installed for cleaning (enough said). I would hate to have seen what germs were floating around on that floor. I also remember where a "EDP' was living alone in an expensive apartment and refused to allow a plumber in her apartment to repair the toilet. She was using 5 gallon buckets. She must have had 10 or 15 of them (full) in her living room. We had to do a search of the room for someone else that may have been in the room with her. We had to special call the FD for tyvek suits and air packs.

A good rule of thumb is PPE doesnt stop at gloves and a mask. How many of us carry boot covers?

remember this we only have 1*

Stay safe!

[Newburgher 241]

Bedbugs and roaches are not a pleasant gift to bring home to your family either. How many fires have you been to where the room is pretty much incinerated, yet , the cockroaches are still alive?

[sfrd18 360]

It doesn't have to be an abandon building to pick up hitchhikers !!! Everyone has been to "that type of house" even in the best neighborhoods. That is why I can't understand how you can go on an EMS call wearing shorts. If you choose to wear shorts while on duty, you have to wear your bunker pants on any and all calls.

When I worked EMS I never had work pants that had cuffed legs. That was an invitation to bring hitchhikers back home with you. I also always wore boots. That added protection to your ankles not only to help prevent a twisted/sprained ankle, but from getting bit from rodents or insects on the floor. And in one incident an escaped snake that bit the owner..........

Good point. In even the wealthiest neighborhoods, there's always a house that can breed "hitchhikers". There was one at my time in my neighborhood(not that it's a particularly wealthy one), but there is a house that has now bee redone in the past year. Prior to that, you literally couldn't go inside it without a haz-mat. suit on, and there was actually someone LIVING in it. Even though the two guys working on it had to empty the house out while wearing haz-mat. gear, one complains of health issues due to all the crap in the house and has been to a doctor. This just goes to show you that, especially on EMS runs, you can go into all types of houses, including one like this, while wearing minor amounts bunker gear(maybe a helmet, pants/boots, a coat, etc.), or just a station uniform(short-sleve/dress shirts, pants, shorts, etc.). Even though it may be the hottest day of the year, it's always better to be safe than sorry. Wearing bunker gear doesn't just protect you from fire conditions, but also non-fire conditions, even when wearing it may seem to be unnecessary, or so hot that it would seem crazy to wear it.

[sfrd18 360]

To go one step further, When I was with the PD, I always had a change of clothes in my locker and never wore my duty shoes home. When looking for a duty shoe, I tried to find one with the thickest sole I could get away with. This wasn't a fashion statement but most waterproof shoes wouldn't pass inspection and therefore not permitted. I can't tell you how many times we had to use an elevator in the projects with sticky floors. They were the only elevators I have ever seen with drains on the floors and they were not installed for cleaning (enough said). I would hate to have seen what germs were floating around on that floor. I also remember where a "EDP' was living alone in an expensive apartment and refused to allow a plumber in her apartment to repair the toilet. She was using 5 gallon buckets. She must have had 10 or 15 of them (full) in her living room. We had to do a search of the room for someone else that may have been in the room with her. We had to special call the FD for tyvek suits and air packs.

A good rule of thumb is PPE doesnt stop at gloves and a mask. How many of us carry boot covers?

remember this we only have 1*

Stay safe!

It's disgusting how and where some people live, and a potential nightmare for emergency workers going to help these people. Like as you mentioned, SOUSGT, about some working conditions, you never know what your up against when you get to the scene of an emergency. Many homes and apartments are nice, but many are not, to put it bluntly. Another thing this whole issue brings to mind are the times I've seen hospital workers out in public with their scrubs on. Not to knock any hospital personnel, or start an argument. This may sound ignorant, and someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I would think that being in hospital(especially ER) environments, it seems to me that scrubs used in hospitals by hospital personnel should remain thein the hospital.

[newsbuff 286]

Another thing this whole issue brings to mind are the times I've seen hospital workers out in public with their scrubs on. Not to knock any hospital personnel, or start an argument. This may sound ignorant, and someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I would think that being in hospital(especially ER) environments, it seems to me that scrubs used in hospitals by hospital personnel should remain thein the hospital.

You are correct. It usually is a rule that scrubs are not to be worn outside of the workplace, as they may carry a multitude of things on them.

[hudson144 150]

If we didn't put our Bunkers pants in the Bunkroom at night the mice wouldn't have a place to sleep! lol They must getting tired of the kitchen stove!