Lima Fire Department tackle cold temperatures

LIMA, OH (WLIO) - You may think ice and snow would combat fires. Still, with frigid temperatures and harsher weather conditions, our local firefighters face a new level of difficulty when preparing for duty.

"We still have all the same things to worry about. Still have to worry about the extreme temperatures inside the fire. Then, as soon as you get outside the fire, it's obviously below freezing. We're using pumping water, so you have to worry about water freezing. We have to make sure all of our trucks are engaged and that the water that is moving around is not sitting still. We're also trying to not create an ice rink and have trip fall hazards," said Andrew Groman, Lima Fire Department Captain.

Dehydration and heat exhaustion are still a cause for concern no matter the weather conditions, but as one can expect, with cold temperatures come both pros and cons.

"The cold weather doesn't really slow fire down too much. I would say the nice thing about being colder outside is that you can go outside and cool off fast, but then in this type of weather here, you have to worry about frostbite. Come outside, and your gear is all wet, and water on your skin in this temperature is brutal," Groman continued.

No changes are needed towards the gear worn for firefighters. However, there is an extra step of safety then taken place once the job is done.

Groman added, "I would say this time of the year, we have to actually think about ways to set up an area where we can keep our firefighters warm. They come out of that extreme work wet, so now we have to worry about the opposite side of it too: keeping them warm so that they are not getting too cold."