CHESTERFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — New firefighter recruits in Chesterfield Township are pushing through near 100-degree temperatures as they complete a week-long orientation program — and department leaders say the extreme heat is creating serious safety concerns of its own.
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Five new part-time firefighters are in the middle of a grueling training program that includes hands-on simulations, such as using the Jaws of Life to access patients and prepare them for transport.
Recruit Anthony Gogo said the conditions are unlike anything he experienced before joining the department.
"I believe it's almost 100 degrees," Gogo said. "It was never this hot in the academy."
Gogo said the heat adds a significant layer of difficulty to an already demanding program.
"It's 10 times more challenging, especially when you have all this gear on. You don't think you're sweating as much, but you are, and have a higher chance of passing out," Gogo said.
Fire Chief Craig Miller, who has led the department for 8 years, said this heat stands out even by his standards.
"I don't ever remember the heat being this high. With the protective equipment worn by a firefighter, their body temperature can rapidly increase to the point where it becomes a health and safety concern," Miller said.
To protect recruits and all staff, the department is taking several precautions. Additional personnel have been brought in to ensure a full rotation, and ice-cold Gatorade and water are provided before, during, and after shifts.
"We're gonna have lots of fluids and ice and that sort of thing at the emergency scene, so we can rotate people," Miller said.
Despite the difficult conditions, Gogo said the experience is making him a better firefighter.
"Whatever comes our way, this is what we're built for, this is what the job is, so this will just teach us to be better for a fire," Gogo said.
Miller said the department will not let the heat slow its response.
"We're gonna respond, and we're gonna deal with it, despite the heat," Miller said.
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