There is an alarming rise in firefighter cancer rates, it’s only proper and important that you take all the necessary procedures to keep yourself, your team, and your department’s individual health in tip top shape. The best way of protecting yourself and your team from harmful carcinogens is through decontamination procedures, these procedures eliminate any carcinogens that might be lying around on the gear, equipment, the station, and fire trucks.
This decontamination procedure requires the use of special equipment and tools required to aid firefighters in decontamination of themselves, their gear and the site.
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The decontamination equipment gets most of the job done in getting rid of any harmful particles. Firefighters are at greater risk that’s why they are top priority as they are the ones who receive the most exposure inside the fire scene.
It is very important that fire fighters decontaminate themselves as well as their equipment and gear before they leave a fire scene, this is standard operating procedures. An example of the decontamination procedures that firefighters perform include getting rid of any harmful particles on their turnout gear, their PPE, and FR clothing; and any residue on their skin or dermal areas. Fire fighters are offered decontamination kits and decon kit refills to help them in decontaminating themselves and their gear on site. The decontamination kits usually contain decon gear and equipment and personal decontamination products such as turnout gear, FR clothing, and PPE cleaning products and sprays as well as decontamination wipes, decon field wipes and etc.
The average baby wipes one can buy from grocery stores and supermarket can do the job at basic cleaning and getting rid of dirt, soot, and surface grime but are ineffective at the removal of metals, regardless of how hard you wipe and scrub metals will stick on to the skin in a manner unlike germs and dirt so it’s very difficult to get rid of by any other means. The burning of certain materials release harmful chemicals that are invisible to the naked eye such as heavy metal oxides like hexavalent chromium which can be released from heating stainless steel, ceramics, anti-corrosion coatings, chrome and other industrial materials and another heavy metal oxide which is lead oxide which is released from burning household items, decorations, paint, carpets and etc. Companies such as Hygenall manufactures products such as soaps, surface cleaners and baby wipe like products that are designed to clean soot and as well as more than 99% all of those metal oxides as well as other metals such as mercury, nickel, copper, arsenic and etc.
You can find more information about these decontamination products here!