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Firefighters in Pennsylvania suburb urge fire prevention during frigid temps, icy conditions: "Hoses freeze up"

CBS News Live
CBS News Philadelphia Live

Freezing temperatures this week have made battling fires even more dangerous for first responders in Chester County as icy conditions pose additional risks to firefighters and their equipment.

On Monday, firefighters in West Goshen Township responded to a car fire, and on Wednesday, a house fire broke out in West Chester Borough. While everyone escaped safely from both incidents, the frigid weather made an already hazardous job even more challenging.

"It was very cold. We had hoses freeze up. Our gear froze up," said Dave March, public information officer for the West Chester Fire Department.

March explained that the weather doesn't just make the job uncomfortable — it's dangerous for their volunteer crews.

"A lot of times, [their suits] will be completely frozen, and at some point, you could just stand it up, and it will stay standing. Their helmets will be full of ice," March said.

The freezing conditions also create slippery surfaces for firefighters to navigate.

"When you spray it onto a house, it instantly freezes. Our trucks dump water on the ground, which freezes almost simultaneously," March said.

Another risk is frostbite and hypothermia, which means crews must take extra precautions.

"So we had to continue to rotate our crews in and out to keep warm," March said.

With these challenges in mind, March emphasized the importance of fire prevention and preparation during the winter months.

"Make sure you always get your chimneys cleaned, your fireplace inspected, [and] your furnaces inspected," he said.

Residents can also assist firefighters by ensuring fire hydrants are accessible.

"If those fire hydrants aren't dug out, that's more time that's wasted because they'll have to take them out before they hook the hoses up to them and get water to our trucks," March said.

Additionally, he recommended keeping sidewalks and driveways shoveled to make it easier for first responders to reach homes in an emergency.

"Our community is number one," he said. "Make sure we all come home safe, and we all go back home to our families."

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