LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — In weather like this, we all feel like we're walking into a raging fire— though there are some people who actually have to do so.
A firefighter's gear weighs about 40 pounds but Little Rock Fire Captain Jacob Lear-Sadowsky explained how every pound is worth it because it could save a life.
"If something happens to us, and we're the resource to help the public, and we go down, there's a void there," Captain Lear-Sadowsky said.
Firefighters across the state have not only been battling the hot fires but the temperatures outside as well, which has added extra tension to the job.
"The difference is today coming out of a structure fire taking off your protective gear, you don't get the relief that you would, that you would get like in the fall or the winter," Captain Jacob Lear-Sadowsky said.
So, while they're out protecting others the question remains of 'who is making sure they're safe by putting all this gear on in these extreme temperatures outside?'
"We have some policies in place that we implement when the guys come out of the fire, and it's taken out of NFPA 1584," Assistant Chief Rick Albers of North Little Rock Fire Department said.
Assistant Chief Albers explained that while firefighters are trained to withstand intense forms of heat his crew is still human and their safety matters.
"Which is why we do those active cooling measures like our coolness fan, or putting cold towels on us Mems comes in and helps us out a lot with that kind of stuff," Chief Albers said.
He also said that in order to be the first line of defense on a hot day in the sun it's important to take care of themselves.
"When you're out there in it all day, it does get hot for the guys. It's very important for them to stay hydrated and take care of themselves so like you say that we can take care of you guys," Chief Albers said.