By Laura Quezada
News Review Staff Writer
Public Information Officer for the Kern County Fire Department Andrew Freeborn talked about the new fire engine that is now being used by Kern County Fire Station 77 in Ridgecrest. “The fire engine is the newest and latest and greatest. It is after several versions of fire engines that we have purchased from Pierce manufacturing, we feel that this is as close to a bull’s eye as we could get. These are incredible fire engines. It is designed in such a way as to start providing better safety for the firefighters that are working on them. And one of the keys that is accomplished is through the reduction of exposure to carcinogens. For decades the turnouts (protective gear) that you see the firefighters wearing would be stored inside the cab. So it’s hot. They’re continuing to have those chemicals come off of them in the cab. You’re leaning against it with your arm. Your pores are open because you’re hot in the summertime, and you’re absorbing all of those carcinogens. There’s now more storage outside of the passenger compartment to allow for the storage of those items. So we’re continuing to keep a separation anytime we can between the firefighters and something that can potentially give them cancer.”
