Miami-Dade fire crews discuss working in extreme conditions – NBC 6 South Florida

As South Florida's summer season kicks into high gear, we see warmer temperatures and rainy weather.

Just last week a fire at Temple Court apartments lasted for hours and two days later dozens of homes were hit by unprecedented flooding.

Meanwhile, people who react to these situations find themselves in less than ideal situations.

NBC6 spoke with Miami-Dade fire crews, who explain how they prepare for these types of events and how they combat the factors that come with them.

“It’s definitely hot and the weather outside definitely plays a big role,” said Station 2 Lt. Shane Pyle.

Pyle prepared all summer. He puts on his helmet, gloves, air mask and three-layer bunker gear.

The diapers include an outer shell that protects against any sharp or chemical objects. The second layer is a moisture barrier to keep them cool and prevent water from entering. The last layer is a thermal barrier to protect them from heat.

“It’s 100 degrees warmer to be honest,” Pyle said.

Michael Eng, chief of the Miami Dade Fire Department's rescue operations division, says it gets hotter when he's put to work.

“It can be up to 50 degrees hotter than the usual temperature in our bunker equipment,” Eng added.

Eng noted that firefighters across the county are preparing for these extreme conditions. To do this, they adjust their training throughout the day and stay hydrated the day before and the day of.

Eng admitted that it's a difficult thing to do when you're focused on saving lives.

“We tend to be pretty bad at our oversight of the mission at hand, we tend to be very focused and sometimes we even neglect our own personal well-being,” Eng said.

That's why the department has rehabilitation areas at each site to make sure these men and women rehydrate, rest and check their vital signs before heading out again.

It has been deployed in situations such as the Temple Court Apartments fire last week, where long hours were spent trying to stop the fire from spreading.

There were also days spent driving and walking through flooded streets, rescuing stranded homeowners after last week's storms.

Eng also explained that some tasks are even more difficult due to environmental conditions.

“We treat every emergency, whether minor or major, as we would any other emergency, so with temperatures the way they are, we could experience heat cramps, heat exhaustion or stroke of heat,” Eng explained.

He emphasized that they are hoping for the best but preparing for the worst, as they continue to acclimate to the South Florida summer and help the community as best they can.