Recently, the New Jersey Administrative Safety Codes set a requirement that fire companies must provide some sort of facility or unit that provides recuperation and care equipment for firefighters after a blaze.
"In fire service, more fatalities occur from heart attacks and smoke after fighting fires than inside burning buildings," said Jeff Welz, the co-director of the NHRFR, last week. "There is a high percentage of stress-related and physical exertion that comes with fighting fires. We were forced to comply with state regulations to have a recuperation unit for our firefighters."
Edward Flood, the chief for the North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue, remembers days when firefighters were never given a chance to recover after battling blazes.
"Any rehabilitation was done when you were off duty," Flood said. "If not, then it was done in the streets. But there was never anything specific to fit the needs of the firefighters, to handle the demands."
Knowing that the regional was faced with the prospects of purchasing a new mobile unit at an approximate cost of $75,000 to $100,000, Flood approached NHRFR officials with the idea of a bus.
"He said, ‘Why can’t we use an old bus?’" Welz said. "It made sense to us."
Flood then made a call to NJ Transit to see if there were any available vehicles that could be used in the Regional’s pursuit of a suitable unit.
"Every year, we go through a regeneration of our fleet, which is the second largest fleet of buses in the nation," said Jeffrey Warsh, the executive director of NJ Transit. "We’re always left with the dilemma of what to do with the old buses. We usually sell some for scrap, but having spent so many years as a fire attorney myself, I always believed that providing the buses to fire companies had a lot more of a benefit."
With that in mind, NJ Transit worked out a deal where one of its 14-year-old buses was sold to the NHRFR for a minimal cost of $400 in order for the NHRFR to transform the bus into its RAC (Recuperation and Care) Unit to be used at all fires.
The bus was officially christened during a ceremony Wednesday at the NHRFR station in Weehawken, where Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner, representing the five mayors whose towns are involved in the Regional, presented Warsh with a plaque of appreciation for NJ Transit’s efforts.
"It is the first New Jersey Transit bus to be converted for this purpose," Warsh said. "And it makes us all very happy to see the bus go to such a vital use. It’s exciting for us that it will get such good use. It will go a long way to improve the quality of life for the residents and will also go a long way in helping to save the lives of residents and firefighters alike."
"We’ve provided another first for the North Hudson regional," Turner said. "This is the first recuperation vehicle for the Regional’s firefighters. As we go along and see changes, we’re finding more and more firsts. It’s a major step for the regional."
After securing the bus from NJ Transit, it was then up to Flood and Pete Giunchini, the director of automotive services for North Bergen and the chief of fire apparatus for the NHRFR, to come up with a plan how to best utilize the bus to fit the needs of the firefighters.
The first thing Flood and Giunchini decided to do was to remove many of the seats from the bus, in order that firefighters could be seated comfortably while still wearing their gear and that emergency medical service crews could have easy access to the firefighters in need.
An awning was installed to the side of the bus, to provide shade during extreme heat and sun conditions. Misting machines that provide a cool mist, much like the ones featured on the sidelines of the National Football League, were also added.
The one thing that Giunchini first noticed that it was very difficult for the drivers to see directly behind the vehicle.
"So we installed cameras to the back of the bus, with a viewer near the driver’s seat," Giunchini said. "It’s a very long bus and it’s difficult to maneuver through the narrow side streets, so we put a camera on the side as well. We’ve rebuilt a lot of different vehicles and specialized equipment over the years, so this really wasn’t a big challenge."
"It’s really going to be a big help to us," Flood said. "We’re going to be able to monitor blood pressure, fatigue and fluid levels. It allows the firefighters the chance to gain refuge from any inclement conditions, like heat and cold, and enables them to mentally pull themselves together after fighting the fire. We’ve already put the unit into use four times already and have had great success with it. I don’t know of another unit of its size being used by any fire company in New Jersey."
Flood said that the unit will be sent out to every multiple alarm fire and will be used at the discretion of the command personnel on duty. The unit will be housed at the 19th Street Fire Station in Weehawken, but will be available for all five municipalities that comprise the NHRFR.
"We’re providing a safer work environment for our firefighters," Welz said. "And we were able to do so at a considerable less expense than what was originally thought. We’re able to do so without tremendous cost to our residents. It’s a great addition to our regional."