Poison Oak Effects Hundreds of Firefighters on Wildland Frontlines
Source Firehouse.com News
Crews battling two large wildfires in California found themselves suffering from exposure to poison oak.
Fire officials said over 400 firefighters had to be treated after coming into contact with the plant at the Alamo and Whittier Fires in Santa Barbara County earlier this summer.
"Poison oak is just a hazard of the job..there's poison oak on almost every fire we go on here on the Central Coast," Santa Barbara County firefighter Danny Haynes told local television station KEYT.
Haynes said he suffers the symptoms on a lot of fires, which could be contracted from direct contact with the plants, hose or equipment that came in contact with plants.
"For me it'll often get on my face, my eyes will swell, I'll get a bad rash on my arms or wherever it touches," he said.
He's been treated for exposure following his work at the Alamo and Whittier fires.
He added that firefighters can inhale smoke from the burning poison oak and suffered symptoms in the lungs.
"You have to push through it," Haynes added. "You're out there and you're in it and you just deal with it and keep doing your job," Haynes said.
