NY Fire Service Academy Launches Turnout Gear Cleaning Initiative

Old Bethpage, NY — The Nassau County Fire Service Academy has launched a turnout gear cleaning initiative that will reach over 10,000 firefighters. As part of an ongoing commitment to reduce the risk of occupational cancer, The Nassau County Fire Service Academy has entered into a partnership with RedLine Gear Cleaning to provide advanced turnout gear cleaning for more than 100 instructors on staff throughout the year and be the new home of the gear cleaning business to better serve over 70 fire departments in Nassau County.

“Cancer and other diseases are far too prevalent in the firefighting community. When analyzing ways for our academy to be at the forefront of national change, I knew we had to look at various prevention methods to begin to change the behaviors of our community. This is why we have formed a working partnership with RedLine Gear Cleaning” says Paul Wilders, Assistant Chief Instructor for the Nassau County Fire Service Academy.

The partnership with RedLine Gear Cleaning allows the company to operate their on-site gear cleaning business directly from the Nassau County Fire Service Academy. This will ensure that turnout gear and equipment at the academy is regularly cleaned and decontaminated of the toxic chemicals firefighters may face while performing live fire exercises. This partnership will also allow RedLine Gear Cleaning to be centrally located to better service Fire Departments across the Island.

“We’re really excited to be calling the Nassau County Fire Service Academy our new home on Long Island. This partnership will bring much needed awareness to the importance of clean firefighter gear while also giving Long Island Fire Departments the resources they need to better protect the health and safety of their firefighters” says Mike Matros, founder of RedLine Gear Cleaning.

The official launch of this partnership took place on March 21, 2022, and will be the start of a strategic initiative to change the way generations of firefighters view dirty gear. With occupational cancer being the biggest threat to firefighters, the NCFSA wants to act as the catalyst for change on Long Island.